{"id":1472,"date":"2017-08-18T11:56:18","date_gmt":"2017-08-18T10:56:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.iriss.org.uk\/socialmedia\/?p=1472"},"modified":"2017-10-25T16:15:10","modified_gmt":"2017-10-25T15:15:10","slug":"continuing-to-grow-personal-learning-networks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.iriss.org.uk\/socialmedia\/2017\/08\/18\/continuing-to-grow-personal-learning-networks\/","title":{"rendered":"Continuing to grow personal learning networks"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 8 September 2017, we’ll launch a ‘Grow Your Personal Learning Network’ online course for social services staff. This is a course that will be open to anyone who is interested in learning more about the web and social media to support them build personal and professional networks and promote lifelong learning. Given this imminent launch, we thought it timely to share the work we did last year around growing personal learning networks.<\/p>\n

\"personal<\/p>\n

AN INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Over 2016\/17, in partnership with both the University of Strathclyde and University of Dundee, we piloted a \u2018Grow your personal learning network\u2019 online course. The six-week course aimed to support two cohorts of students of social work – first year and Masters\u2019 students – to use the web and social media to improve use of, and sharing of information and knowledge and to build their own connections, both personal and professional. It also aspired to promote lifelong learning and to support learning in the transition from education to practice.<\/p>\n

The idea for running such a course was originally pitched to the Heads of Social Work group, which prompted interest from the University of Strathclyde and the University of Dundee. There was recognition from both of the potential value of social media for improving students\u2019 access to information for education and practice, and for creating their own local, as well as wider networks.<\/p>\n

This summary report is based on a follow-up review session with course leads at both universities, as well as feedback from students posted to the online forum of each respective course.<\/p>\n

RATIONALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Personal Learning Networks is different to traditional learning and offers to following benefits to support improved use of evidence:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Autonomous and self-directed, with learner controlling how, when and \u2018who\u2019 they connect with.<\/li>\n
  • Learning is social and adaptable to individuals needs rather than static \/ prescriptive course content.<\/li>\n
  • Continuous part of individuals work flow and not an onerous add on.<\/li>\n
  • Bite-sized.<\/li>\n
  • Inclusive, supporting connections across sector, professional and non-professional boundaries and hierarchies as well as inclusive of traditional research reports, practitioner wisdom, lived experience and co-creation of new knowledge through interaction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The learning from the two pilots would be shared to support effective use of evidence and knowledge and will also link into strategic conversations, including the review of Social Work Education and Improving Use of Evidence strand in the Social Services Strategy 2015-20.<\/p>\n

    THE COURSE OUTLINE<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The online courses were set-up on Iriss\u2019 WordPress platform using CoursePress Pro. This provided a closed online learning forum for each cohort.<\/p>\n

    Every week a set of activities were released, together with tips and tools and links to videos and external readings and resources. Each week focused on a different tool or topic. These included:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Understanding Personal Learning Networks<\/li>\n
    • Twitter<\/li>\n
    • Diigo social bookmarking<\/li>\n
    • Evernote<\/li>\n
    • Scoop It!<\/li>\n
    • Personal reflection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The programme for the two cohorts was slightly different, tailored and agreed with course leads. For example, University of Dundee requested that a module on Evernote be included, whereas, the University of Strathclyde covered Twitter over two weeks.<\/p>\n

      Activities for each week included engaging with a range of multimedia: written texts, videos, and audio content. It was expected that students would engage with each other using social media they were learning about, such as Twitter and Diigo, as part of the course, and share reflections in the closed online forums as part of the tasks set.<\/p>\n

      The online format supported a self-directed learning approach, which included time management and prioritising in workflow. It offered each cohort of students an online forum where they could post their thoughts and reflections on each week\u2019s tasks, and support each other. The facilitators also offered comment and encouragement. Arguably, this provides a cost-effective way to provide learning; costs were only incurred for the WordPress installation and update. Facilitation, is \u2018extra\u2019 in terms of resourcing this.
      \nFacilitation<\/p>\n

      The courses were facilitated (online) by an Iriss team member and the university course lead. Facilitators encouraged participation and provided comment where appropriate. The students largely led the discussions, responding to, and commenting on, questions posed as part of the tasks.<\/p>\n

      By way of introduction to the course, the Iriss team provided a one-hour, face-to-face introductory session to both cohorts.<\/p>\n

      ACCREDITATION<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      The courses did not form part of the curriculum at either university and were not formally assessed. On providing evidence of learning and participation in the course, open badges were issued by Iriss in partnership with Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).<\/p>\n

      Application for open badges was promoted by the course facilitators and was designed to encourage them to think about CPD and post-registration accreditation of learning, as required by qualified and practising social workers.<\/p>\n

      UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE PILOT: FIRST YEAR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMME<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      The course was introduced as part of the \u2018Preparing for lifelong learning\u2019 module, which was also six weeks long. This took place during the first weeks of class time in Year 1 of the social work programme, with students on campus. 34 out of 35-student class registered for the course.<\/p>\n

      The PLN course was pitched by the course lead as a way for students, new to university, to take up new tools that would help them in their current studies. It was also promoted as something that would help them as they moved into practice in several years time.<\/p>\n

      Participation was generally good with approximately 15 students participating throughout the six weeks. Only through comment and \/ or completion of tasks could we measure the level of participation. It\u2019s possible that a number of those who didn\u2019t post comments or complete tasks (but took a more observatory or \u2018lurker\u2019 approach), did actually read material, watch videos etc and got some learning from it.<\/p>\n

      Approximately 11 students participated in the Twitter discussion in the second week. A Storify report of the discussion is available: https:\/\/storify.com\/iriss\/grow-your-personal-learning-network<\/p>\n

      13 students applied for a SSSC open badge at the end of the programme to receive acknowledgement of completion.<\/p>\n

      Overall the course was well received and feedback was largely positive from students. Regular contact\/encouragement from Graham (course lead) was considered to have been helpful in promoting engagement – through weekly face-to-face as well as online contact. It was deemed useful \u2018to be directive\u2019, encourage the students and \u2018check in.\u2019<\/p>\n

      Feedback from students:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \u201cPeople do not need to wait to get taught, and control over learning transfers to individuals\u201d<\/p>\n

      \u201cI can guarantee that without this gentle push into the social media world I would not have considered it\u2026. This will be invaluable for my further development and education in the years to come as a social work student.\u201d<\/p>\n

      Student plans to continue using social media to support learning:<\/p>\n