An introduction to the special issue: designing for virtual communities in the service of learning
S.A. Barab 2003 The Information Society v. 19, p. 197-201.
This introduction to a collection of articles about virtual communities explores the nature of community, emphasizing that we currently have little appreciation and few criteria for distinguishing between a community of learners and a group of students learning collaboratively. The author further asserts that we know even less about whether something resembling community can be designed, and how to measure whether it has emerged. Nonetheless, these are critical questions, as educators and policymakers are
advocating for a move away from “teacher-centered” models of instruction and toward more “learner-centered” and “community-based” models.
Subject: Education Resource Type: Pedagogic Resources:Opinion, Overview/Summary, Book Section Research on Learning: Instructional Design:Use of Technology, Ways Of Learning:Social Networking, Affective Domain:Learning Environments
