Internet connectivity, wikis, crowdsourcing and virtual communities, online courses, programs and education are transforming how, where and with whom we learn, and the ways we generate knowledge. These changes call for a re-examination of learning practices, and a redefinition that embraces these new ways of learning in a networked world. This talk argues for a redefinition of learning as e-learning, where the ‘e-‘ is as much about ‘extending’ learning possibilities as it is about ‘electronic’ systems and practices.
E-learning entails not only a greater acceptance of networked social and collaborative learning, but also a recognition of the continuously emergent and intertwined development of learning and knowledge practices. It addresses learning that is mediated, supported and effected through online means, for formal, informal and non-formal purposes, and outside yet alongside the classroom. It is learning no longer bound by educational institutions, confined to youthful years, nor constrained to a ‘student’ identity.
This talk will discuss trends and research on e-learning and networked learning, and advocate for a new set of questions for research and practice that encompasses a new set of learning actors, purposes and goals.
