I find that the technology can enable many collaborative networks in learning processes. However, these need to be tailored to the intent of the specific educational goals or practices that must be clearly established. Also the network should have both an individual and collective function. According to Wegner each community “is engaged in the production of its own practice—in relation to the whole system, of course, but also through its own local negotiation of meaning”.(p.4) In this sense, participants of an online course should be able to find a network as well as a clear purpose in it in order to maintain it. According to Capdeferro “frustration is a common phenomenon among students involved in online collaborative learning experience” and the main source of frustration is “the imbalance in the level of commitment, responsibility, and effort”.(2012, p44) It is of course, difficult to avoid this situation since in there might be some students that might find more motivation than others in a particular subject. But if each person was given a specific role and responsibility within a specific common purpose these experiences could be minimised. That is why, I personally find that gamification in online learning processes can make a network to be really connected since both individuals and collective goals can be easily established. Especially, if some value is established that emphasises the importance of the connectivism in the network.In this case is to find the worth in the network. As Dron and Anderson connectivism “shares many of the attributes of constructivism, notably in its valorization of diversity and a philosophical basis that knowledge is constructed in a social context”. (2014, p.59). Therefore, give a context and a worth to the network can maybe motivate and accelerate online learning processes.
Capdeferro, N. & Romero, M. (2012). Are online learners frustrated with collaborative learning experiences?.
Dron, J. & Anderson, T. (2014). Teaching crowds: Learning and social media. Athabasca University Press.
Wenger, E. (2010). Communities of practice and social learning systems: the career of a concept. In Social learning systems and communities of practice (pp. 179-198). Springer London
