Social learning: A way of life

With the Internet full of informational resources and learning tools, teachers can act as facilitators of information with a greater emphasis on explanation and critical thinking rather than being the source of dissemination. Formal learning systems have in some cases been slower to adopt this model, rightly concerned about the accuracy of material and consistency. However, with an increasing number of people accessing information in learning environments, the need for these formal systems to embrace technological change is very clear.

Where once a memorized chapter about the Renaissance movement led students to lose interest and, ultimately, forget the lesson, augmented reality technology now allows learners to have an immersive “experience” of the Renaissance era. For the current generation of “digital natives” who begin using tablets and smartphones even before they can speak, social learning is not an alternative but an inherent way of life. The challenge lies in how to instill the teacher’s knowledge, skills, and explanatory effectiveness into the almost infinite world of information that students obtain through posts shared on Facebook, links on Twitter, YouTube videos, Quora threads, or any other online resource that constantly emerges and grows.

Seen from this perspective, the challenge is truly an opportunity to merge the ubiquity and vast informational capacity present on these platforms with the inspiration and engagement of teachers who continually strive to improve and dedicate themselves to advanced learning. Social learning is already proving to be not just an alternative system, but the growing norm and the tool that will shape the education of the future.

Is your Learning Management System (LMS) compatible with social learning?

Because of the multiple access points to information, students need less direction to find specific knowledge. What students really need is a safe, structured environment where they can use the resources of their choice (including text, audio, and/or video) to discuss, communicate, and collaborate. Learning can be more engaging and interactive this way. While learning platforms have long been an integral part of school and university education, in some cases existing tools and systems have not kept pace with technological and innovative changes to offer a truly collaborative learning experience. In many cases, learning management systems (LMS) are limited to automating formal learning or simply add some social networking tools to complement their delivery model.

An LMS is fundamentally a framework through which students and teachers can integrate their learning into a unified system. Due to the diversity of source materials, educators and students need a secure platform that allows them to work on shared documents, take and exchange notes, initiate live chats and conference calls, or start

a discussion thread with other students. The differentiating aspects of a traditional approach include flexibility, reach, scope, and scale, which give students and instructors the freedom to engage with and explore the material in their own way. With the vast amount of content available, along with the diversity of platform delivery options, the importance of a structured system that provides seamless integration offers an advantage in knowledge.

This secure, single-point encrypted environment prevents any possibility of content leakage or copyright violations. In addition, from a learning perspective, the benefits for students and teachers include access from multiple devices, remote learning, improved fluency in tests and assessments, and progress in understanding that leads to higher-level offerings.

Technology is increasingly integrated into the work/life equation, and now educators and students need an intelligent platform, aligned with smart technology, that records every interaction with the context of the subject, the section, the notes and other reference materials along with the date and time, creating a robust content archive that allows access at any time.

Tools such as Skype, Google Drive, OneNote, OneDrive, Zoom and others are some of the most used channels for sharing content, communicating and working together. Integrating these cloud technologies with learning management systems is essential to create a truly social, interactive, and value-driven digital education platform. For students and teachers who depend on multiple tools to share and access different types of content or different channels, difficulties and complexities can arise that may hinder the learning process. A unified interface that drives all activities is far better for making social learning an integral part of digital education.

Gamifying content is another vital aspect of social learning. As educators, it is important to have an LMS that goes beyond standard leaderboard leaders, points, or level systems. Number games, word puzzles, and even inter-team quiz contests at the end of each chapter or section can truly motivate more students to participate, work in groups, and achieve greater engagement.

Today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce. Future workplaces rely on the use of modern communication and collaboration tools to work in virtual teams distributed across different locations. Therefore, social learning from an early age is essential to create a future-ready workforce that is proficient in self-directed learning, knowledge sharing, and seamless teamwork.