Affinity Partner

Learning Support in WikiQuals

Background; in an earlier post Show & Tell I discussed the concept of journeymen, people who would help triangulate, authenticate, and validate the learning process identified by a WikiSqolar as part of the WikiQuals project. The term, and the concept, were derived from the process by which the learning of apprentices in medieval guilds was validated; however the term is clearly sexist. A number of female academics, such as Catherine Cronin, who expressed interest in being a journeyman/person, because they were happy with the concept, forcefully expressed clear reservations about the terminology.

Thankfully for the project another female academic, Dr Ilene Dawn Alexander of the University of Minnesota, came up with a different term, which also entails slightly differing concepts and roles as we evolve the WikiQuals project. Ilene suggested that Sqolars need Affinity Partners as part of the WikiQuals process and this discussion will examine in a little more detail what we are trying to achieve with the introduction of Affinity Partners.

Wikiquals; to recap what we are examining in the WikiQuals project is how we might implement the idea of post-hoc accreditation in extra-institutional contexts (which is derived from the “formal” phase of the Emergent Learning Model). As suggested by the University Project a University is a ‘Community of Scholars’

WikiQuals Accreditation

“Solve the problem that annoys you most” 

Developing post-hoc accreditation processes; is the purpose of WikiQuals because high-stakes assessment (of education) is seen as the only valid social measure of learning; We disagree!

Introduction; We have been asked a question within the PhD group and consequently had some scholarly, and not so scholarly, discussions, concerning whether we should accredit the WikiQuals Ph.D or not. In part this is because we have had a very generous offer of some kind of twin track accreditation from an HEI in London (a doctorate by publication) and in part  because the purpose of WikiQuals isn’t yet fully clear to everyone. So I shall deal with the issue of post-hoc accreditation in a little more detail in this post.

Formal Learning; My main reason for developing WikiQuals, which grows out of the “formal” part of the Emergent Learning Model, derives from previous experiences I’ve had of discussing alternative modes of learning developed from various projects using CMC / CSCL / ICT / ICLT / e-learning / edtech etc., with policy makers let alone alternative learning theories such as constructivism and connectionism.  They always have one simple response, before they go on to dismiss anything just for it being new, namely “Ah yes collaboration is all very well, but how can you test what people have learnt individually?” Or put another way “but what about the high-stakes assessment” (in your bright new idea about learning). Basically all proposed changes in education which emerge from analysing how learning works are dismissed by using the trump card held by the system itself concerning the allegedly enduring value of individual assessment, or exams, if you want to *really* prove that the learning matters in the “real world”.

Network Society; Whilst I think that this issue is in fact a political one about the power and value of existing hierarchies, yet more of what Ben Hammersley calls the clash between hierarchical people and network people in the 21st century, I also think you should, to quote Philippa Young at the University Project workshop on WikiQuals, “solve the problem that annoys you most“. And being told that collaborative, or any other learner-centred learning, isn’t valid because it doesn’t have a high-stakes assessment process at the end of it to prepare you for an enduring life of stress, is what annoys me the most. So here is one possible solution.

WikiQuals Ph.D

Building a new Community of Scholars

Background; Having been asked to develop a WikiQuals Masters and align it with the University Project I received more positive responses concerning a WikiQuals Ph.D, after an initial enquiry by Rosie Rafferty. Once a second query was added I realised it was possible. Currently we have 7 interested people, and this is a discussion of how a WikiQuals Ph.D might work.

The WikiQuals model is based on the Emergent Learning Model, which aims to design learning systems based on how people learn rather than where they are housed.

Show and Tell

Post-hoc accreditation strategies

Background; I will be discussing WikiQuals as part of the University Project at Hub Westminster this weekend (October 14/15/16). I will be working with Leane Brooks during her Saturday session on Saturday 2pm and then, if need be, give a more formal talk on Sunday. In the previous post I outlined the WikiQuals (negotiated) learning process and in this post I want to briefly outline the post-hoc accreditation process.

Three stage model; The 3 stages of wikiquals, based on the Emergent Learning model, are social organisation, resource discovery/creation, and post-hoc accreditation. As you can see this could also be described as stage three, becoming relevant after a social group has been created and a learning process negotiated. The reason I describe it as post-hoc is that it is not a (hidden) exam-based system of learning but a transparent process involving ‘Show and Tell’

WikiQuals 2011/12

The Wiki Quals proposition (August 2011)

Learning Model

WikiQuals is based on the Emergent Learning Model. This posits a 3-stage process of ‘learning’ built around the emergent and social properties of groups. In this model learning is built around a self-organised group that collaboratively identifies its learning needs and then both discovers and creates the resources it needs to meet their self-identified learning needs. We have identified a group willing to do this for the academic year 2011/12 and this blog will outline the issues we will be addressing in making the WikiQuals process work. More detailed information on the Emergent Learning Model is available in the outline table on slideshare and also in the blog post on Emergent Learning. I sometimes describe this as Smart Mobs + Everything is Miscellaneous means Here Comes Everybody

Post-hoc Accreditation

Building on the Emergent Learning Model the accreditation of learning itself will be a post-hoc process subsequent to the self-organisation and resource-creation carried out by the group. WikiQuals itself is an attempt to map out and test an agreed, negotiated post-hoc method of accreditation that will be completely visible and in the public domain. The proposed method of implementation during 2011/12, outlined here, 

Hello world!

Welcome to the WordPress.com WikiQuals blog.

This is where we will provide notifications about WikiQuals project. It will be based on the Emergent Learning Model and will attempt to create new socially-driven learning processes and outcomes.