Invitation to a learning community
Posted on July 27, 2009
The Annual Conference on Distance Learning at the University of Wisconsin is less than two weeks away, and I’ll be attending for the first time. I’m especially looking forward to the one-half day workshop entitled Community of Inquiry Framework: Informing instructional design and learning being facilitated by Karen Swan and her project colleagues. I’ve been following their work in developing and testing a survey instrument that validates Garrison, Anderson and Archer’s Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (2000) of online learning because I’m a firm believer in the CoI model.
When checking email on Tuesday, I was surprised to find one from Karen Swan. I was even more surprised to discover, upon reading it, that she created a Ning for workshop participants. Karen not only introduced herself on this social network (and invited us to do likewise), she also provided us with resources that will be used in the workshop and created discussion forums around them. With a few mouse clicks, my electronic library grew, I was connected to a group of professionals interested in communities of inquiry, and I was invited to deepen my understanding of the CoI framework and survey — long before the formal learning event will begin. That’s a real twofer in my book!
Now in addition to anticipating what all I will learn during the one-half day workshop, I’m wondering how the Ning community will support and extend my learning long afterwards. This is particularly relevant given our intention to use a Ning for the next annual Extended Learning Institute (XLi 2010). Check back in for a “Part 2” post sometime in mid-August.
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