ERIC Number: EJ1100051
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-May
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1537-2456
EISSN: N/A
Implementation of a Framework for Collaborative Social Networks in E-Learning
Maglajlic, Seid
International Journal on E-Learning, v15 n2 p195-214 May 2016
This paper describes the implementation of a framework for the construction and utilization of social networks in ELearning. These social networks aim to enhance collaboration between all E-Learning participants (i.e. both traineeto-trainee and trainee-to-tutor communication are targeted). E-Learning systems that include a so-called "social component," i.e. enable forming links between trainees and tutors, thereby creating a social network, already do exist; however, sophisticated networking approaches are lacking in these systems. Indeed at the present time, E-Learning systems containing social components do not automatically take into account the results of social network analysis (SNA) of a specific dataset of trainees and tutors; neither do they take into account the knowledge level of the trainees according to their learning progress and/or test results. Furthermore, potential ontological relations between the network of participants and their knowledge--for the purpose of interlinking the participants--are, unfortunately, commonly ignored. Therefore we have created a framework that makes use of the results of SNA concerning the implicit and explicit social networks of E-Learning participants, and their learning outcome, as well as taking into account the relationships between learning and learners' ontology. The implementation of this framework results in E-Learning system modules that support special dedicated learning (tutored) groups of trainees gathered around the tutor, and peer-to-peer links between trainees that encourage them to help each other during the learning process.
Descriptors: Social Networks, Network Analysis, Electronic Learning, Guidelines, Peer Relationship, Learning Processes, Industrial Education, Computer Mediated Communication, Cooperative Learning, Semantics, Statistical Analysis, Management Systems, Corporations, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A