NETIS 4th Meeting

3-5, March 2008, London

Network Learning Experiences

István Bessenyei, Information Society
Research and Teaching Group, University of
West Hungary, Sopron
 The class

 University of West Hungary, Faculty of Economics

 I. Semester 2007/2008: 15 students (in II.-IV., study year), 15x1,5
teaching units, elective
 4 selected modules: networks, technology, e-government, e-learning
 II. Semester: 15 BSC students (I. study year), topic: data mining. The
modules innovation and technology can be integrated in the teaching.
 Activities

 Blended learning in a computer labor

 Tasks for every students:
 Essay, e-portfolio, glossary, self-controlling questionnaire,
standard questionnaire of moodle on the learning process
(fulfilled during the blended learning process)
Main didactic approaches

 Starting point: reflection of everyday experiences of students (first the

reflection of the own participation in social networks, after them the
network theory or the economic networks.)
 The competence catalogue (learning goals) as the basic of self
organised learning
 Blended learning: the students make the tasks (exclusive the essays)
during the seminar.
 Network learning: the students learn from each other. (Students with
experiences with WIKI help in creating of e-portfolios
The necessity of networking

 Traditional centralised, linear learning vs. network learning: the

tensions

 Cetralised knowledge sharing with intensive communication and

feedback tools lead to „traffic collapse”

 Solution: horizontal, networked communication (between students,

between specialists and students, between institutions)
The necessity of knowledge maps and e-portfolios

 What we needed for a networked learning?

 Information about the knowledge structure of each other

Problems: In which way we can document and share the

knowledge in the learning network? What kind of
knowledge we have? In which way we can register and
document the prior learning experiment, the tacit
knowledge?

 A solution: knowledge maps, ePortfolios as tools

Output steering or input steering?

 Linear model: the input is uniform, the output is different (The

students get bad or good marks from 1 to 5)

 Output steering: the input is different (adapted to the prior

knowledge of the students), the output gets uniform.
Personalised learning paths are necessary.
The resistance of the institution

 The students and the university personal are socialized for the
traditional centralized, linear learning and teaching

 To be familiary with the new technology and didactic requires in

the initial phase a double if not triple expenditure of work for
the same payment.

 The traditional regulations of the studies aren't compatible with

the network learning. (Does the accreditation have a sense if 3-
5 institutions teach together, in a cooperative network?
Semantic uncertainty

 The linear model and the eLearning 2.0 are two different worlds
with different logic and different ideas.

 This often prevents a constructive discussion.

 Examples of the tensions between the world of ideas

Semantic uncertainty: the ideas

 Input: Central curriculum vs. Output: Competence portfolio

 Textbook vs. Information world in the web
 Lecture vs. Project
 Professor vs. Tutor, presenter, coach, consultant, network
organizer
 Centralized knowledge distribution vs. Parallel knowledge
processing
 Definition knowledge vs. Knowledge management
 Examination vs. Self evaluation, collective evaluation.
 Notes. Even made competence portfolios.
Missed contents in the course

 More about the knowledge based economy

 More about business networks (influence of networking to he
company organisation)
 More about the world of labour (teleworking)
 Perspectives
 Hungarian version
1. UWH, faculty of Wood Industry, Institute for Engineer-Teacher
Education: NETIS Information Society course is integrated in the
MCS application.
2. eLearning module will be part of a project for ICT-Teacher
 English version
 University of Vienna: accredited MSC course: Master of Business
Informatics (ERASMUS joint degree project), INERG of UWH was
project partner, task: elective Introduction to the Information
Society. NETIS course can be a part of the MSC-course.
 eLearning module will be part of a project for ICT-Teacher with an
Austrian co-ordinator. (Project aplication is submitted.)
Access

Introduction to the Information Society http://netis.nyme.hu/

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University of West Hungary: http://moodle.ktk.nyme.hu

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 Thank you for the attention!