Open AccessSocial Media and Learning Environments: Shifting Perspectives on the Locus of Control
Author(s) -
Ellen Hoffman
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
in education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1927-6117
DOI - 10.37119/ojs2009.v15i2.54
Subject(s) - open learning , control (management) , higher education , social learning , educational technology , knowledge management , computer science , web 2.0 , social media , world wide web , political science , sociology , teaching method , the internet , pedagogy , cooperative learning , artificial intelligence , law
In the past, centralised technology departments had major influence over the choices of learning applications in higher education. With the emergence of freely available Web 2.0 and open-access tools, instructors and designers have been given greater ability to customize e-learning. This paper examines the historical roots of the impacts of authority from centralised technology units to an emerging user-centric control over learning environment design in higher education. A case study is used to illustrate the potentials and pitfalls in this more decentralised configuration for both learning and organization.Keywords: learning applications; higher education; Web 2.0; e-learning; open-access tools