Do you know what connected learning is? Do you know what factors are positively influenced by the social presence in online learning? Do you have any idea what types of activities are most likely to lead to informal learning in a workplace? Are you familiar with empathy pedagogy and collaborative learning? Test your knowledge by answering the following five questions.

1. True or false? Connected learning is the term used to describe the process of taking a course using the latest digital technologies and being connected to the Internet.

CORRECT ANSWER

FALSE

Connected learning is when a person undertakes to learn on a subject of personal interest with the support of one or more people who can broaden the possibilities and stimulate learning. These may be peers, teachers, mentors, etc., and may be located geographically close to the connected learner or elsewhere in the world.

Although this type of learning is not new in itself and does not necessarily require the use of technology, it often includes the use of Internet and Web 2.0 possibilities nowadays.

For more information: Mini Glossary of the Social Dimension of Learning

2. Which of the following factors are positively influenced in online learning by the social presence? Social presence refers mainly to having meaningful interactions with peers and the teacher.
A) motivation
B) feeling connected to peers
C) performance on assignments
D) personal satisfaction

CORRECT ANSWER

All of these answers are correct.

Longitudinal studies have also shown that feelings of collective efficacy have a direct and more significant impact than feelings of self-efficacy on the cognitive control necessary for the state of Flow, that state of optimal concentration in an activity that provides a sense of immersion and well-being.

Several studies have also shown that to be beneficial, interactions in elearning — whether learner-learner or learner-teacher — must meet certain criteria, including the following three: they must be meaningful, learner-centred and structured.

For more information: Does a sense of community matter in online training?

3. Although informal learning can occur in private settings, interpersonal relationships are fertile ground for its development. Professor and educational researcher Michael Eraut has identified four main types of activity that are most often the source of this form of learning in the workplace. Select the correct term to complete the description of each of these types of activities.

Terms: group activities, challenging tasks, new practices and perspectives, new aspects of their issues

  • Participating in ________: various types of groups.
  • Working alongside others: to observe, participate and learn ________.
  • Taking on ________: this requires learning on the job, and if the right support is provided, motivation and confidence can increase.
  • Working with clients: this allows a better knowledge of the client from ________, requests and ideas that emerge from these meetings.

CORRECT ANSWER

The complete, correct statements are as follows:

  • Participating in group activities: various types of groups.
  • Working alongside others: to observe, participate and learn new practices and perspectives.
  • Taking on challenging tasks: this requires learning on the job, and if the right support is provided, motivation and confidence can increase.
  • Working with clients: this allows a better understanding of the client from new aspects of their issues, requests and ideas that emerge from these meetings.

According to Eraut, the success of these four processes depends in part on the quality of interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Online learning tools are ideal for raising awareness of the importance of collaboration, guiding workers in this regard and providing a framework for constructive and stimulating exchanges.

For more information:

4. Empathy, an essential component of interpersonal relationships, has inspired a teaching approach. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
A) To use empathy as a pedagogical tool, the teacher needs to address the cognitive dimension of empathy, which is, in fact, the dimension on which the teacher can intervene.

B) A pedagogy of empathy should be reserved for particular or sensitive situations – for example, a learner struggling with learning or personal difficulties.

C) A pedagogy of empathy has been shown to positively impact confidence, enjoyment of learning, motivation and engagement in learning, and the development and strengthening of the teacher-learner bond.

D) A pedagogy of empathy has shown benefits in creating a positive learning environment and developing a sense of belonging to the group.

E) A pedagogy of empathy has been shown to have benefits on valuing learning and educational success.

CORRECT ANSWER

B.

This approach should not be reserved for particular or sensitive situations but should permeate all teaching practice, including the relationship the teacher builds with learners in their work as an educator.

For more information: Online training in empathic mode

5. Which of the following statements of collaborative learning is/are true?

A) Its pedagogical goal is to ensure that everyone learns planned, structured and prescribed content while improving their collaborative skills.

B) Its pedagogical goal is to help the learner achieve a common shared goal and personal objectives and allow the learner to learn “in his or her own way,” all by exploring, discovering, or developing content or structure.

C) It relies on the distribution of tasks and responsibilities among the group members. The tasks are, therefore, usually different for each member of the group.

D) Each member is responsible for carrying out their task in their way — a task which, although carried out differently, is essentially the same for all.

E) It is well suited to adults, as it is flexible and requires more autonomy and control on the part of the learner, who has to make several decisions and take on a degree of responsibility.

CORRECT ANSWER

B., D. and E.

Statements A and C correspond to cooperative learning, with which collaborative learning is often confused. Both types of learning are about learning by achieving a common goal through the participation of all group members, but their pedagogical purpose and modalities are not the same.

For more information:

Read our articles for a better transition to online learning

Catherine Meilleur

Author:
Catherine Meilleur

Creative Content Writer @KnowledgeOne. Questioner of questions. Hyperflexible stubborn. Contemplative yogi.

Catherine Meilleur has over 15 years of experience in research and writing. Having worked as a journalist and educational designer, she is interested in everything related to learning: from educational psychology to neuroscience, and the latest innovations that can serve learners, such as virtual and augmented reality. She is also passionate about issues related to the future of education at a time when a real revolution is taking place, propelled by digital technology and artificial intelligence.