Andy CoverdaleAcademic Web 2.0:Reflective and Critical Practices International Journal of Arts & Sciences (IJAS) Prague Conference21 June 2011

Theme

oHow early career researchers are adopting and using social media (web 2.0)oFocus on core values of social media practice and scholarship rather than technologiesoHighlighting reflective and critical practices

Informed by…

oPhD thesis on how social media can facilitate doctoral practices and identity developmentoWorkshops for PhD students and Post-doctoral researchers at the University of Nottingham

Introduction

o Bloggingo Microblogging (Twitter)o Social Networkingo Social Bookmarking

and Referencingo Content Sharingo Collaborative texts /

Wikiso Social annotationo Gaming / Virtual

Worlds

Social & Participative Media (Web 2.0)

Range of Tools & Practices

Academic Inertia and Resistance

Deeply embedded discipline-specific and generic practices

‘Duopoly’ of formal academic discussion and dissemination:oPublishing: Journal articles, papers etc.oConferences, Seminars etc.

Social media both challenges and augments established academic practices

Interdisciplinarity and Polycontextuality

Interdisciplinary and peripheral contextsAcademic Tribes and Territories (Becher and Trowler, 2001)Communities of practice - multi-membership (Wenger)

Academic and Research Practices

Image: Rachel Walls | http://newresearchtrajectories.net

Reflective Practices

Reflective Learning TheoriesExperiential learning cycle (Kolb, 1984)

Professional knowledge and practice (Schon, 1987)Transformative learning (Mezirow, 1990)

Critical Thinking

oRange of core critical thinking skills and dispositionsoA critical attitude or moral / ethical motivation

Critical Social Theory

oNot only ‘critique’ but social and political transformationoWays of thinking and actingoMultiple perspectives / points of viewoParticipatory, progressive and emancipatory forms of knowledge

oEducation - moral, ethical and political pedagogical practicesoTechnology - social, historical and political cultures

Critical Practices

Sharing Practices

Critical and Reflective Dialogue

oEncourage reflective and critical thinking in groupsoReliance on openness, trust and shared values

Opportunities for discussion and sharing of experiences and skills:

oIn context (i.e. through social media)oOut of context (e.g. workshops)oBlended approaches

Image: Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin

Social Learning Models

oSupport communicative, participatory and collaborative practicesoComplementary to social learning models and pedagogies

Situated Learning

oEffectiveness of social media is situated in individual practices and (inter)disciplinary knowledge cultures

Digital Literacies

oRelationship with media and information literaciesoContested meanings and interpretationsoPolicy and ownership

Educational Contexts

Web 2.0 Myths

Myths emerge when ideological positions and arguments become integrated into common understanding and discourse (Friesen)

Democratisation, freedom of choice, empowerment, equity etc.

Drivers

oTechnological determinism oCommercial / proprietary software

Realities

oBusiness metaphoroExisting power relations and hierarchiesoDigital divides

Challenging Dominant Discourses

The ‘Ed-tech Bubble’

‘Best practice’ exemplars?

oCulturally introspectiveoUniquely predisposed to be confident, competent and motivated adopters and usersoAccess to a critical mass of active users in research field

Challenging Dominant Discourses

Rhetoric vs. Authenticity

Disparity between idealised concepts of socio-technical practice and ‘messy realities’ (Selwyn)

Image: keko | http://www.flickr.com/photos/k3k0/

o Identifying appropriate tools and platforms and evaluating their affordances

o Developing self- and collaborative organisational and time-management skills

o Identifying appropriate training needs and training opportunitieso Transference to lifelong learning and professional development contextso Engaging in opportunities for sharing practiceo Developing potential for individual, participatory and collaborative designo Negotiating new socio-technical academic communities and networkso Boundary-crossing of disciplinary and interdisciplinary contextso Recognising shifts in academic protocols; new modes and means of

production, peer review and knowledge resourceso Adapting to new practices in academic integrity and responsibility -

referencing and attribution of digital sources and artefactso Negotiating institutional, proprietary, freeware and open-source tools and

platformso Understanding emerging multimedia and multimodal literacieso Managing online identities and reputation

Key Reflective and Critical Practices

o Effectiveness of social media is situated in individual practices and disciplinary knowledge cultures

o Should be embedded in to everyday academic practice

o Researchers need to develop their own strategies and develop context specific solutions

o Effective use of social media requires developing reflective and critical practices

o These should be embedded in the processes of adopting and using social media

o Create opportunities for sharing these practices

Summary

Thanks!

Andy Coverdalehttp://phdblog.netandycoverdale@twitter.comttxac20@nottingham.ac.uk