Matching the Communication Needs of Rural Learners to Web 2.0 Tools and Services

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Matching the Communication Needs of Rural
Learners to Web 2.0 Tools and Services

• Sally Reynolds

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Presentation

• Background
• Rural learning context and user requirements
• Social networking tools common functionalities
• Examples of Social Networking tools in use
• Success factors
• Critical issues and challenges

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Background

• SoRuraLL investigating potential for enhanced
  lifelong learning offered by social networking
  tools and platforms to those in geographically
  and socio-economically disadvantaged rural areas
• ATiT
• Test social networking tools with 10 pilot sites
  rural schools in west of Ireland
• D3.1 Initial Scenarios of Use - mapping of the
  identified user groups with a view to
  highlighting needs and requirements based on the
  partners knowledge and experience in this area
  and other relevant resources

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Rural Learning Context

• Where does learning typically take place in rural
  contexts?
• In primary and secondary schools
• In rural telecentres
• In local training or professional development
  centres

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Rural Learners Requirements

• Teachers who want to exchange good practice with
  other teachers
• Trainees who want to work with other trainees on
  joint projects
• Pupils who would like to have contact with pupils
  in schools in other countries for eTwinning
  activities
• Professionals who want to collaborate with other
  professionals on joint issues and problems

• Communication and Collaboration

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Rural Learners Requirements

• Rural schools engaging local communities
  including parents
• Representation of rural communities as vibrant
  and creative places to live
• Building networks with other rurally based
  communities for promotion and support purposes
• Provide better visibility of rural communities

• Engagement and Recognition

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Rural Learners Requirements

• Farmers and others needing better access to
  markets
• Importance of being able to gather market
  intelligence quickly and effectively
• Need to develop cultural and eco-tourism in
  ruralareas
• Provide opportunities to form co-operative
  purchasing schemes for rural services like
  Internet access
• Improving employment opportunities

• Standard of Living

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Rural Learners Requirements

• Support teachers who feel isolated in the
  classroom in small rural schools
• Importance of providing access for specialist
  interest groups to extend hobbies and pastimes
• Provide opportunities and choice for pupils in
  rural communities so that their careers are not
  dictated by their birthplace
• Provide contact with other cultures and ethnic
  communities as a counter to racism and xenophobia

• Combat isolation

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Rural Learners Requirements

• Specialists topics in schools like languages,
  higher level subjects for final examinations
• Need to provide access to specialist knowledge
  for professionals
• Opportunities to access laboratories and cultural
  resources
• Teachers and trainers need to keep up to date
  with new developments and resources

• Access to knowledge

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Rural Learners Requirements

• Learn the skills to function in a multicultural
  and networked society
• Pupils need to enhance their digital and media
  literacy in preparation for the workplace
• Telecentre clients need to enhance their
  multimedia skills
• Enhance all citizens skills to enable them to
  become responsible online citizens

• ICT and digital skills

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Web 2.0.. Social networking.

• You are the creator and driver of your use of the
  tools
• You are driven by your interests and needs
• You can involve anyone, anywhere

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What to choose?

• From http//www.go2web20.net/

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Analysis by function

• Definitions and differences with previous tools
  and services
• Describe by function what they can allow you to
  do

function tool
Collaborative working and content sharing wikis
Presentation of ideas and content blogs
Messaging within a community online discussion sites
Sharing still and moving images Flickr, YouTube
Commenting Twitter, Ning
Tagging YouTube
Polling NetLog
Social bookmarking Delicious
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Social Networking tools in use..

• Vary in in terms of complexity simple tool like
  Flickr to Social Networking sites that combine
  many functions
• Vary in relation to skills required Blogger
  easy to set up and use creating your own
  website with Drupal more complex
• Vary in terms of popularity and reach Facebook
  in comparison with communities related to a
  single institution
• Vary in terms of openness and access to wider
  community

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Voices against Corruptionhttp//voices-against-co
rruption.ning.com

• World Bank Initiative
• Event in Brussels in May 2010
• Future leaders in fragile states
• Aim communication and collaboration
• Ning site

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Rural Irish Schools Blogs

• Part of SoRuraLL
• First step into the online world
• Very small schools
• Links with community including local community
• http//www.feaklens.com

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Success factors in SoRuraLL work

• The extent to which the use of social networking
  tools add value or have an impact on learning
  processes
• The extent to which social networking tools add
  value or have an impact on the notion of
  inclusion and empowerment
• The extent to which social networking tools add
  value or have an impact on institutional and
  pedagogical innovation and change
• The extent to which social networking tools add
  value or have an impact on increasing users
  awareness of any ethical, moral, legal and human
  security issues arising from their use of such
  tools

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Challenges and issues

• Boundary issues right to be forgotten?
• Security and safety issues right not to be
  insulted?
• Generational issues expectations and know-how
• Open vs closed communities walled gardens vs.
  global communuties
• Ownership issues IPR and digital property
• Digital and media literacy skills and know-how

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Contacts and further information

• Sally Reynolds sally.reynolds_at_atit.be
• ATiT www.atit.be
• Interests
• Media and Learning www.media-and-learning.eu
• MEDEA Awards www.medea-awards.com
• Media in Education Newsletter www.media-in-educat
  ion.net
• Thank You!