A methodological framework to monitor the performance of virtual learning communities

Abstract

This article presents a methodological framework developed to monitor the evolution of virtual learning communities intended as open communities of peers, tutors, and mentors from industry and academia. The proposed framework is described through an explorative case. It has been applied to observe and supervise a virtual learning community built around a Master's program intended to create "e-Business Solutions Engineers." The framework is based on two dimensions of analysis: individual growth and team growth. The first is a function of personal development and satisfaction, and the second depends on social networking dynamics and cooperative content creation. The analysis of data, collected during 10 months of exchanged e-mails and five monthly Web surveys, has been validated through interviews with key informants and through the involvement of academic and industrial partners in the formal assessment of the learners' performance. C 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Role of Content Creators and Interpersonal Interaction in the Formation of Virtual Communities

“…Sanal toplulukların oluşumunda bireylerin motivasyonlarının neler olduğunu, hangi amaçlar için toplulukları kullandıkları, topluluk içinde bireylerin kimlikleri gibi konularda nicel ve nitel araştırmalar sıklıkla yapılmıştır. Yapılan araştırmalarda; bireyler yalnızlıklarını gidermek, arkadaş edinmek (Parks & Floyd, 1996) (Walther, 1996), duygusal-romantik ilişkiler kurmak (Phlegar, 1995), (Ben-Ze'ev, 2004, bir konu hakkında bilgi sahibi olmak, o konu hakkında eğitim almak (Corallo, Maggio, Grippa, & Giuseppina, 2010) gibi farklı amaçlar ile sanal ortamda bir araya gelmektedirler. Driskell ve Lyon sanal toplulukların, gerçek topluluklar olup olmadığını araştırdığı makalesinde, geleneksel topluluklardaki gibi bireylerin sanal topluluklarda da gerçek duygular ile iletişime geçtiğini belirtmiştir (2002, s. 387).…”

A Data Analysis of the Academic use of Social Media

“…Other topics researched using SNA include the evaluation of software tools [29,30], the study of interaction patterns in collaborative learning [31,32] and investigation of the roles of students and tutors [33,34,35]. Degree centrality and density measures have also been used to measure participation in online discussions [36].…”

A Collaborative, Online Learning Model for Fashion Design

“…THE FUTURE OF WORK section). Corallo et al (2010) considered that distance education could benefit from technological platforms, systems, and tools to strengthen its credibility, through quality systems and validation of results, to provide more personalised learning experiences, more focused on the individual and on the learning in a long run.…”

“…One important feature of the process was that it explicated the interactions among the learners, while communicating, exchanging ideas and resources, and creating a sense of community around the activity, objects, subjects, specially enriched by the online environment. In a similar perspective, Corallo et al (2010) presented a methodology based on constructivism and behavioural approach (behaviourist), as well as learning by doing and learning while doing pedagogies to monitor a master's program developed by the University of Salento (Italy) held in a virtual environment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the evolution of knowledge, mental processes, interaction dynamics in social networks and the general satisfaction of students, tutors, mentors, and external partners-learning community (Corallo et al, 2010, pp.…”