Lifelong learning ecologies in online higher education: Students' engagement in the continuum between formal and informal learning

Abstract

Lifelong learning opportunities are readily accessible through the hybridization of digital learning contexts—from formal to informal—in today's globally networked knowledge society. As such, expanded learning opportunities generate a continuum of learning contexts and experiences mediated through digital technology. Consequently, there is an urgent need to actively examine the interconnections and complex relations between what is learned in formal university scenarios and the everyday learning that happens outside of the classroom, particularly the informal learning that is afforded through expanded and emerging digital contexts. The current research problem illustrates that expanded and emerging professional development scenarios require new pedagogical designs for empowering lifelong learners to harness the affordances of the web across both formal and informal contexts and practices. This study outlines ways in which students shape their learning ecologies in virtual contexts to support formal academic learning in online higher education. The paper presents qualitative results from a larger mixed methods interpretive case study. The multicase and multisite study examines three fully online graduate programmes in Education and Digital Technology during the 2017–18 academic year, collecting data in the form of online programme documentation, student interviews and online participant observation. Purposeful and criterion sampling were used to select 13 participants across three sites in Spain, the UK and the USA. The study was underpinned by a lifelong learning ecologies theoretical perspective to analyse learning processes across a continuum of practices and contexts. Findings illustrate how students conceive of, as well as how they organize their learning ecologies through a unique configuration of activities, digital resources and networked social support, indicating that academic programmes and teachers have an essential role in empowering student learning ecologies across contexts, recognizing past trajectories and supporting the development of valued disciplinary practices and perspectives across a continuum of learning.

The Role of Existing Regulation and Discretion in Harmonising Non-Financial Disclosure

“…They can be formally managed by the facilitator through the creation of discussion forums within the LMS or the creation of social media groups such as a Facebook Learning Group (Hong & Gardner, 2019). Students can also create spaces themselves by building student-directed communities through informal study groups using communication platforms such as WhatsApp or Google Hangouts (Peters & Romero, 2019).…”

“…In the online environment, cognitive engagement is no different from cognition in faceto-face classrooms. It is the valued academic practice of planning, monitoring and evaluating learning with regard to clear learning outcomes (Cohen & Jackson-Haub, 2019;Peters & Romero, 2019). It can be displayed in the online posts of students, in their questions, in their desire to be challenged or going beyond what is required (Deng et al, 2020;Peters & Romero, 2019).…”

“…It is the valued academic practice of planning, monitoring and evaluating learning with regard to clear learning outcomes (Cohen & Jackson-Haub, 2019;Peters & Romero, 2019). It can be displayed in the online posts of students, in their questions, in their desire to be challenged or going beyond what is required (Deng et al, 2020;Peters & Romero, 2019). Online facilitators should be particularly creative in how they assess students' work so that their feedback allows students to effectively self-assess and reflect on their knowledge and learning process (Gikandi et al, 2011).…”

“…Students will have to find ways to communicate when they have a group task and also manage their respective schedules which might extend over different time zones. The facilitator will need to be available to step in when conflict arises which the groups cannot resolve themselves and to provide clear guidance on how non-participative members will be dealt with (Holzweiss et al, 2014;Peters & Romero, 2019).…”

Mobartech, an Informal Education Project for Bringing People Closer to Cultural Heritage

“…By providing an additional source of learning and a route into formal education and training, such activities are particularly relevant to young people with fewer opportunities" [9, p.6]. Scholars in Italy and internationally [10,11] have defined informal education as an indispensable component of human development that continues across the entire lifespan, albeit in different forms. Compulsory schooling during childhood/adolescence, and voluntary more personalized educational programmes going forward, are clearly of great value and wield a strong influence on individuals.…”