PSA, like the practitioners I follow in online communities, is looking for both an effective online learning experience as well as the face to face support available for youth and adults with low literacy skills.

One of the groups I follow is the Adult Education LINCS Community-technology and learning.  Practioners are interested in a definition for blended learning, what good blended learning would look like, and the needs of a teacher for successful blended learning.  In LINCS list, I find resources that are somewhat useful, but not what I would consider the solution to a social learning construct (SLC)  supporting an effective online curriculum.  I-pathways is mentioned as a useful online curriculum with support for GED prep.  I-pathways mentions features such as a personal learning plan and support.  Yet, the support must come in a face to face component since I noticed the curriculum that I sampled is mainly text with videos showing good learning strategies.

Another group I follow, called Mlearning Wiggio, has 70 members and the founder,  David Rosen is considering disbanding the group for lack of participation such as posting questions, information or concerns.  This group is interested in mobile phones as a component for reaching populations such as ESL, higher education, underdeveloped countries, GED prep, and professional development. Again, blended learning is mentioned as an interest.  Members suggested motivating practitioner participation by asking members to facilitate a discussion for a month. Another member mentioned that the lack of content and ideas currently available about successful mobile learning means there is little to discuss and collaborate in a useful way.

Since PSA is interested in what constitutes a “tribe” of collaborative members in a social learning construct, I’m interested in how groups such as the above function or not.  The news for PSA seems to be that many practitioners are interested in creating effective learning experiences that will also capture data about learning that will help the learner understand progress and maximize learning.  Organizing practitioners into a meaningful collaborative group seems to be the challenge.

David Rosen is involved in both of the groups I mentioned above.  Perhaps PSA might arrange an interview by Skype to learn more about the challenge of bringing together a functional social learning construct for practitioners.

I will admit that I rarely participate in either group.  I scan to learn interests and pick up concerns.