JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 18(1): 44-61, doi: 10.3217/jucs-018-01-0044

Educational Innovation with Learning Networks: Tools and Developments

Peter B. Sloep^‡, Adriana J. Berlanga^‡, Wolfgang Greller^‡, Slavi Stoyanov^‡, Marcel Van Der Klink^‡, Symeon Retalis^§, Jan Hensgens^|

‡ Open Universiteit Nederland, Heerlen, Netherlands§ University of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece| Aurus KTS, Maastricht, Netherlands

Corresponding author: Peter Sloep ( peter.sloep@ou.nl )

This article is freely available under the J.UCS Open Content License.

Citation: Sloep PB, Berlanga AJ, Greller W, Stoyanov S, Van Der Klink M, Retalis S, Hensgens J (2012) Educational Innovation with Learning Networks: Tools and Developments. JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 18(1): 44-61. https://doi.org/10.3217/jucs-018-01-0044

Abstract

Professional Development is ill served by traditional ways of learning. It can profit from a Learning Networks approach, which emphasizes logistic, content and didactic flexibility. Learning Networks are online, social networks that have been designed and tooled to foster informal learning. Three European projects are discussed - idSpace, LTfLL, Handover - which have developed tools befitting networked learning. Each in its own way, the projects illustrate the benefits of a networked learning approach. This goes for all three flexibilities but in particular for the need to be didactically flexible. Finally, it is argued that formal education could profit from the tools discussed.

Keywords

networked learning, learning network, FP7, innovation, language technologies, idSpace, LTfLL, Handover