Controlling Learning

Sometimes, learners need to be in control. Sometimes, they need to delegate control to others, typically teachers. Often, with the aid of dialogue, the control is negotiated. Social software such as wikis, blogs and link sharing systems offer the potential to create online environments that enable students to choose the level of control that they need, However, it is very easy for this to be scary for both teachers and learners, and the extreme equalizing effect of such tools can lead to dangers that the blind might lead the blind, or that learners and teachers can become lost in a complex and uncoordinated structure of their own making. In this study we will examine the expected and unexpected outcomes of integrating a variety of social software into a new course, exploring the fears and misconceptions of both students and teacher