The Safety of Crowds

Jon Dron

Journal of Interactive Learning Research Vol. 18, No. 1 (January 2007) pp. 29–40

If we assume that learning is best achieved in a social setting, then a vital aspect of any learning environment is its ability to support the development of trust. Trust takes many forms, from helping to identify the validity or the effectiveness...

Topics: Interaction, Collaboration, eLearning, Mentoring, Attitudes, Human Computer Interaction

Ten Principles for Effective Tinkering

Jon Dron

E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2014 (Oct 20, 2014) pp. 505–513

Traditional methodologies for learning design have focused on a structured, engineered process. This may be helpful when working in teams and aiming for a finished product such as a learning object but has little value in bottom-up, social, open...

Topics: Designing, Developing, and Assessing E-Learning

The trouble with tags: an approach to richer tagging for online learning

Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2008 (Nov 17, 2008) pp. 3660–3667

This paper identifies a range of issues with folksonomies based on tags. While some of these issues are in the familiar territory of metonmy, synonymy, ambiguity and similar problems that are less problematic in formal taxonomies and ontologies,...

How to demotivate students

Jon Dron

EdMedia + Innovate Learning 2016 (Jun 28, 2016) pp. 1049–1056

Traditional teaching in physical classrooms is inherently hostile to intrinsic motivation, because students are there under duress, have limited control over their activities in the class, and at least some of what they are taught bores them or is...

Topics: pedagogical issues, Design of Distance Learning Systems

The pedagogical-technological divide and the elephant in the room

Jon Dron

International Journal on E-Learning Vol. 11, No. 1 (January 2012) pp. 23–38

** Invited as a paper from E-Learn 2009 ** There is a widely held belief in e-learning circles that pedagogy must come before technology. In this paper it is argued that, not only is that not true, but that it is a weak distinction as pedagogies,...

The Blog and the Borg: a Collective Approach to E-Learning

Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2003 (2003) pp. 440–443

This paper describes the use of tools and procedures to encourage reflective learning in a blended-learning postgraduate course. Its ethos encourages self-organized collaborative learning with little taught theoretical content. Students use a...

Topics: Students

Pedagogies as Educational technologies

Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2009 (Oct 26, 2009) pp. 2120–2127

There is a widely held belief in e-learning circles that pedagogy must come before technology. In this paper it is argued that, not only is that not true, but that it is a meaningless war as pedagogies, insofar as they represent a set of techniques...

E-learning and the building habits of termites

Jon Dron

Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia Vol. 14, No. 4 (October 2005) pp. 321–342

** Invited as a paper from ED-MEDIA 2004 ** Transactional distance theory predicts an inverse relationship between dialogue and structure in an educational transaction. It is a powerful theory, but it is inherently fuzzy in formulation and may have ...

Topics: collaborative learning, online learning, web-based learning, Instructional Design, design, Educational Technology, eLearning, Distributed learning, intelligent tutoring systems, learning theory

Any color you like, as long as it’s Blackboard

Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2006 (October 2006) pp. 2772–2779

Learning management systems are ubiquitous in higher education, bringing many benefits to both learners and teachers. However, they have a darker side. Structure influences behavior, with the large and slow moving influencing the small and fast...

Topics: Learning Management Systems, Information Sciences, Information Communication Technologies, Software, Educational Technology

Termites in the Schoolhouse: Stigmergy and Transactional Distance in an E-learning Environment

Jon Dron

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2004 (2004) pp. 263–269

Transactional distance theory predicts an inverse relationship between dialogue and structure in an educational transaction. It is a powerful theory, but it may have exceptions. This paper discusses a class of computer-based educational environments ...

Topics: Distance Education

Joyful Online Assessment: Beyond High-stakes Testing

Jon Dron

Innovate Learning Summit 2020 (Nov 03, 2020) pp. 58–67

One of the biggest upheavals in education systems that has been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has been the need to rethink traditional summative (terminal) assessment processes, especially high stakes tests exemplified by the proctored, unseen,...

Topics: Alternative and Innovative e-Assessment

Designing the Undesignable: Social Software and Control

Jon Dron

Educational Technology & Society Vol. 10, No. 3 (2007) pp. 60–71

Social software, such as blogs, wikis, tagging systems and collaborative filters, treats the group as a first-class object within the system. Drawing from theories of transactional distance and control, this paper proposes a model of e-learning that ...

A Succession of Eyes: Building an E-learning City

Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2005 (October 2005) pp. 2900–2908

Abstract: This paper describes the theoretical underpinning and form of Dwellings, an online learning environment based on the dynamics of cities. Dwellings was built to help to discover whether the features that enable a city area to thrive might...

Sidewalks on the Information Superhighway

Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2003 (2003) pp. 2121–2124

The Pavement is a web-based system designed around principles found in Jane Jacobs "The Death and Life of Great American Cities." It is intended to allow self-organizing learning communities to develop around groups of websites, each of which is...

Topics: Learning Objects

Discovering the complex effects of navigation cues in an e-learning environment

Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2005 (October 2005) pp. 2026–2033

Abstract: This paper describes an experiment which was intended to determine the effects of some simple and commonplace social navigation cues on user behaviour. The experiment was designed to inform the ongoing development of a specific self...

Self-paced and Social

Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2012 (Oct 09, 2012) pp. 962–976

Traditionally, much institutional self-paced distance learning has been a largely individual activity, offering limited opportunities for teacher-student interaction and almost none for student-student interaction. This is because, when students are ...

Designing the Undesignable: Social software and control

Jon Dron

International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning Vol. 9, No. 1 (Feb 26, 2008)

p-Learning’s unwelcome legacy

Jon Dron

Italian Journal of Educational Technology Vol. 24, No. 2 (Nov 28, 2016) p. 72

Formal teaching of adults has evolved in a context defined, initially, by the constraints of physical boundaries. Classroomwalls directly entail timetables, norms and rules of behaviour, social segregation into organized groups and, notably, the...

X-literacies: beyond digital literacy

Jon Dron

E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2019 (Nov 04, 2019) pp. 989–1001

Dozens, if not hundreds, of literacies have been identified by academic researchers, from digital- to musical- to health- to network- literacy, as well as combinatorial terms like new-, multi-, 21st Century-, and media-literacy. Proponents seek...

Topics: Computational Skills, Life and Career Skills

Digital Students and Social Software

Diana Andone; Jon Dron

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2007 (Jun 25, 2007) pp. 1718–1724

Recent years have seen a new generation of 'digital students' emerging in the developed world. Digital students are young adults who have grown up with digital technologies integrated as an everyday feature of their lives. Digital students use...

Topics: Social Studies, Students

A Dialogue on E-Learning and Diversity: the Learning Management System vs the Personal Learning Environment

Jon Dron; Madhumita Bhattacharya

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2007 (Oct 15, 2007) pp. 2013–2020

This paper is presented as a dialogue between proponents of the traditional learning management system and personal learning environments. The dialogue form is used to highlight the fact that the struggle between top-down, traditional, institutional ...

Collectives, Networks and Groups in Social Software for E-Learning

Jon Dron; Terry Anderson

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2007 (Oct 15, 2007) pp. 2460–2467

: A number of writers have identified (and argued about) the importance of either the group or the network as a significant player when social software is used for e-learning. This paper examines the two competing perspectives of network and group...

Learning Technology through Three Generations of Technology Enhanced Distance Education Pedagogy

Terry Anderson; Jon Dron

European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning Vol. 2 (2010)

This paper updates earlier work in which we defined three generations of distance education pedagogy. We then describe emerging technologies that are most conducive to instructional designs that evolve with each generation. Finally we discuss...

Learning in a Distance Teaching Community: A Case Study

Jon Dron; Terry Anderson

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2013 (Mar 25, 2013) pp. 402–413

Athabasca University (AU) is an open and distance university. This distance applies not only to students but to the staff, who are distributed over thousands of kilometres across Canada and, in some cases, beyond. The consequences of this...

Engagement with Robots: Building a Social, Self-paced, Online Robotics Course

Richard Huntrods; Jon Dron

E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2017 (Oct 17, 2017) pp. 365–372

This paper reports on the design and implementation of a successful self-paced undergraduate course in robotics, delivered fully online, designed to maximize student freedom as well as social interaction Self-paced courses are free of the scheduling ...

Topics: Instructional Design, Content Development, Implementation Examples & Issues

Three generations of distance education pedagogy

Terry Anderson; Jon Dron

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning Vol. 12, No. 3 (Jan 11, 2011) pp. 80–97

This paper defines and examines three generations of distance education pedagogy. Unlike earlier classifications of distance education based on the technology used, this analysis focuses on the pedagogy that defines the learning experiences...

Giving Learners Control through Interaction Design

Stella Lee; Jon Dron

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2008 (Nov 17, 2008) pp. 1737–1744

The design of learning environments should cater for the needs of diverse online learners and give learners control over their own learning, but it is not enough simply to provide choices: without the associated power to make informed decisions too...

Agoraphobia and the Modern Learner

Jon Dron; Terry Anderson

Journal of Interactive Media in Education Vol. 2014, No. 1 (2014)

Read/write social technologies enable rich pedagogies that centre on sharing and constructing content but have two notable weaknesses. Firstly, beyond the safe, nurturing environment of closed groups, students participating in more or less public...

Topics: Artificial Intelligence, Intelligence, Networking Technologies

Mining Collective Intelligence for Creativity and Innovation: A Research proposal

Madhumita Bhattacharya; Jon Dron

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2009 (Jun 22, 2009) pp. 3514–3519

This paper is based on the intended research project. The focus of this project will be to identify features of interactions in a virtual environment that indicate cultural norms, beliefs, values and behaviours and to provide technologies to make...

Integrating learning management and social networking systems

Terry Anderson; Jon Dron

Italian Journal of Educational Technology Vol. 25, No. 3 (Jan 11, 2018) pp. 5–19

Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become ubiquitous tools in support of bothclassroom and distance education programming. They bring significant advantages that digitize andautomate many of the functions and pedagogical activities of...

The evaluation of forms of assessment using n-dimensional filtering

Jon Dron; Chris Boyne; Richard Mitchell

International Journal on E-Learning Vol. 3, No. 4 (2004) pp. 21–28

** Invited as a paper from E-Learn 2002 ** This paper describes the use of the CoFIND (Collaborative Filter in N Dimensions) system to evaluate two assessment styles. CoFIND is a resource database which organizes itself around its users’ needs....

Topics: Students

The Usability of DIMPLE – Digital Internet and Mobile Phone e-learning Environment

Diana Andone; Jon Dron; Lyn Pemberton

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2008 (Nov 17, 2008) pp. 245–251

Recent years have seen a new generation of ‘digital students’ emerging in the developed world. Digital students are young adults who have grown up with digital technologies integrated as an everyday feature of their lives. Digital students use...

Supporting peer interactions in a MOOC: Utilizing social networking tools to personalize learning

Nathaniel Ostashewski; Jon Dron; Jennifer Howell

Journal of Interactive Learning Research Vol. 29, No. 2 (2018) pp. 209–230

This paper reports on the utilization of an online community networking platform designed to deliver a MOOC. A customized Elgg social software platform, implemented as the Curtin Learning Commons, was developed with social networking tools organized ...

From Answer Garden to Answer Jungle

Jon Dron; Richard Mitchell; Phil Siviter

Education & Training Vol. 40, No. 8 (1998) pp. 353–58

The use of Usenet newsgroups in a computing and information systems classroom at the University of Brighton showed how Internet-based learning systems can encourage rapid evolution so that resources adapt to learners' needs. Although not always used ...

Evaluating assessment using n-dimensional filtering

Chris Boyne; Jon Dron; Richard Mitchell

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2002 (2002) pp. 268–274

This paper describes the use of the CoFIND (Collaborative Filter in N Dimensions) system to evaluate two assessment styles. CoFIND is a resource database which organises itself around its users' needs. Learners enter resources, categorise, then rate ...

Topics: Students

Being together - factors that unintentionally undermine motivation

Maggie Hartnett; Alison St. George; Jon Dron

Journal of Open, Flexible, and Distance Learning Vol. 15, No. 1 (2011) pp. 1–16

This paper reports on one aspect of a larger case study that explores the nature of motivation to learn in an online distance environment. The study adopts self-determination theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework and focuses particularly on the...

Examining motivation in online distance learning environments: Complex, multifaceted and situation-dependent

Maggie Hartnett; Alison St. George; Jon Dron

International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning Vol. 12, No. 6 (Sep 22, 2011) pp. 20–38

Existing research into motivation in online environments has tended to use one of two approaches. The first adopts a trait-like model that views motivation as a relatively stable, personal characteristic of the learner. Research from this...

Building open learning opportunities: The Participating in the Digital Age cMOOC design case.

Nathaniel Ostashewski; Jon Dron; Jennifer Howell

EdMedia: World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2014 (Jun 23, 2014) pp. 2480–2484

This paper reports on the development and utilization of an innovative learning platform developed to support the flexible delivery of a connectivist-style Massive Open Online Course or cMOOC. The social media platform, implemented as the Curtin...

Topics: distributed learning environments, interactive learning environments, Design Principles

Supporting peer interactions in a MOOC: Utilizing social networking tools to personalize learning

Nathaniel Ostashewski; Jon Dron; Jennifer Howell

E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2017 (Oct 17, 2017) pp. 833–845

This paper reports on the utilization of an online community networking platform designed to deliver a MOOC. A customized Elgg social software platform, implemented as the Curtin Learning Commons, was developed with social networking tools organized ...

Topics: Instructional Design, Tools & Systems, Implementation Examples & Issues

Transactional Distance in a Blended Learning Environment

Jon Dron; Catharine Seidel; Gabrielle Litten

Association for Learning Technology Journal Vol. 12, No. 2 (June 2004) pp. 163–174

This paper presents a case study that describes and discusses the problems encountered during the design and implementation of a blended learning course, largely taught online through a web-based learning environment. Based on Moore's theory of...

Exploring Motivation in an Online Context: A Case Study

Maggie Hartnett; Alison St. George; Jon Dron

Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education Vol. 14, No. 1 (March 2014) pp. 31–53

With the increasing ubiquity of new technologies, many claims are being made about their potential to transform tertiary education. In order for this transformation to be realized, however, a range of issues needs to be addressed. Research evidence...

Scaffolds not handcuffs: Bringing Social Media into the Instructional Design Mix

Nathaniel Ostashewski; Doug Reid; Jon Dron

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2013 (Jun 24, 2013) pp. 2199–2204

This paper presents an outline of 10 design principles that will be used to frame a case study examining the use and design of education experiences that incorporate social media tools. Educational designers have begun to adopt some of the newest...

Manifestations of hard and soft technologies in immersive spaces

Jon Dron; Torsten Reiners; Sue Gregory

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2011 (Oct 18, 2011) pp. 1895–1904

Immersive spaces are innately flexible. However, for learners, some constraints and scaffolding may often be valuable. This paper looks at immersive spaces as soft and hard technologies. Soft technologies are technologies enabling creative and...

Digital Students Across Europe

Diana Andone; Jon Dron; Chris Boyne; Lyn Pemberton

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2006 (June 2006) pp. 1741–1748

This paper presents the results of a study performed in four European universities designed to identify the unique features of 'digital students', as a move towards building a customized model of an eLearning environment. What does it mean to be a...

Topics: eLearning, Students

CoFIND: steps towards a self-organising learning environment

Jon Dron; Phil Siviter; Chris Boyne; Richard Mitchell

WebNet World Conference on the WWW and Internet 2000 (2000) pp. 146–151

This paper reports on the ongoing development of CoFIND (Collaborative Filter in N Dimensions), a web-based system designed to form the basis of a self-organising learning environment, where individual acts of learners combine to organise a...

E-Learning Environments for Digitally-Minded Students

Diana Andone; Jon Dron; Lyn Pemberton; Chris Boyne

Journal of Interactive Learning Research Vol. 18, No. 1 (January 2007) pp. 41–53

While most existing online learning environments cater for needs identified during the 1990s, a new generation of digital students has emerged in the developed world. Digital students are young adults who have grown up with digital technologies...

Topics: Computers, Communication, eLearning, Information Communication Technologies, Networking Technologies

Introduction to the Special Issue

Stefanie Panke; Christopher J. Devers; Cynthia Sistek-Chandler; Jon Dron

Journal of Interactive Learning Research Vol. 29, No. 3 (July 2018) pp. 249–255

Since fall 2014, mobile devices officially outnumber people on the planet. How can we begin to understand what this means for learning and teaching? An important starting point is to be aware of the ever changing and diverse nature of mobile...

Social Interaction in Self-paced Distance Education

Terry Anderson; Lorne Upton; Jon Dron; Judi Malone; Bruno Poelhuber

Open Praxis Vol. 7, No. 1 (Feb 13, 2015) pp. 7–23

In this paper we present a case study of a self-paced university course that was originally designed to support independent, self-paced study at distance. We developed a social media intervention, in design-based research terms, that allows these...

CoFIND- an Experiment in N-dimensional Collaborative Filtering

Richard Mitchell; Phil Siviter; Chris Boyne; Jon Dron

WebNet World Conference on the WWW and Internet 1999 (1999) pp. 301–306

This paper reports on the development of CoFIND, a web-based n-dimensional collaborative filtering system that seeks to guide learners to relevant resources based upon not only the content of the resources but the qualities exhibited by those...

Topics: Collaboration

Website Evaluation System: Collaboratively Discovering what makes a Website Good

Jon Dron; Phil Siviter; Chris Boyne; Richard Mitchell

WebNet World Conference on the WWW and Internet 2000 (2000) pp. 685–686

This short paper examines a method for the collaborative discovery of metadata, one of several uses of CoFIND (Collaborative Filter in n dimensions) first presented at WebNet 99 (Dron et al 1999). We will discuss an implementation of the system...

Topics: Collaboration, Evaluation