07.+An+Executive+Summary

= Executive Summary =


 * "Communities are human systems given form by conversations of relatedness." (Block, 2008)

Introduction** We are the **edutweet** group. The group consists of Sarah, Narinder, Mandy, Shelley, Denise and Roz, and w e have designed a model around a Twitter-based learning community which allows learners to participate in asynchronous communication. We've designed it to be used by anyone with interests in anything - from university subject groups such as our own (EMT1), to a more focused special interest group. Throughout there is a major focus on adult educators and corporate adult learners.

The reasoning behind this is that twitter is extremely accessible. Anyone can use it. Also this structure lends to the incorporation of many other service platforms which will encourage deeper learning. However, the important thing to note is that this allows the community to remain open and also encourages group diversity.

The incredible availability and ease of using Twitter allows for an open, yet flexible environment for our learning community. Combining with the principles of brevity of message length i.e. 140 characters (commonly known as a Tweet), the consequent speed and the ability for this microblogging service being accessible from a variety of devices including computers, iPhones and Blackberries, it can also accelerate the pace of learning and increase the levels of interaction. 
 * Key Features**

To encourage deeper learning, we recognise that other tools will be used. These include:
 * DM - send a direct and private message to someone you are following e.g. Moderator;
 * @replies - use @username to address a specific person but everyone can see it;
 * Retweets - repeat/quote someone's tweets (prefix with RT then followed by the username i.e. @username);
 * hashtags - simply put a # in front a word to can help categorise tweets and make them searchable;
 * Flickr and Twit Pic - add images;
 * TinyURLs - ability to reference URLs in a shortened format;
 * Twibes - create group within Twitter environment eg edutweet for this community; and a tool we used in a recent **edutweet** presentation: and
 * Today'sMeet - back channeling i.e. audience able to share insights, questions, answers but not coming from the presenter.

> Educational rationale for the design of **edutweet** sits within the broad framework of social constructivist learning theory. Twitter will be used as a communicative hub tool to facilitate the exchange of ideas within a diverse community of practice. Knowledge and understanding will be shared and collaboratively co-constructed through interactive dialogue, micro-blogs, and discussion forums within specific twibes (sub-groups) to create a strong Community of Practice (after Wenger 1999). > > Online learning communities have very little in common with one-way instructional learning. Strategies must be employed to allow the learner to discover for themselves, construct knowledge through personal meaning-making, and apply the information learned in a variety of contexts. Edutweet will provide opportunities for dialogue, collaboration, and individual reflection, all guided by a moderator (not a teacher) who poses questions and problems for discussion. The resulting reflection and action is reminiscent of Freire's concept of Praxis and represents the opposite of "banking education" in which the student is treated like an empty account into which a teacher deposits knowledge. This also reflects elements of Mezirow's theory of transformational learning - we transform our perspectives through reflection on current beliefs, attitudes, opinions and emotional reactions.
 * Educational Rationale**


 * In the constructivist style, **edutweet** will keep learners involved with interactive and meaningful activities which bring about high-level processing to facilitate personal meeting making.
 * Community members will be encouraged to apply their learning in practical ways, immediately, to promote high-level learning.
 * Learners will construct their own knowledge through processes of guided discovery, by taking part in existing discussions, and initiatinting new ones.
 * Interaction will be mainly community-member to member, faciliated by a guide, with the opportunity for member:guide interaction as needed.
 * Moderators may be assigned to guide and scaffold interactions synergistically, providing sustained reflection, critical discourse and ultimately deeper learning for all community members of **edutweet.**


 * The MODEL "Blue Print"**