May 07, 2008
Call for Participation
Workshop Overview
Much of the work that has dominated the Learning Sciences research agenda focuses on formal educational learning contexts, particularly learning in the domains of science and mathematics, by students and teachers in grades K-12. Key terms in the Learning Sciences are words such as classroom, curriculum, pedagogy, student, teacher, and school. Even work on informal learning tends to have an eye towards school-based content, for example looking at kids in after school math clubs or in science museums. Informal learning contexts, such as workplaces and creative arenas, and involving transient and self-organized groups of individuals, especially adults, have not been given adequate treatment by the field as a whole. While there are notable counter-examples (e.g., studies of Samba schools, craft work, and scientific communities), by and large the field of the Learning Sciences too often uses the terms “students” and “learners” interchangeably.
In order to better understand the complexities and subtleties of learning across contexts and over the lifespan, we need to encourage more research on non-traditional and ill-defined learning contexts and with learners of any age. This workshop seeks to define a space for learning in such contexts within the broader Learning Sciences community. Researchers whose work involves such “non-traditional” learning contexts are invited to present their on-going work, and to discuss and share ideas about how to formalize such interests to create a broader landscape for the field of the Learning Sciences.
This workshop will provide momentum toward building a community of Learning Sciences researchers who focus on learning that takes place in non-traditional contexts with learners of any age. Our goal is to bring together researchers who might otherwise be on the fringe of learning sciences to discuss their work and help generate publications appropriate for new chapters in the next Handbook of the Learning Sciences or a special issue of a Learning Sciences journal.
Target Audience
Researchers who are interested in learning environments and contexts beyond classrooms are encouraged to participate. In particular, we are looking for people who are using a Learning Sciences framework to study learning in informal settings and with learners of any age. We encourage researchers with projects in progress to attend. We also encourage researchers at every stage of their careers (especially doctoral students) to join this workshop.
Workshop Topics
We encourage participation based on, but not limited to, research addressing the following topics:
Understanding Informal Learning
- How do our existing theories of learning hold up in non-traditional contexts?
- How do we study learning outside instructional settings?
- What does learning look like in self-organizing groups?
Alternative Settings for Learning Sciences Research
- Online communities
- Knowledge industry workplaces
- Creative teams
Tools and Techniques for Learning Outside of School
- Web-based tools for non-instructional learning
- Tools for archiving and storing community knowledge
- Methods for the evaluation of tools for informal learning
Workshop Participation
Participants should submit their statements (maximum 1500 words) to icls08workshop@umich.edu. Position statements should describe a participant’s relevant experience and theoretical or empirical work that can contribute to discussion during the workshop.
Posted by libbyh at 01:47 PM | Comments (0)
Presenting at the Workshop
Participants will be asked to submit their statements (maximum 1500 words) to icls08workshop@umich.edu. Position statements should describe a participant’s relevant experience and theoretical or empirical work that can contribute to discussion during the workshop.
Position statements will be made available for review on this blog in June. Participants will be expected to present 2 minute overviews of their statements at the workshop and to have read other participants' statements before the workshop begins.
Posted by libbyh at 04:10 AM | Comments (0)