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Implications for Networked Learning of the ‘Practice’ Side of Social Practice Theories: A Tacit-Knowledge Perspective

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The Design, Experience and Practice of Networked Learning

Part of the book series: Research in Networked Learning ((RINL))

Abstract

The chapter presents a tacit-knowledge perspective on networked learning. The perspective draws on prior work by the author which integrates insights from the Scandinavian reception of Wittgenstein, phenomenology, and situated learning to form a view of knowledge as tacit, situated, context-dependent, embodied doing. This view, it is argued, is inherent in the ‘social practice’ theories which many researchers within networked learning take as their point of departure but has been neglected because the ‘practice’ side of these ‘social practice’ theories has been neglected. Building on this view of knowledge, it is argued that networked learning activities in general risk taking on the role of artificial, stand-alone activities detached from the ‘primary contexts’ of the participants, i.e. contexts which carry significance for them, in which they involve themselves as persons and which they consider important for who they are. Networked learning activities which have this role are not experienced as fully meaningful. In some cases, especially within distance learning programmes, the networked learning setting may itself become a ‘primary context’, but this cannot be counted on. The main claim of the article as concerns designs for learning is that networked learning will in general be most successful if it is designed as ‘mediator activities’ to facilitate the resituating of content between the ‘primary contexts’ of the learners, rather than to act as a ‘primary context’ itself.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Design and Communication, University of Southern Denmark, Kolding, Denmark

    Nina Bonderup Dohn

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  1. Nina Bonderup Dohn
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Correspondence to Nina Bonderup Dohn .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom

    Vivien Hodgson

  2. Welten Institute, Research Center for Learning, Teaching and Technology, Open University, The Netherlands, Heerlen, The Netherlands

    Maarten de Laat

  3. Stirling, United Kingdom

    David McConnell

  4. Aalborg University, Denmark, Aalborg, Denmark

    Thomas Ryberg

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Dohn, N.B. (2014). Implications for Networked Learning of the ‘Practice’ Side of Social Practice Theories: A Tacit-Knowledge Perspective. In: Hodgson, V., de Laat, M., McConnell, D., Ryberg, T. (eds) The Design, Experience and Practice of Networked Learning. Research in Networked Learning. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01940-6_2

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