The Potential of Online Academic Communities for Teaching Staff: Findings from a Pilot Study of the SocialLearn Platform

Citation

McCall V, Mooney G, Rutherford P & Gilmour A (2014) The Potential of Online Academic Communities for Teaching Staff: Findings from a Pilot Study of the SocialLearn Platform. International Journal of Web Based Communities, 10 (4), pp. 404-425. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJWBC.2014.065392

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to offer some insight from an evaluation that explored the viability, usefulness and potential of the online platform SocialLearn in providing an online community for Open University Associate Lecturers (part-time teaching staff). Findings from two focus groups and a staff survey highlighted both the potential of an online community and the barriers to successful implementation. In applying a qualitative analysis of the 'Communities of Inquiry' (CoI) framework, the pilot project highlighted the importance of social presence and cognitive presence, with minimal elements of a teaching presence within the online staff community. Key learning outcomes around privacy, usability and multi-level communications were found to be central in creating a successful online academic environment for teaching staff. The potential of online academic communities for teaching staff: Findings from a pilot study of the SocialLearn platform. Available from: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/280769395_The_potential_of_online_academic_communities_for_teaching_staff_Findings_from_a_pilot_study_of_the_SocialLearn_platform [accessed Nov 4, 2015].

Keywords
online community; staff development; social media; Communities of Inquiry

Journal
International Journal of Web Based Communities: Volume 10, Issue 4

People

Professor Vikki McCall

Professor of Social Policy, Housing Studies