Three Spheres of Learning

 

Peer Supported: (click for the PLE map)

​

This sphere of learning centres around the culture of peer sharing and support, as a sense of social belonging is a large motivator to engage better in learning and to drive knowledge expertise (Ito et al., 2013). Belonging to a community can also help users to shape their own identity, leading to greater confidence and willingness to participate in the learning experience (Rennie & Mason, 2004). Connected learning values the capacity to learn more and learn in different ways, as opposed to valuing what is currently known, and therefore depends upon the contribution and sharing of ideas and expertise in order scaffold and build upon one another’s experiences (Dron & Anderson, 2014).

​

The name Kollabora itself stems from the word ‘collaborate’ and is comprised purely of the contributions and sharing of its community, and therefore peer support is an essential component. The website touts that it ‘reaches and engages 4 million crafters’ and its other social media outlets such as its Facebook page acknowledges a sizeable 23.5k followers. This large number of users increases the diversity of its members and the opportunities for exchange, promoting a considerable peer supported community. The website also provides the ability to ‘follow’ particular makers, allowing users to connect directly with one another both through the core website and also extending out to social media platforms such as Facebook, where many of the contributors have linked accounts. These connections allow users to support each other through reviews, questions and advice (as seen in the example below), thus promoting learning and maintaining interest.