1. Informal Learning in a Virtual Community: TYWC David Davenport Computer Eng. Dept., Bilkent University Ankara 06533 – Turkey email: david@bilkent.edu.tr

2.  Education - the realm of schools & teachers Irrelevant, boring lessons, lack of learning! Keep kids out of the way  Students are containers to be filled knowledge from teacher all treated the same Formal Learning

3. Informal Learning  No teacher required!  Two most complex & difficult lessons  Usually unaware of it, yet sometimes… Learning is like breathing, it’s natural, we do it all the time I want to talk about learning. But not the lifeless, sterile, futile, quickly forgotten stuff that is crammed into the mind of the poor helpless individual tied to his seat by ironclad bonds of conformity! I am talking about LEARNING – the insatiable curiousity that drives the adolescent boy to absorb everything he can see or hear or read about gasoline engines in order to improve the efficiency and speed of his ‘cruiser’. [Carl Rogers]

4.  Experiential Curiosity-based Opportunistic Mentor & Environment  Non-formal learning Extra-curricula activities Sports & Youth clubs Museums, zoos, stately homes, etc.  Antithesis of classroom learning! Informal Learning

5.  Learning is Natural Personal Individual  Can be facilitated Stimulus Environment Community

6.  Members have commitment to & generally accept its rules participate in its organisation & running develop informal & emotional bonds  Social Capital – trustworthiness  Virtual communities Non-local, reversing decline? Communities Alliances of people who share a common interest and value system

7. The Young Writers Club  A Virtual Informal Learning Community  Personal website founded in 1995  Now a major international resource

8. Learning in TYWC  From members perspective… Meet others with similar interest Have their work “published” & read and commented upon by others Encouragement & constructive criticism Negative comments - pseudo-anonymous! Global interaction leads to better understanding of Geography, Time, Cultures & Religions - tolerance? Helping out… School use!

9. Learning in TYWC  From author’s perspective… Demands considerable time & effort! Follow & use latest technology Stimulus for student projects Problem members Technological limits Social issues  free speech, pornography & privacy  Intellectual property, copyright & plagiarism New interests!

10. Concluding remarks  Some “lessons” for educators… Learning is natural growth, not production personalisation Informal learning can be very effective Passion, motivation, ownership! But cannot easily combine with schooling Technology supports IL, but again… Initial novelty value, but Turns into part of the problem!

11. Concluding remarks  Some “lessons” for educators… Rapid Change demands learning culture Passport to real life after 12 year sentence Life-long learning But how? Throw out conventional lessons & exams Credit for out-of-school experience Provide time! Down play individual competition Encourage cooperation & community

12. Thank you… Questions Comments Suggestions TYWC - http://www.cs.bilkent.edu.tr/~david/derya/ywc.html