Collaborative Knowledge Building through Online Reflective Journals

Luchinskaya, Elena (2007) Collaborative Knowledge Building through Online Reflective Journals. In: Beyond control: learning technology for the social network generation. : Research Proceedings of the 14th Association for Learning Technology Conference (ALT-C 2007) Held 4–6 September 2007, Nottingham University, England, UK. The Association for Learning Technology. ISBN 9780954587062

Abstract

Using the theories of Mikhail Bakhtin and the results of a three-year EU TEMPUS project (2002-5) coordinated by Manchester Metropolitan University, and a follow up ESCalate project (2005) in the Udmurt Republic, Russian Federation, this paper assesses the usefulness of computer mediated communication, in particular online reflective journals as a means of encouraging collaborative knowledge building in the field of social policy in Russia. It explores the difficulties of using such a technique in Russia, where academics and practitioners are unfamiliar with reflective practices, and outlines the benefits of using this approach and Bakhtin’s theory of speech genres in analysing how collaborative knowledge building takes place.