A Way Out of the Information Jungle: A Longitudinal Study about a Socio-Technical Community and Informal Learning in Higher Education

The emergence of community-oriented Information and Communication Technology platforms, e.g., forum software or wikis, the penetration of media in society has increased. In academia, forms of communication and cooperation to share knowledge are changing under open Web 2.0 conditions. In this regard, teaching and learning scenarios are moving towards technology-enhanced lifelong learning communities. This contribution presents the results of a longitudinal study of a Socio-Technical Community (STC) launched in 2002. The STC, which supports the study organization as well as teaching and learning in higher education, has been evaluated from its founding to its sustainable development and transformation phase in 2009. The study shows results in three specific areas: The learners’ satisfaction with the STC, the type and quality of use, and if the STC is a helpful support for students to progress through their studies more efficiently than without an STC. The central conclusion is that spaces for computermediated communication are important for students regarding informal learning about organizing their own studies. Informal learning with a socio-technical community is more effective than without due to its individualization of learning in large groups. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-0200-7.ch012