Literature Review (Patrick Lam): knowledge builing and conceptual change

Gan, Y. & Zhu, Z. (2007). A learning framework for knowledge building and collective wisdom advancement in virtual learning communities. Educational Technology & Society, 10(1), 206-226.


Knowledge Building: production and continual improvement of ideas of value to a community, it is a form of collaborative creation of new knowledge, it is a process for collective wisdom advancement; its success lies on 4 factors:
1. information and communication technologies
2. e-learning
3. knowledge management
4. virutal learning communities (VLC)

On-line collaboration is a key force in collective wisdom continuum:
individual MI --- collaborative intelligence --- collective intelligence --- collective wisdom

Collective intelligence: reasons
Collective wisdom: knowledge, insight, judgement

Different levels (process) of knowledge building/ collective wisdom advancement at VLC
Level 1: Divergent thinking (idea gathering/ brain storming):
question, explanation, clarification
communication process: monologue
zone of actual development
Level 2: Divergent to convergent thinking
debate, collaborative problem-solving
communication process: dialogue
zone of proximal development
Level 3: Convergent thinking
synthesis, problem-solved
communication process: resonance
zone of potential development

Critique:
Appreciation:
1. Each stage of the wisdom continuum is well-defined.
2. Vygotsky's learning theory is used in the VLC analysis : smart!
3. The functionality of VLC is clearly described.
4. It is convincing that collaborative effort is important in learning
Areas of concern:
1. The process of knowledge building/ collective wisdom advancement at VLC is over simplified. It is because the process is not static. The completion of Level 3 can go back to Level 1 or 2 for exploration of further issues. Therefore, the zone of actual/ proximal/ potential development may not be static too. After Level 3 as zone of potential development (eg. synthesis, reflection), a new set of inquiry questions may be aroused and students may go back to Level 1 or 2 for extended inquiry.
2. The paper describes the general process of knowledge building. However, the paper does not mention how one's concept or understanding is changed/ sharpened/ deepened during the process of knowledge building.
3. The factors contributing to the conceptual change during the knowledge building or at the VLC are overlooked.