Customized X-Learning environment: social networks & knowledge-sharing tools

Abstract

The educational model based on fixed time, place, curriculum, and pace is not enough in today’s society and knowledge-based economy. The education system needs to address the diversity of students’ backgrounds and needs. Furthermore, educational equity is not about equal access and inputs, but ensuring that a student’s educational path, curriculum, instruction, and schedule is developed in order to meet students’ needs. Finally, personalized learning requires a leveraging of modern technologies enabled by smart e-learning systems, developed to track and manage the learning needs of all students, and to provide access to learning content, resources, and learning opportunities which are not all available within the traditional classroom. This is the time where the “new” world citizens’ people feel “naked” without the use of technology. In this context, this paper presents a solution that integrates the concepts of social media and knowledge management allowing students, teachers and external experts (most of the times these can be future employers) to create an environment for educational work in a collaborative interdisciplinary space within and outside the institutional sphere. The solution presented is framed as an inclusive smart information system since it is developed in an adaptative learning environment (e-learning; m-learning; u-learning) for students, in higher education institutions that, due to several reasons (e.g. lack of supervision), feel a little bit lost when they have to manage their learning environment and deal with a certain topic for an essay adapted to his / her profile.