Abstract

Collective learning is a useful approach for designing and redesigning social aspects of learning and cognition by putting emphasis on the learner and his or her social environment. Collective Learning views a system as a set of accounts, and models the interchange of information between these accounts. These accounts can be either in the mental space of the participants or external representations available in the environment. It is a theoretical paradigm that uses insights from sociology, cognitive science, and the activity theory of Lev Vygotsky, emphasizing the social aspects of learning and cognition. It is a framework with a methodology that involves the coordination between individuals and their artifacts, with two key components: 1) symbols and representations that information is held in and transformed from people to people; and 2) the process by which versions of information are coordinated with each other. In the paper, metaphors and examples are discussed as well as some ways of accurately calculating collective learning.