Taming Digital Traces for Informal Learning: A Semantic-Driven Approach

Abstract

Modern learning models require linking experiences in training environments with experiences in the real-world. However, data about real-world experiences is notoriously hard to collect. Social spaces bring new opportunities to tackle this challenge, supplying digital traces where people talk about their real-world experiences. These traces can become valuable resource, especially in ill-defined domains that embed multiple interpretations. The paper presents a unique approach to aggregate content from social spaces into a semantic-enriched data browser to facilitate informal learning in ill-defined domains. This work pioneers a new way to exploit digital traces about real-world experiences as authentic examples in informal learning contexts. An exploratory study is used to determine both strengths and areas needing attention. The results suggest that semantics can be successfully used in social spaces for informal learning – especially when combined with carefully designed nudges.