Modeling of Next Generation Digital Learning Environments

Introduction

“Algorithmic reasoning is a checklist preventing forgetfulness, Heuristic reasoning is an intelligent thought. Can we not then hold the algorithms for heuristics among others, rather than as producers of certain results? We remain the only ones responsible for the results of our reasoning, even if they are computerized.¹”

With the Internet, communication opportunities have continued to grow and diversify, in private or family contexts. The ease of use of Web 2.0 and its invaluable potential in terms of the exchange and sharing of information between social actors have allowed the emergence of a new society known as knowledge society. The social web (another name given to Web 2.0) represents a turning point in the organization of the bonds holding communities together and promotes the emergence of new learning communities. Training and distance learning professionals speak of social learning when they refer to spontaneously constituted communities in view of sharing knowledge, and also in the case of more formal distance learning devices that incorporate learning groups formed with less forethought². In both cases, learning occurs most often during so-called collaborative activities. “Learning” results from peer-to-peer exchanges (socio-cognitive conflicts) and imitation through the observation of the behavior of other people who are part of the learning group.

Communities that form spontaneously, where learning generally occurs outside the traditional academic ...