Learning relations and networks in web-based communities

Learning entails exchange of information, resources, methods and practices; it entails conversation, and the co-creation of joint practice; it requires getting to know colleagues, their talents and their work practices, and joining a community of scholars, co workers and co-learners. In short, learning is predicated on interaction between individuals, interactions that build into communities that share common knowledge and practice. But what kinds of interactions are important for learning, and how do these help build and form a learning community? And how is this different or the same when accomplished in a web-based environment? Drawing on literature on learning, community and computer-mediated communication, and on results of a number of studies of learning networks conducted by the author, this paper addresses learning communities from a social network perspective, including what relations are evident in learning and learning communities, how media affect online tie formation, and what benefits can result from successfully maintained learning networks.