Using the “wisdom of the crowd” to support teaching and learning in higher education

St. John-Matthews, Janice

Abstract

Coined by journalist Howe in 2006, crowdsourcing works through an institution outsourcing a function normally performed by an employee or group of individuals (Howe, 2006). However the notion of crowdsourcing continues to evolve. In the digital age crowdsourcing usually involves an open-call through participatory online activity, typically social media, providing a wider access to people internationally in less time and at a reduced cost than traditional methods (Schnek et al, 2005). Yet traditional outsourcing has been used for centuries and the practice of using the “wisdom of the crowd” can be traced back to Aristotle in the 4th century who explored the concept in his work titled “Politics” (Lord, 2013). The presenter for this session has a particular interest in crowdsourcing as through their doctoral studies, they are exploring the use of the tool in curriculum design processes. This seeks to capture the “expert by experience” voice in the development of a pre-registration healthcare curriculum through the development of an on-line community using crowdsourcing as the vehicle to achieve this. This session presents an opportunity to introduce the wider definition of crowdsourcing and how this fits with building community. The differences between crowdsourcing and concepts such as crowdlearning and crowdfunding will be highlighted. A standard conceptual framework for crowdsourcing and the challenges this presents when applied to the field of education will be shared. Examples of the use of the tool in medical and healthcare education will be presented. Finally the room will be crowdsourced on how individuals could harness “the wisdom of the crowd” via on-line learning communities to enhance the learning and teaching experiences in their respective disciplines.

Citation

St. John-Matthews, J. (2018, June). Using the “wisdom of the crowd” to support teaching and learning in higher education. Presented at UWE, Bristol Learning and Teaching Conference 2018, Frenchay Campus, Bristol, England

• Presentation Conference Type: Other
• Conference Name: UWE, Bristol Learning and Teaching Conference 2018
• Conference Location: Frenchay Campus, Bristol, England
• Start Date: Jun 7, 2018
• End Date: Jun 7, 2018
• Acceptance Date: May 1, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 7, 2019
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: co-creation, wisdom, learning, teaching
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/868591
• Additional Information: Additional Information : Theme: Building Learning Communities; Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : UWE Bristol Learning and Teaching Conference