Understanding Children’s Behaviour in a Hybrid Open Learning Environment

Abstract

The paper attempts a narrativization of events in an open learning environment such that it renders visible the interplay of digital infrastructure, content and social structure in children’s learning journey. The study is built on a program that exposes self-organised groups of about 40,000 children aged 10–14, to varied domains of knowledge delivered through offline digital content on tablets. Groups then make a collective choice of a domain or subject they wish to explore further through course enrollments, projects and workshops. They engage with the subject matter to create experiments of shared value to the group, namely a story, game, science model etc. In showcasing these experiments to other learner groups, village stakeholders and virtual communities, they learn to express their ideas, virtually exchange feedback, and iterate their learning process. Together, this constitutes the ‘Ex’ pedagogical framework. By tracing log files, analysing individual events and their correlations with other events, we identify patterns that show us how children’s learning is driven by choice, creativity, and collaboration as they transition to each stage of their learning journey.