Trialogical learning: a distinct form of learning through collaborative work on shared knowledge artefacts¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The Trialogical Approach holds that learning occurs not only through monological activities such as reading or lectures, nor only through dialogical activities such as discussion, but also through trialogical activities in which individuals participate in collaborative activities involving the production of concrete knowledge objects like documents or models developed collaboratively for use as tools for future development. The approach is explicitly not an over-arching theory but a specific approach to knowledge creation through learning, characterised by a set of processes and practices described in the Trialogical Learning Framework. It builds on social constructivism while integrating educational technology traditions rooted in cognitivist theories.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Learning activities should be organised around developing shared objects with the goal of re-usable knowledge artefacts or practices
• Opportunities must exist for group members to re-produce their ideas in texts, models and representations that others can continue to work with

Constraints¶

• The approach is intended for collaborative knowledge creation utilising knowledge artefacts, not as a general theory of all learning

Target Learners¶

• higher education students
• teacher trainees
• workplace knowledge workers

Target Learning Objectives¶

• collaborative knowledge creation
• development of reusable knowledge artefacts and practices

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Knowledge Creation Metaphor Of Learning
• Cultural-Historical Activity Theory
• Myness–Otherness dialogical framework of culture in EFL learning
• Shared epistemic agency framework for analyzing knowledge creation in collaborative design

Examples¶

• Knowledge Practices Environment (KPE): a platform for object-centred collaborative knowledge creation
• KP-Lab toolset supporting four types of mediation, including the Visual Model Editor and analytic mirroring tools
• Design learning for knowledge creation by delegating responsibility for developing shared, re-usable knowledge objects to learners
• Pedagogical scenarios that organise learning around knowledge creation with shared objects
• Promote knowledge creation by coordinating group practices, technology affordances, interaction genres, community metaskills, and trialogical learning through design-based research
• Redesign course projects around collaboration, open-ended problems, shared knowledge objects, technology mediation, and as-needed mentoring

Key Sources¶

• Reynolds, S., & Camilleri, A. F. (2010). KP-LAB: Breaking New Ground on How to Create Knowledge Through Learning. EDEN 2010 Conference, Valencia.