What is Peer-Based Networking

Although knowledge-centred approaches anchored in students' knowledge production abilities, heterogeneous learning styles and diverse learning needs are widely celebrated, perplexing questions persist on how these learning capabilities and enablements can be sufficiently harnessed to support technology-enhanced pedagogical designs. This chapter contributes to this discourse by proposing knowledge-centred models that integrate sound pedagogical strategy, ubiquitous technologies and situated learning to address student learning priorities and challenges in a Global Citizenship course at a South African university. Laurillard's (2001) Conversational Framework rendered a theoretical lens for interpreting the learning priorities, challenges experienced and the appropriateness of the proposed technology-mediated pedagogical interventions. Findings suggest that although collective engagement and peer-based networking were salient in the course, challenges of fostering deep learning, scaling the course, enhancing sustainable course delivery and accommodating diverse learning needs of students were reported. Technology-mediated pedagogical models that drew on emerging Web based technologies were designed to resolve these challenges.