Collaborative Learning Environments Project is an attempt to bring coherence to a number of smaller projects in the department of Psychology, all with a common theme - the development of "communities of practice" in which learning happens collaboratively. A community of practice exists where a group of peers work together towards shared goals. It could be a small group involved in a project (such as a group of co-authors writing a paper) or a much larger group drawn together by a broadly defined common programme (such as the community of practice formed by South African psychologists). Participants in a community of practice are peers in the sense that there is no rigid distinction between learners and teachers. However it is accepted that participants have different levels of expertise, and a successful community of practice typically provides opportunities for new members to make useful 'real-life' contributions while they are still in the process of learning the ropes.
As one of the smaller projects thus far included under the collaborative learning environments umbrella, 'Young Researchers Online' intended as a networking environment for recently graduated MA research psychology students where they can share their experiences of entering the world of applied research. Membership has grown rapidly and now includes graduates from Unisa, Pietermaritzburg, Rhodes, Unin, Univen, Pretoria and Cape Town. There have been some useful exchanges about research projects as well as postings about job openings and upcoming events. This year we plan to recruit more members and to explore additional ways of growing the network.
