This paper is focused on exploring the inter-relationship between two key trends in the field of educational technologies. In the educational arena, we are increasingly witnessing a change in the view of what education is for, with an ever-growing emphasis upon the need to support young people not only to acquire knowledge and information, but to develop the resources and skills necessary to continue learning throughout the rest of their lives. In the technological arena, we are witnessing the rapid proliferation of technologies which are less about ‘narrowcasting’ to individuals, than the creation of communities and resources in which individuals come together to learn, collaborate and build knowledge. It is the intersection of these two trends (the increased focus on ‘learning to learn’ with the emerging affordances of what has become known as ‘social software’) which, we believe, offers significant potential for the development of new approaches to education.
This paper provides an introduction to the key technologies, resources and thinking in this area, and outlines a series of challenges and questions for educators and developers wishing to pursue this further. It can also be read in conjunction with our partner publication in this Opening Education series: ‘The Role of FLOSS Approaches in Education’.

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