Police, politics and democratic learning communities in Higher Education
Abstract
This paper suggests a different way of theorising the concept of learning community as it relates to digital literacy, social capital and student engagement in Higher Education. Drawing on the work of Quinn (2005) and Rancière (1991, 2010) to examine texts created by students and staff in interviews and in their VLE, the normative discourses of learning community and student engagement are problematized and the role of digital literacy in group work analysed. The paper suggests the term Democratic Learning Community (DLC) as an alternative to the normative and consensus driven discourses of learning community and student engagement prevalent in higher education. DLCs recognise the presence of political subjectification, dissent and resistance that will contribute insight to those involved in teaching students using digital platforms in Higher Education.
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