Il capitale sociale come leva della formatività: dalla conoscenza condivisa alla creazione di reti di valore nei forum didattici

The research assumes that the relationship can improve the quality of learning and that there is an important link between social capital and formativity. The hypothesis that we will demonstrate in this work is that the formativity of the interactions is directly proportional to the social capital, and that the connection between these two elements increases the quality of the learning process of online training courses. In particular, the social capital acts as a resource to increase the formativity of the didactic forums, and can bring a significant added value to e-learning, taking shape as a knowledge bridge between the formal and new informal learning scenario of the Web 2.0. The research was conducted by analyzing 124 forums of two postgraduate courses related to the path of specialization for the training of secondary school (SSIS). However, the enhancement of social capital and its educational potential is important not only for the academic and “institutionalized” training, but also for the enterprises, the proof being the growing importance of the concept of “Enterprise 2.0” and of the forums for the implementation of new organizational models based on diffuse involvement, emergent collaboration, knowledge sharing and on the development and valorization of social networks inside and outside the organizations. The research started analysing the existing literature, which crossed the social-constructivist approach and the studies on social capital. In particular, it has been examined the formative value of the theories on social capital focused on the structural dimension of the network (Burt’s theory of structural holes) and the autopoietic value of the network itself, which brings in auto-generating value, also in the learner’s individual dimension. The research led to several considerations, based upon the analysis of the connection between social capital and formativity in two dimensions: the bonding one (typical of high-density reticular structures, such as the virtual classroom of an online course), and the bridging one (typical of large networks, such as social networks). This connection brings unity also to thought and action, theory and practice, growing and becoming self-reinforcing, in a crescendo that goes from the generation of new knowledge directed to meaningful action, through three distinct steps: - culture of belonging - construction of multi-identity - glocal / knowledge cultures; - proximal development - subsidiarity - systemic thinking; - cognitive mobilization - planning - reciprocity. From the forums, the reflection on the educational value of social capital in online training courses also involves the actors of training (in first instance the online tutors, true “creators” of structural holes to build knowledge bridges among different networks), and the educational content (with the proposal of the creation of Bridging Learning Objects). The work ends with a reflection on future e-learning scenarios, in which is not so much the size of the network and the spread of social networks to engage new opportunities for growth, but rather the ability to structurally understand the potential of the network in which the learner is inserted, and knowing how to “exploit” these factors to plan significant actions in different contexts of life.