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Online collaboration: how can it boost personalized learning?

Jerona Noonan

Development and Learning in Organizations

ISSN: 1477-7282

Article publication date: 9 October 2007

1045

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how collaboration services can support the development and learning process, to the benefit of both the individual and broader organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores how sophisticated online collaboration solutions complement face‐to‐face training and follow‐up coaching and support by replicating much of its physical functionality and two‐way communication capability.

Findings

In a training context, audio, video and conferencing tools have historically been used for the purposes of individual coaching or reinforcement. Yet increasingly, they are recognized as having much broader application in such areas as mentoring, coaching and training, so enhancing both personal development and the acquisition of wider business management skills.

Practical implications

In achieving this, it shows how collaboration has moved on from its traditional focus on one‐to‐many to providing one‐to‐one unified communication through the use of tools such as chat and feedback mechanisms including e‐quizzes, votes and surveys. Availability is one thing, usage is another however and here, if they are to encourage maximum participation and usage in a training context, such tools must be easy to deploy, easy to use and offer ubiquitous access.

Originality/value

The value of this approach is to show how, from a training perspective, the latest collaboration services offer a uniquely broad and cost‐effective mechanism in getting beyond traditional geographical, cultural and technological barriers to share work‐related skills, techniques and product knowledge.

Keywords

Citation

Noonan, J. (2007), "Online collaboration: how can it boost personalized learning?", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 21 No. 6, pp. 10-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777280710828567

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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