Evolving mechanisms of virtual learning communities: Lessons learned from a case in higher education

Abstract

This paper presents an explorative case of a Virtual Learning Community built around a Master's Program intended to create "e-Business Solutions Engineers". To monitor the evolution of the learning community we applied a methodological framework composed of four dimensions: knowledge improvement, mental models' evolution, social networks dynamics, and overall satisfaction measurement. The analysis of data, collected through ten months of exchanged e-mails and five monthly web-surveys, has been validated through interviews to a key informant. The application of Social Network Analysis provided a dynamic visualization of the interactions that we matched with the learning outcomes at individual and team level. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.