Learning in a Geographically Dispersed Context: Building a Community of Learning in Dispersed Space

Abstract

The use of the Internet to deliver management education has increased dramatically over the last decade. Academic institutions and business organizations are harnessing technological advances to enable Web-based learning for individuals who are geographically dispersed across different physical locations. One source of learning for such individuals is their interaction with their dispersed peers. However, it is challenging for dispersed individuals to interact with each other and to learn from each other because of a lack of common context among them. This chapter aims to explore the conditions that are conducive to ferment learning in a dispersed setting. The findings demonstrate that dispersed learning is a socio-technical process. The chapter concludes with implications for Web-enabled institutions to develop competencies to build a community of learning in dispersed space.