The linked article, Discovering the Meaning of Community in an Online Master's Degree Program, examines an online learning community from the perspective of adult learners in an online master's degree program in instructional design and technology (sound familiar?) at California State University – Fullerton.  The paper was prepared by several instructors in the program and

The linked paper is authored by members of the Florida State University Instructional Systems Program and published in Educational Technology & Society.  It is an excellent evaluation of the effectiveness of computers in an online learning environment to "function as cognitive tools . . . that extend student's capacity to learn and create knowledge."  Their

The linked article (Web 2.0:  A new wave of innovation for teaching and learning) by Bryan Alexander, Director of Research at the National Institute for Technology, was published in the March / April 2006 Educause Review.  It is a comprehensive media accumulation and review of "Web 2.0" technologies for use in teaching and learning settings

The linked article appeared in T + D Magazine and addresses the issue of transferring the knowledge and skills of one generation of workers to the next as the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement.  The article highlights the demographic issues that are causing what the author views as a Baby Boom Brain Drain.  By 2010,

Jackie Dobrovolny presents a model for adult learning in Learning Strategies, an October 2003 article in Learning Circuits.  Dobrovolny highlights how adult learners use 5 key learning strategies (outlined below) and how instructional design can support these key adult learning strategies.  Learning Strategies: Metacognition (defined as self-assessment and self-correction):  Though self-assessment and reflection, learners evaluate

Choi, M. Communities of practice: an alternative learning model for knowledge creation. British Journal of Educational Technology v. 37 no. 1 (January 2006) p. 143-6 The highlighted article (available via this link with an IU network ID and password) discusses the use of "communities of practice" (CoP) as a learning model for corporate training.  The

I came across an interesting article about motivating adult learners.  It highlights some key characteristics of adult learners and how course design should contemplate their learning styles.  While much of what is presented could be considered "common sense", it does do a good job of providing an overview of the unique characteristics of an adult