1.+Justification

Is Baby Boomers an eLearning collective community?

There are many aspects that define what constitutes a learning community. According to Kilpatrick, Barrett and Jones (2003), the ideal definition is: “Learning communities are made up of people who share a common purpose. They collaborate to draw on individual strengths, respect a variety of perspectives and actively promote learning opportunities. The outcomes are the creation of a vibrant, synergistic environment, enhances potential for all members, and the possibility that new knowledge will be created” (p.10). This is especially applicable to the //Baby Boomer// participant because the site allows them to establish a community identity as educators and trainers, and from this common ground, work together to create new understandings and competencies with regard to technology as a teaching and learning tool.

According to De Laat & Simons (2001) collective learning is where the members consciously strive for common learning and / or working outcomes where the intended outcomes are collective. The //Baby Boomers// community brings educators together who are within the same generation, with the same interest of wanting to learn, gain knowledge and use e-learning technologies. This community embraces participatory design in all its functions. Members will be able to appreciate joint reflection and sharing of information on what they are learning through the collective (means of) communication platforms that //Baby Boomers// has to offer.

Based on the above definitions and explanations and the reasons listed below, there is no doubt that //Baby Boomers// is a collective learning community as it targets a niche cohort whose life-stage and experience of social change - in particular techological change - are contextually aligned. This common context is the basis for a community where its participants can feel like they belong and can relate to other participants, which then enriches the sharing and enhances the learning. As well as this, the electronic (e) platform enpowers the participant making //Baby Boomers// not just a collective learning community but a collective eLearning community.

Elements of the //Baby Boomer// collective e-Learning community: • Targets members who are born between 1946-1964 • Targets members who are educators and trainers, or aspiring to become one, who are interested in learning, enhancing, exploring and/or expanding their knowledge and understanding of e-learning technologies • Through tutorials, discussion forums and blogs for examples, members will be able share information and learn from each others experiences • The structure of the community is that its members assume responsibility for developing and sharing knowledge which promotes learning opportunities • In order to paticipate within the community, members will be able to post questions and thoughts which will help them make sense of their experiences and give meaning to what they observe and how they participate. • Through all its processes, the community members are embracing lifelong learning