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Chapter 16 - Working Adults’ Networking and Social Activities in Lifelong Learning

from Part IV - Networking and Social Activities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 June 2022

By
Mamun Ala ,
Ingrid Day ,
Tareq Rasul ,
Sumesh Nair  and
Megan Baker
Edited by
Andreas Kaplan
Andreas Kaplan
Affiliation:
ESCP Business School Berlin
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Summary

This chapter explores the mechanisms and measures for implementing and evaluating the impact of networking practices in the online higher education environment. It draws on the extensive experience of a fully online Australian business school for working adults in using social networking and social activities to enhance learning, build community, impact professional advancement and create lifelong learning opportunities for alumni. This chapter also offers key insights into a pertinent question regarding the extent to which social activities should be facilitated by the institution, be self-initiated and administered by students or alumni themselves or be a hybrid of the two. Using the example of the Australian Institute of Business, we demonstrate that the latter is the most effective approach. The evidence-based best practices contributing to mutually beneficial formal and informal interactions are discussed in terms of student-centred institutional networking and engagement initiatives, networking opportunities using social media platforms, institutional benchmarking and data collection and institutional further learning activities.

Keywords

adult learnersalumni engagementcollaborative learningcommunity of practicelifelong learningonline educationonline social networkingsocial mediastudent engagement
Type
Chapter
Information
Digital Transformation and Disruption of Higher Education , pp. 195 - 208
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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