But I greatly missed the human element and learned quickly that you can’t replace face-to-face interaction. Learning from others is ingrained in our DNA and is nothing short of crucial. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that learning happens best when learners collaborate and help one another. We learned about critical issues nonprofits are facing (or need to face) while being exposed to a rich network of professionals to connect and learn from. MORE

Most of the projects with these programs were carried out collaboratively; so I had a chance to see how different kinds of organizations, from grassroots to national, operate. I figured out that I could offer teaching, training, consulting activities online. Since then, I've incorporated as Vision2Lead and started teaching online for Capella University. It focused on collaborative e-learning. What is your favorite course to teach? MORE

I am also interested in the intersection of the government and the nonprofit sectors, which includes cross-sector collaboration, nonprofit provision of public services, etc. My professional role includes three aspects: teaching, research, and service. What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career? migrant associations, and government-nonprofit collaboration. Welcome to a new ASU Lodestar Center Blog series, “Get to Know the Lodestar Center!” MORE

The Knowledge-at-Work blog writes about when learning and knowledge collide -- and the importance of collaborative learning networks. There is a fairly large educator community on Second Life and the lessons learned are starting to appear in the blogosphere. Here's an interview about How NOT to teach in Second Life with the founder of the Second Life ICT Library Ross Perkins from Kevin Lim. MORE

They are also working on software that uses this approach in the classroom and takes the passivity and lectures out of classroom instruction. In the 60 minutes piece, it is referred to the flipped classroom or peer instruction a mindset that directs attention away from teachers and puts it squarely on the students and their learning. Peer Instruction and the flipped classroom is a research-based, interactive teaching method developed by Eric Mazur at Harvard University in the 1990s. MORE

As a trainer, I’m intensely interested in creating learning experiences that integrate or about how to use the technology for nonprofits that engage and inspire people to put the ideas into practice. I’ve been obsessed with peer learning and self-directed learning models in my own learning and the trainings I design and facilitate. What struck me was his authentic co-learning process with his students. Photo by Aussiegal. MORE

Box.org provides organizations with the Box file-sharing, content management, and collaboration service. You can use Box's cloud-based storage and collaboration tools to replace traditional on-premises file servers and traditional file-sharing processes. It also provides tools that facilitate program management, funding development, and global collaboration. To learn more, read Box's summary of how nonprofits can use its services. MORE

What makes a group into a learning community? And what is the role of social media-enabled learning communities in the modern membership organization and other comparable types of knowledge service delivery? At a recent visit at VIN’s headquarters in Davis, California, I was struck by the realization that developmental learning is the basis of every aspect of VIN’s model and practice. Anchoring Building Blocks for an Effective Learning Community. MORE