Collective learning environments in social innovation and entrepreneurship context

Abstract

Nowadays learning requires a continuous process of seeking information and knowledge. The ease of access of information and resources and the speed how new information is available, demands that the user continuously seeks knowledge and keeps updated. Along with this reality, in Portugal, there is a growing development of Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIE) initiatives. In Portugal, IES-Social Business School offers training programs since 2009. In its network there are around 2300 alumni. And for that reason, its pedagogical model is being revised, aiming to include networked community learning (community related to the concept of Community of Practice [1]). Thus IES-SBS aims to disseminate produced knowledge; help develop collective learning environments, specifically in SIE area and, consequently, enlarge its scope. The paper is part of a post­doctoral research project which has initiated a learning community pilot, with IES-SBS support. The following variables were analyzed for the pilot implementation: life cycle, intervention area, target population and geographic location.