Susan Moisey

Women Entrepreneurs: Informal Learning and the Internet

Abstract Women entrepreneurs are one of the fastest growing groups of informal learners in Canada. Although the Internet presents extensive opportunities for informal learning, it remains an understudied area and little is known of the true nature of the learning that takes place in this mode. In this qualitative study, semi-structured e-mail interviews were used to explore the experiences of four Western Canadian women entrepreneurs who used the Internet for informal business-related learning. A sociocultural perspective was found to be helpful in understanding the nature of their informal learning. Results showed that perceived value of the Internet for informal learning included its capability to provide learner control for access to informational capital via the World Wide Web, and connectivity to social capital via e-mail. A taxonomy of informal learning using the Internet suggests that women entrepreneurs’ learning exists on a continuum of self-direction, ranging from autonomous (for independent seeking of external learning resources) to relational (for e-mail communication with colleagues as a support), but also includes incidental and social (tacit) learning. Implications for practice and questions for further research are presented.

The A-Framework: The Role of Access, Attributes, and Affordance in the Adoption of Distance Education Technology for Lifestyle Change.

This exploratory mixed methods case study examined the use of distance education technology for lifestyle change within the context of obesity treatment and weight management. In the quantitative phase of the study, 19 adults involved in an obesity-related lifestyle change program or change process completed a questionnaire that determined their attitude toward technology adoption, access to various types of information and communication technology and level of connectivity, and the extent to which they used technologies in their daily lives. The qualitative phase consisted of semi-structured interviews with individuals who were currently or had been obese and involved in a weight management program. The participants were provided access to a website which contained a set of online tools and resources believed to assist with weight loss and lifestyle change. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain each participant’s perceptions of, and reactions to, the various tools and resources. The A-Framework was developed as a direct result of this study. The A-Framework: The Role of Access, Attributes, and Affordance in the Adoption of Distance Education Technology for Lifestyle Change