Virtual action learning: Practices and challenges

This paper reports findings from research that set out to explore virtual action learning (VAL)
as an emerging variety of action learning (AL). In bringing together geographically dispersed
individuals within and across organizations, and possibly across time, VAL has obvious
potential in both educational and commercial contexts. Whilst there is an extensive and
growing literature on face-to-face (f2f) AL, at the start of the inquiry (October 2006) there
was little evidence of the virtual variety. At the same time, there was considerable interest
expressed by educationalists and practitioners in adapting AL to VAL, but a lack of
understanding of how to go about it, which appeared to be a barrier to uptake. The
research comprised a literature review, a network inquiry and interviews with VAL
practitioners. The findings reveal more practice than was anticipated and that VAL is a
distinct variety of AL, characterised by its virtual, non-f2f nature, and that it has its own
strengths and weaknesses.