Consider the following example, illustrated in the graphic below: a distributed global university is rolling out a substantial revision of its successful learning programs in environmental sciences. This offering is a customizable series of learning experiences, which can result in for-credit or not-for-credit learning. The for-credit learning experiences can be part of a formal degree program, or they can be tailored to result in a series of special, customized certificates. The price of the learning experiences varies dramatically depending on the nature of the experience, the desired level of interactivity with faculty/ mentors/ and practitioners, and the type of certification required. This program can be offered in purely virtual or a blended learning mode.

The learning experiences are supported by two repositories of e-resources: 1) an extensive repository of learning objects, and 2) a knowledge management system. The learning object repository contains content and context created by instructional designers in collaboration with faculty, mentors, and practitioners. The knowledge management system contains a wealth of information on the tradecraft of learning this subject matter and its application in practical settings. A team of knowledge management specialists has created a system that links the klogs, notes, application reports, syntheses of past questions, and other resources from practitioners, faculty, and mentors.

The community of practice supporting this effort is a collection of faculty, mentors, and practitioners who have been contributing to the university’s environmental sciences offering over the years. They have provided explicit content on the subject matter of environment science, which has been shaped by the supporting team of instructional development staff into learning objects. The upgraded offering is introducing a just-in-time knowledge component, provided through continuous editing of the contents of the knowledge management system and the existing learning objects, “push” technology updates to learners, and/or personal interactivity with practitioners to share emergent tacit knowledge.