{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,10]],"date-time":"2026-06-10T16:14:56Z","timestamp":1781108096262,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"IGI Global Scientific Publishing","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,10,1]]},"abstract":"<p>In the present knowledge economy, individuals, particularly working adults, need to continuously acquire purposeful knowledge and skills so they can better contribute towards addressing society\u2019s ever-changing developmental challenges. In the developing world however, few opportunities exist for working adults to acquire such new learning experiences through the formal education sector, and this makes it imperative for organizations to develop non-formal education and training programs to help address this need. With the proliferation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) worldwide, this article recommends the adoption of Collaborative Online Learning (COL) by non-formal learning organizations as a means of helping address the education and training needs of working adults. The article thus provides an overview of COL, and then draws on the research literature on relevant theories to recommend best-practice strategies for designing and delivering effective and workable COL initiatives within non-formal education settings, particularly in the developing world.<\/p>","DOI":"10.4018\/javet.2011100104","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2011,10,19]],"date-time":"2011-10-19T12:01:02Z","timestamp":1319025662000},"page":"43-57","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Collaborative Online Learning in Non-Formal Education Settings in the Developing World"],"prefix":"10.4018","volume":"2","author":[{"given":"Stephen","family":"Asunka","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Regent University College of Science & Technology, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2432","reference":[{"key":"javet.2011100104-0","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.15215\/aupress\/9781897425084.003","article-title":"Foundations of educational theory for online learning","author":"M.Ally","year":"2008","journal-title":"The theory and practice of online learning"},{"issue":"3","key":"javet.2011100104-1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.19173\/irrodl.v9i3.586","article-title":"Online learning in higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Ghanaian university students' experiences and perceptions.","volume":"9","author":"S.Asunka","year":"2008","journal-title":"International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning"},{"issue":"2","key":"javet.2011100104-2","first-page":"372","article-title":"Strategies for teaching online courses within the Sub-Saharan African context: An instructor's recommendations.","volume":"5","author":"S.Asunka","year":"2009","journal-title":"MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching"},{"issue":"4","key":"javet.2011100104-3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1080\/07421222.2002.11045706","article-title":"Asynchronous collaboration around multimedia applied to on-demand education.","volume":"18","author":"D.Bargeron","year":"2002","journal-title":"Journal of Management Information Systems"},{"key":"javet.2011100104-4","author":"E. 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