The development of a learning community around e-coaching: A year on. Read more at: http://ecoachingbase.wordpress.com/

1. E-Coaching community- What have we
learnt in a year?
While e-coaching practice is growing, research is lacking behind. Our online learning community
is bridging the gap between e-coaching practice and research and is building up a knowledge
base around e-coaching.
The Linkedin Group:“E-Coaching: A dialogue between researchers and practitioners”
•Enabling collaborative learning.
In July, 31st 2012 this group was created on Linkedin with the aim of fostering dialogue and
collaboration between e-coaching practitioners and researchers.
What functions does the Linkedin e-coaching network serve?
1.Practice inspires research: Researchers gain insights into issues relating to e-coaching practice and
gain understanding of what questions require further investigation.
2.Research informs practice: Sharing research results with practitioners to inform and guide practice.
New knowledge potentially becomes incorporated into practice.
3.Practitioners learn from each other, by exchanging stories, best practices, lessons learned.
•Connecting international experts
During the past 12 months the group has attracted 440 members
representing 40 different countries and various types of coaching (business,
career, personal).
•Managing knowledge
Monthly summaries of discussions support the group´s learning, as they
enable members to maintain an overview and to keep knowledge and

2. information organized.
The e-coaching community operates across several platforms:
1. Networking through Linkedin
Members of the Linkedin e-coaching group exchange ideas through the use of
threaded discussion forums.
2. A knowledge repository
The website E-coaching Community of Practice provides an online space for storing our
knowledge. It contains monthly summaries of the linkedin group´s discussions, members´articles, a wiki,
member profiles, private messaging, files, videos
3. This blog

3. This blog provides easy access- as no log in is required- to our collectively constructed knowledge
base.
This blog provides easy access- as no log in is required- to our collectively constructed knowledge
base.
4. The E-coaching Journal
The E-coaching Journal aims to distribute selected articles
from our community beyond the blog. It offers
comfortable access from mobile phones, iPads and
desktops.
What have we learned through our community?
In one year we have exchanged:
•Knowledge: Personal experiences and insights relating to various aspects of e-coaching, such as
techniques, skills, experiences with various technologies.
•Information: Information was shared about available technologies, new enhancing tools for coaching,
information about events, relevant literature, ongoing research.
•Perspectives: We collected opinions and reflections on a variety of issues.
Some of the themes which emerged from our discussions and articles are the following:
1. Conceptual issues:
•What is e-coaching?
•What are the benefits and challenges we associate with e-coaching?
2. E-coaching modalities:
•Which factors affect media selection?

4. •How might technology affect the coaching relationship?
•What experiences have we made with different coaching modalities?
•Which e-coaching tools are available andhow can they be used to enhance the distance coaching process?
3. Organizational issues:
•The duration of e-coaching sessions?
•Contracting?
•Attracting clients?
4. E-coaching research:
•The state of the empirical e-coaching research
•Ongoing research
5. Ethics:
•Which ethical issues might arise in e-coaching?
6. E-mentoring:
•Platforms for e-mentoring
•Relevant links
7. Literature:
•Articles members have written
•A list of references to literature shared in our community