The participants do not only learn, but also implement knowledge and experience from the course in their own work. They are also capable of fine-tuning this knowledge to suit their own areas of work.

By now, the group members have found their roles in the e-community and have adjusted. They are taking responsibility for their own learning, and help each other. The moderator/facilitator has now taken a more peripheral role, offering guidance only when absolutely necessary.

The group works together to complete tasks and participate in e-tivities. The participants grow more and more confident in their roles as e-learners and assist each other by offering their unique expertise and experience.

The participants start interacting with each other and the facilitators and form a learning community. These initial interactions set the base and are essential for a successful course. Ground rules for collaboration should be set at this stage.

Participants who are well acquainted with digital tools and online environments (natives, even well-informed visitors) have an advantage when embarking on online courses. They don’t have to spend time familiarising themselves with the platforms and tools used and can even expand the assortment. On the other hand, participants who do not use e-tools as often might need extra time both before and during the course to keep up.