Just-in-time, DIY Learning in Professional Membership Associations
To join or not to join, that is the question facing many entrepreneurs considering membership in a professional association.
This choice became a front-burner issue for me recently as I renewed membership in two professional groups. My interest was further fanned by online research that we did recently at the Studio on women’s organizations. We studied how the groups go beyond-the-hype of most E-learning initiatives and seat-time in webinars to support and encourage their members to learn from each other online. These interactions might happen around member blog posts, tweet chats and discussions, action-research projects, and in other learning bubbles such as communities of practice. The member-driven learning satisfies a current need or interest they explore in online and offline group settings.
Question: Before I get ahead of myself, what top-of-mind benefits do professional membership associations offer to potential members?