Previous research has indicated that formal learning activities, such as online courses and face-to - face training are, in many cases, not appropriate for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Therefore in the European Work and Learn Together project a model for learning in SMEs is being developed that is based on the concept of the community of practice.
This paper describes a framework for designing this model for learning in SMEs. The principles of communities of practice are used to derive the basic elements. The initial design is based on three clusters of fundamentals (basic elements, framework and presence).