What is a Community of Practice?
created from Cambridge, Kaplan & Suter's 2005 definition
A good foundation will make a world of difference to any community. Personal Learning Networks, Communities of Practice and various other names are used to describe a group of people who share similar needs and interests. Etienne Wenger is known as the person who first coined the phrase Community of Practice (CoP). http://www.ewenger.com/ He identifies the three core characteristics as a shared domain of interest, a sense of community and practice.
Successful CoPs are:
- dynamic
- flexible
- multi-faceted
- supportive
- non-judgemental
- reflective
They provide for their members:
- a place to share and collaboratively address issues and successes
- an environment of trust
- a sense of connection
They may operate via:
- regular gatherings
- discussion lists
- online spaces
Getting started:
- Identify who and WHY
- Establish modes of communication, activities, roles
- Establish protocols
- Create a sense of familiarity
- Balance that with some excitement
- Seek, value and act on feedback
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