Week 19: Community of Practice
Week 19: Community of Practice
Critical reflection
Reflection has actually taken the form of observation of others’ communities of practice
through our shared online Mindlab community. Reading other group members perspectives,
and witnessing the many successes and failures, it’s given me a deeper of understanding of
what works and what doesn’t. This reflection has led me to the conclusion that without a
common goal, vision, or commitment to purpose in a community of practice, it simply
cannot flourish.
Activity 3: Contribution of Teacher Inquiry Topics to my Communities of Practice
Create a reflective entry where you critically reflect on how two potential and inspiring digital and/or collaborative learning related teacher inquiry topics would contribute to your Communities of Practice. Your reflection should be based on a reflective model of your choice.
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Descriptive
Two areas which I’m particularly interested are for my research assignment are:
Computational Thinking
Technology Disruption and Mixed Reality
Computational Thinking
Technology Disruption and Mixed Reality
These are two facets of my own educational practice that I’m wanting to develop and
integrate into a much greater capacity within my classroom. As I’m not yet integrating
these technologies in my classroom in the capacity I’d like to, I believe establishing myself
within communities of practice will allow me access to effective application techniques,
and tested approaches to begin achieving these aspirations of mine for the betterment
of my students.
integrate into a much greater capacity within my classroom. As I’m not yet integrating
these technologies in my classroom in the capacity I’d like to, I believe establishing myself
within communities of practice will allow me access to effective application techniques,
and tested approaches to begin achieving these aspirations of mine for the betterment
of my students.
“A community of practice can be defined as “groups of people who share a concern, a set
of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise
in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis” (Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002, p.4).
Prompted by Mindlab to consider this as an asset to the teaching profession, I endeavoured
to situate myself within a number of different communities of practice, to deepen my own
knowledge and understanding in a range of different areas. One in particular that I’ve
wanted to reflect on is a small community of practice involving 5 colleagues.
We originally formed our community as a means of support and development for
its members for using ICT and digital implementation in the classroom.
of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise
in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis” (Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002, p.4).
Prompted by Mindlab to consider this as an asset to the teaching profession, I endeavoured
to situate myself within a number of different communities of practice, to deepen my own
knowledge and understanding in a range of different areas. One in particular that I’ve
wanted to reflect on is a small community of practice involving 5 colleagues.
We originally formed our community as a means of support and development for
its members for using ICT and digital implementation in the classroom.
Comparative
Wenger (2000) discusses the mode of belonging, denoted by open engagement.
This particular community of practice consisting of a number of my colleagues,
where informal discussions were had. As Wenger (2000) explains, communities
of practice depend on internal leadership, and enabling the leaders to play their role
is a way to help the community develop. In hindsight, this is a feature of our own
community that we hadn’t addressed, and as a result, we were not having the desired
outcome. Our members need to collectively develop an understanding of its vision, hold
each other accountable to this sense of joint enterprise (Wenger, 2000). Our community
was “losing its dynamism and… becoming stale” (Wenger, 2000). Due to irregular meetings,
and no clear collective vision, our community of practice essentially has failed.
There are many areas in which we can address to improve our current situation.
Engagement and collective input is one consideration going forward, where we can find
opportunities for joint activities (Wenger, 2000). Wenger (2000) explains that members
should build their communities through mutual engagement. Ensuring all of our members
are actively involved and participating will allow us to better develop as a community.
At this stage in our community, we also tended to focus on one or two members, and discuss
their particular strengths, knowledge, and understanding. It’s important that communities
of practice arise from different enterprises; different ways of engaging with one another;
different histories, repertoires, ways of communicating and capabilities (Wenger, 2000).
We are using our experience of all it’s members to pull our community’ competence along
(Wenger, 2000).
This particular community of practice consisting of a number of my colleagues,
where informal discussions were had. As Wenger (2000) explains, communities
of practice depend on internal leadership, and enabling the leaders to play their role
is a way to help the community develop. In hindsight, this is a feature of our own
community that we hadn’t addressed, and as a result, we were not having the desired
outcome. Our members need to collectively develop an understanding of its vision, hold
each other accountable to this sense of joint enterprise (Wenger, 2000). Our community
was “losing its dynamism and… becoming stale” (Wenger, 2000). Due to irregular meetings,
and no clear collective vision, our community of practice essentially has failed.
There are many areas in which we can address to improve our current situation.
Engagement and collective input is one consideration going forward, where we can find
opportunities for joint activities (Wenger, 2000). Wenger (2000) explains that members
should build their communities through mutual engagement. Ensuring all of our members
are actively involved and participating will allow us to better develop as a community.
At this stage in our community, we also tended to focus on one or two members, and discuss
their particular strengths, knowledge, and understanding. It’s important that communities
of practice arise from different enterprises; different ways of engaging with one another;
different histories, repertoires, ways of communicating and capabilities (Wenger, 2000).
We are using our experience of all it’s members to pull our community’ competence along
(Wenger, 2000).
Critical reflection
Reflection has actually taken the form of observation of others’ communities of practice
through our shared online Mindlab community. Reading other group members perspectives,
and witnessing the many successes and failures, it’s given me a deeper of understanding of
what works and what doesn’t. This reflection has led me to the conclusion that without a
common goal, vision, or commitment to purpose in a community of practice, it simply
cannot flourish.
References:
Wenger, E.(2000). Communities of practice and social learning systems. Organization, 7(2),
225-246
225-246
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