Have you evolved into a community of practice?
Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.
Etienne Wegner
The guru of such things, Etienne Wegner, has a few clues as to whether you are, or whether your group is simply just a community. Mr Wegner gives a big thumbs up to being a part of a community of practice as it has a multitude of benefits such as sharing and solving problems, coordinating activities, and good old academic debate. I've experienced two of those three in our little MindLab Facebook community, but I've also experienced all three generally as member of Facebook. So what distinguishes a community from one of practice? In the eyes of Mr Wegner three characteristics are crucial (paraphrased):
1. Domain: Valued collective competence in a particular area
2. Community: Interaction from people involved
3. Practice: Community members who practice in their area of competence
1. Domain: Valued collective competence in a particular area
This is where I believe my general Facebook community falls short. Not simply because I disagree with many of the idiotic responses I get to my political posts, but because personal Facebook pages are not bound by a particular area of interest. Our MindLab Facebook page, however, is related to a particular area - the MindLab course. Even at its thinnest thread - organising to have a wine - drinks are intertwined with celebrations of MindLab achievements, discussion of frustrations, or the occasional dread further assignments. There is also a healthy dose of academic debate after a wine. What about other activities suggested by Wegner? The following also get a tick from our MindLab community: requests for info, sharing resources, seeking answers, growing in confidence that you're on the right track, documenting evidence, discussing developments, and identifying gaps in understanding.
2. Community: Interaction from people involved
These all happen on a weekly basis and are greatly appreciated by all involved - the more you put in, the more you get out of it. Which leads to to the second characteristic - community. As part of a previous assignment I looked at the numbers involved in our MindLab Facebook group. Although not everyone who attended the face-to-face sessions are actively involved, the majority are and we're regularly active. Well done us!
3. Practice: Community members who practice in their area of competence
In terms of practicing our area of competence, we all are working towards (read practicing) gaining our MindLab qualification, but more than that we are all practicing educators. The essence of being a part of the MindLab is the betterment of education through more informed practitioners.
A sense of belonging
The most significant impact of being a part of this community of practice is the sense of camaraderie. If you're frustrated, you express it, and within hours you know someone else is feeling your pain. Need a resource and you can't navigate the bloody website - someone will post it for you, champion. Missed out on the webinar, a much appreciated girly-swat will give you the low down. Or maybe you're on a Tinder date in Alaska and can't access the extension page - boom, three others have applied on your behalf (thanks team).
As the creator of the page I do feel a little like a mother with a child, but just as it would likely be the case, I have occasionally abandoned it for more exciting things. Luckily, we have all adopted it like our own and its grown into a little being of its own. Bless.
For more on communities of practice read from the guru himself: Etienne Wegner: Introduction to Communities of Practice
1. Domain: Valued collective competence in a particular area
2. Community: Interaction from people involved
3. Practice: Community members who practice in their area of competence
1. Domain: Valued collective competence in a particular area
This is where I believe my general Facebook community falls short. Not simply because I disagree with many of the idiotic responses I get to my political posts, but because personal Facebook pages are not bound by a particular area of interest. Our MindLab Facebook page, however, is related to a particular area - the MindLab course. Even at its thinnest thread - organising to have a wine - drinks are intertwined with celebrations of MindLab achievements, discussion of frustrations, or the occasional dread further assignments. There is also a healthy dose of academic debate after a wine. What about other activities suggested by Wegner? The following also get a tick from our MindLab community: requests for info, sharing resources, seeking answers, growing in confidence that you're on the right track, documenting evidence, discussing developments, and identifying gaps in understanding.
2. Community: Interaction from people involved
These all happen on a weekly basis and are greatly appreciated by all involved - the more you put in, the more you get out of it. Which leads to to the second characteristic - community. As part of a previous assignment I looked at the numbers involved in our MindLab Facebook group. Although not everyone who attended the face-to-face sessions are actively involved, the majority are and we're regularly active. Well done us!
3. Practice: Community members who practice in their area of competence
In terms of practicing our area of competence, we all are working towards (read practicing) gaining our MindLab qualification, but more than that we are all practicing educators. The essence of being a part of the MindLab is the betterment of education through more informed practitioners.
A sense of belonging
The most significant impact of being a part of this community of practice is the sense of camaraderie. If you're frustrated, you express it, and within hours you know someone else is feeling your pain. Need a resource and you can't navigate the bloody website - someone will post it for you, champion. Missed out on the webinar, a much appreciated girly-swat will give you the low down. Or maybe you're on a Tinder date in Alaska and can't access the extension page - boom, three others have applied on your behalf (thanks team).
As the creator of the page I do feel a little like a mother with a child, but just as it would likely be the case, I have occasionally abandoned it for more exciting things. Luckily, we have all adopted it like our own and its grown into a little being of its own. Bless.
For more on communities of practice read from the guru himself: Etienne Wegner: Introduction to Communities of Practice
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