Group items tagged

Etienne Wenger seeks to simplify communities of practice by elaborating on three distinct features that make a a community of practice different than a community. A community of practice is defined by its' domain, the shared connection based on a common interest; the community; a group of individuals that interact with each other through collaborative activities; the practice, common experiences and resources to take on similar problems. The text is particularly user friendly in that it offers provides charts that contextual types of activities that would make a community a community of practice such as: visits, mapping knowledge, problem solving, etc.

Wenger identifies CoP's as"groups of people who share a concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly". Here it is indicated that three main things must be present to call it a CoP: the domain, the community, and the practice. One item that stood out to me is that a community is not by default a CoP. Rather, a CoP must not solely be a community of interest but a CoP is a community that is built on the acquisition of skills, knowledge, or practice within the community. CoP's can come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and domains. All are vested in the "bettering" of individuals.

This article looks at the bones of communities of practice. This is an easy read, an introduction to communities of practice, which explains important characteristics, activities, concepts behind, and concepts applied in the case of communities of practice. It looks at traditional classroom learning compared to communities of practice.

This article discusses the growing interest in Personal Learning Networks (PLN) and Twitter among educators. This study interviews seven educators about their experiences using Twitter within a PLN to try to understand if Twitter played a unique and specific role in learning. Four distinct outcomes were: 1. Twitter allows participants to engage in instantaneous conversations with their PLN. 2. Twitter provides a way for participants to access the collective knowledge of their PLN. 3. Twitter helped grow the size of the PLN. 4. Twitter can be used as a motivator.

This article includes information on a research study, about using Twitter within a PLN. Its result mentions specific advantages such as allowing participants to engage in instantaneous conversation and access collective knowledge.

After reading the article and other comments, I think Ryan Olynyk's summary outlines the main ideas well.

This article explains several ways in which Twitter can enhance your PLN. It can allow you to share resources, receive resources, and crowdsource ideas. Using hashtags, users can explore topics that interest them and meet potential new members of the PLN. Retweets are another effective way to meet potential PLN members.

The article looks at the impact Twitter plays on PLNs. The research shows Twitter is a valuable tool to connect with people around the world and easily share ideas. The openness of Twitter can create large PLNs and impact more members.

For me its very important. I use it and Diigo groups the most as online PLN tools.

The article clearly shows the benefits of integrating twitter into your personal learning network. The article makes me reflect on my own social media presence where I need to transition from a lurker to an active member in order to build and sustain my PLN.

This article must have been for me since this is my first time on twitter. The information in this article leads me to think that you don't have to have twitter to have an PLN but it is easier when you do. It allows for fast and concise communication with your PLN.

This site explains in plain terms communities of practice. For example, it explains that a community of practice is not just a club. It is a group of people who are committed to a certain domain of interest.

This was a concise, but well written overview of the definition of communities of practice.

Communities of practice are used across a variety of groups of people. According to Etienne Wenger, there are three characteristics that constitute a community of practice: domain, community, and practice. Communities of practice exist on small local scales, to worldwide networks. This allows people to share and obtain knowledge about common practices with others who are actively engaged in the same domain.

Allows the reader to determine the general guidelines to what a community of practice is. Cites examples ranging from artists seeking transformation to surgeons trying to discover new methods. The article is very simple, yet effective in describing a community of practice.

by Etienne Wenger CoPs are formed by people who are engaged and interested in common domains. These can be done in many domains as long as there is an underlying interest. CoPs provide a new way to learn from one another in a safe environment. All members take responsibility with their members to access knowledge while sharing new ideas.

In this article, Wenger provides a quick overview of what a Community of Practice is. I like how she discusses the three components of a CoP and gives an example of what is not considered a CoP in each component. She addresses that just because something is a community, doesn't make it a Community of Practice. She also discusses where the concept of a CoP is being applied. It is helpful to see that it is being applied in many different fields including: education, government, organizational design, and businesses.

This website, from the National Center for Dissemination of Disabilities Research, identifies 3 characteristics of strong communities of practice: the domain, the community, and the practice. It briefly identifies what makes COPs unique and identifies specific applications. There are additional links in the sidebar that provide more information about COPs and prompts for further research.

This article gives an overview as to what communities of practice CoP are. It describes the characteristics of CoP: domain, community, and practice. The article stresses that CoP are not just like-minded people, but they are where people can interact with others to learn with and from others. CoP rely on active participation. Sharing and learning are at the heart of CoP.

Provides a good, crisp explanation of CoP. This is more of a recap, but sometimes saying something in another way helps to get the point across better. What I particularly liked about this one is that it emphasizes how these communities interact based on a passion that they'd like to learn more about or to improve skills.

This article discusses communities of practice in a very understandable, clear way. It describes communities of practice as individuals working together in collaboration with a common goal, or passion, in mind. I feel that one of the most vital parts of my job as an educator is to collaborate with other teachers about best practices to use in the classroom. It was fun to read this informative article!

This is a great overview of Communities of Practice. I appreciate that it distinguishes between a community and a community of practice because "not every community is a community of practice." I also appreciate that it gives where the concept can be applied.

The article provides a definition of communities of practice and gives examples of these communities. It also gives the three "crucial" characteristics of communities of practice.

Wenger's excerpt focuses on a crucial aspect of CoPs - the difference between a community and a CoP. Wenger outlines the three characteristics of a CoP and the role each plays in executing a CoP. (1) The domain in a CoP is not just a group of people. It is a network of people with similar interests and commitment to the growth of that interest. (2) A community engages, shares, and collaborates in order to learn from one another. (3) The practice of a CoP involves creation. The members act as "practitioners" that develop and share over time and through continuous interaction.

This article discusses how the community of practice is a shared domain between its members or those who engage in the community. It also says not all communities are all communities of practice. To explain that, it lists the three important parts that help show it is a community of practice. It states those parts are the domain, the community, and the practice. With that, it explains that all three should be developed within the community itself.

The author of this article explains that a community of practice is more than just a community. Communities of practice have to have three elements. The three elements are the domain, the community, and the practice. The domain is a shared interest. The community is people engaging in joint activities and discussions while helping each other and sharing information. The practice is the members of practice are practitioners. Communities of practice are being applied in business, organizational design, government, education, etc. Communities of practice have become a learning system throughout the entire world. They help practitioners take responsibility for managing knowledge, create a direct link between learning and performance, and create connections without formal structures.

Kayden, what a great site and explanation of communities of practice. I particularly like the distinct description of what a community of practice is including what it is not!

This site gives an outline of three factors that make a community one of practice vs. a non-specific group of people. The domain, community, and practice all combine to create a community of practice. The site then goes to explain where the concept of a community of practice is applied furthering the idea of "practice," as well as why they are catching on in workplaces and organizations.

An introduction to and application for communities of practice.

Gives you a better understanding of connectivism, and also has a video clip to watch to help you understand.

I thought I had a simple understanding of connectivism, but as I read this I realize that I had a 'bubble gum /reality tv' version stuck in my head. This breaks things down easily and has begun to help me understand more deeply. Downes covers, what a learning theory is, what learning is, how it occurs. He compares with behaviorism and instructivism. A good lead in to the academic theory.

This is a succinct overview of learning, learning theories, and in particular, a discussion of connectivism in relation to learning. Also delves into the question of the evaluation of learning through a connectivism lens.

This site is a blog by Stephen Downes discussing Connectivism. Downes describes what learning and learning theories in the context of Connectivism. He then talks about how learning occurs in terms of looking at how connections are formed. He compares/contrasts connectivism with other learning theories such as behaviorism and constructivism.

While this is a blog post, it is a post by Stephen Downes, who is a major contributor to the connectivism theory. This post gives reason to how connectivism is a learning theory by not only explaining what a learning theory is and how people learn as well as how connectivism fits. It also goes to explain how connectivism is valuable to learners and why it contains "principles of quality educational design."

This resource helped me understand the definition and different looks at the concept of a learning theory a well as the learning happens according to the learning theory. It was valuable to look at the author's point of view of connectivism as a learning theory. It was even more valuable to read the comments to the blog post.

This blog post by Stephen Downes discusses connectivism as a learning theory. Downes goes through what a learning theory is, what learning is, how learning occurs, and building on a theory. He compares the connectivism learning theory to other learning theories.

This blog is a great resource on how Connectivism is a learning theory and how it's going to change online learning for everyone.

Stephen Downes writes about connectivism, making clarifications that it is a learning theory and not a method of teaching. The article provides definitions and commentary into what is a learning theory and briefly defines the other 3 theories for reference and contrast.

Excellent review of connectivism and how to decide if its a theory.

This quote from the article: "A Personal Learning Network can be seen as one's gateway to continuous learning" is a true statement. Continuous learning is vital in life. This article has some remarkable points that make PLNs so important and an easier way to gain knowledge.

I think this article illustrated a number of valid points. This day and age only thrives with the means of PLN's. When we look in the past back to the 80's and 90's, it is very evident how we've evolved as a society. Back then, it was almost unheard of to have practical means of communication among those across the nation and across the world. We are so fortunate for the advancements of modern technology and networking.

This article built a strong case for belonging to a Personal Learning Network. It is imperative to keep up with today's resources and knowledge base. The small amount of time I used to build my PLN has proven to be so beneficial. I appreciated the final thoughts of the article to help guide me throughout this process. I am excited to strengthen my PLN and grow professionally this semester and beyond.

This article makes a case as to why Personal Learning Networks are an important part of continuing education. She describes this age as one of constant influx and change and therefore encourages people to use their PLN's to tackle new practices with a sense of creativity and innovation.

This is a great article to pass on to educators who want to know why a PLN is necessary and how connectivist theory makes it possible. Connectivism facilitates continuous learning, exchange of thoughts, and validates insights. Establishing networks allow teachers to tailor a professional development plan, and it doesn't need to take place at the faculty meeting or on teacher work days.

This elaborates on how chaos theory relates to all this, something I didn't really understand until I read this particular article. Additionally, it gives you an idea about the skills required in order to build a proper PLN... Here's a telling quote from the article... "In short, the concept of teams working shoulder to shoulder every day, literally and metaphorically standing by each other, talking over problems and challenges at their desks, is slowly being replaced by virtual teams who interact via social tools and platforms, use Webex for meetings, and update each other via enterprise social networks and WhatsApp. This is why the skill of being able to build one's Personal Learning Network is essential. It's time for everyone to take charge of their own professional development. One of the ways to keep on top of our game, and remain on the cutting edge of relevant skills and knowledge, is to be a part of communities of practices and to focus on building and maintaining our Personal Learning Networks with a deliberate intention to learn, share, and collaborate."

I really like this article. It is always good to read about the "why" behind our practices. The article explains that "A Personal Learning Network can be seen as one's gateway to continuous learning." This reminds me of the thinking behind connectivism, that connecting to a network of resources and people will help us become lifelong learners as we continuously connect to new resources and knowledge.