A Community of Practice is a term that can be tacked on to any group, network, community or club that shares a common interest and that holds common goals. These groups could have a close relationship such a a church group or even a street gang. These groups could have a lose, impersonal relationship or they may be involved in the group and not even realize it. Common interest and commitment to the subject is what brings it all together.
The concept of a Community of Practice is by all means not a modern term. Impressionist painters used to meet and discuss the style of painting they were creating and practicing. Apprentices learned everything about their trade from their master’s until they were experienced and educated enough to be successful on their own. Early tribes gathered regularly to discuss how their tribes would function and work together. Human’s have a history of seeking and gaining knowledge from each other.
In my research, I particularly found it interesting to study the educational aspects of the Community of Practice. People interact and experience things to gain more knowledge and expertise in the area of interest. These people bounce ideas, experiences, and troubleshoot with each other to reach conclusions and to create solutions. I, myself, have experiences communities of practice in numerous situations. In high school I was a member of the drama club and art club. At our meetings we would discuss ways to help build our program, exciting opportunities we could create to stimulate the other members artistically, as well as ways to better ourselves as artists.
A community of practice can be something very small, consisting of a few people eating lunch together, or it could be a mass of people at a convention or workshop. One key thing to keep in mind is that a community of practice is a place to build knowledge, ideas and find inspiration but not to actually create or act on those ideas. It’s about the relationships between the individuals and the information that can share with each other. COP’s are a great resource for tools.
Today, technology has allowed for even more broad Community’s of Practice to devealope. With the use of forums, social bookmarking, blogs and other tools, we can easily interact and find information from an expert on the other side of the world. Social bookmarking allows us to share sources and information with each other. Blogs allow us to talk to others about what the information we find means to us and to get responses back.
http://www.leader-values.com/Content/detail.asp?ContentDetailID=984
http://www.anecdote.com.au/whitepapers.php?wpid=15
http://www.ewenger.com/theory/
Bobby said
After reading your and Joaquin’s blog I realize that I focused too much on a Community of Practice being interrelated to a profession as opposed to common interested. In my research I found, as you, that regardless of the size of the CoP, they are powered from the individual relationships.
jstafford87 said
now im more aware of the term your blog help me get a better understanding of the term and what it may mean. from small groups to large groups if they are sharing a common interest and seeking an answer, that’s like a community of practice, right?