Community of Practice Roles and Facilitation - Girl Scouts L&D Conference Resource Slides

Communities of Practice

Nancy WhiteFull Circle Associateshttp://onlinefacilitation.wikispaces.com/GS+Communities+of+Practice+Workshop

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicmcphee/33556189/in/set-72157594373420115/

A Community of Practice Perspective

“CoPs develop around things that matter to people…. The difference between a CoP and a team is that the shared learning and interest of its members are what keeps it together. It is defined by knowledge rather than task. It exists because participation has value to members.

“In their teams, they take care of projects. In their networks, they form relationships. In their CoPs they develop the knowledge that lets them do these other tasks.”

Etienne Wenger1998

A Community of Practice Perspective: Domain

Engage the system in the learning...

WHAT?

Domain:Shared Interest; Purpose

• What are we about?• What is our identity?• Significance?

– Organization– Individual

Practical Purpose Points

• Is it clear?• Is it sharable?• Is it inviting?• Is it reasonable?• Is it negotiable?

purpose exercise• PURPOSE!What is the purpose of your community/group?

• write-share-revise• Community Checklisthttp://onlinefacilitation.wikispaces.com/Online+Community+Planning+Checklist

A Community of Practice Perspective: Community

Who we are.

CommunityWho is involved?What roles?What relationships? How do people connect & interact ?How is engagement and trust fostered?

Legitimate Peripheral Participation

Picture courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/rollerboogie/

Lave&Wenger, 1991“In the workplace, learners can, when they need, steal their knowledge from the social periphery made up of other, more experienced workers and ongoing, socially shared practice.” (Brown&Duguid, 1992)

Maps & Roles(let's explore)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dsevilla/189528500/in/set-1368427/

Find where we can do the most as leaders.

Leadership?

A Community of Practice Perspective: Practice

We learn from each other.We learn when we “do.”

Participation Practices• Open Space (

http://www.openspaceworld.org)

• World Café (http://www.theworldcafe.org)

• Positive Deviance• Storytelling• …and many,

many more

Is the distinction between a CoP, team or other form relevant to your situation?

• A = Yes• B = No• C = Lets talk

about this more!

Some Comparisons

Who belongs Purpose Cohesiveness Duration

Formal Org.

Hierarchical reporting

To deliver a product or service

Organizational goals

Until next reorganization

Project Team

Management assigned

To accomplish a specific task

Project goals Until project is complete

Community of Practice

Voluntary, invited or self-selected

Build & exchange knowledge

Passion, identity, commitment

As long as interest remains

Informal network

Friends and acquaintances

Collect & pass on information

Mutual needs, friendship

As long as reason to connect exists

Etienne Wenger 2003

Source: Keith McCandlesshttp://socialinvention.net

From David Wilcox

Thanks!

Nancy [email protected]://www.fullcirc.com

http://bit.ly/csp5uZ