Community of Practice

The term Community of Practice ( CoP abbreviation ) refers to a practice-oriented community of individuals who are informally linked and face similar tasks. He does not have the same Bedeutungshof and the same historical development of concepts like the word, Working Group '. In the model of communities of practice is an attempt to show where the " anatomy " of the teeth of individual learning processes of the development of the embedding social community.

Meant as a theoretical model that helps to explain how individuals learn in social communities and how they change it, a CoP is to their effect not set to a positive or negative impact of their acting out. United in interest in solutions or even against each other, they act largely self-organized with each other, exchange ideas and support each other or are blocking.

One possible objective of a CoP is the learning development of individuals and also the learning processes of the entire CoP. A knowledge and experience on hand, allowing a more efficient task processing can potentially arise. Likewise, however, the work in the CoP can have any of the CoP Diseases (English for 'illnesses' ). Intensive communication and the common interest can promote the creation of identity- relational network of a social identity. It is also possible that the network of relationships make it impossible for such a.

• 4.1 Notes and references

History of the term

The slogan community of practice was coined by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger in 1991. They put learning in the context of social relations. They showed that for the acquisition of knowledge - in addition to structures or models - in particular participate in a community is crucial, in which knowledge is constructed.

Wenger borders the community of practice from other forms of social cooperation from ( such as networking ).

1998 Etienne Wenger extended the approach to organizational development and so certain a new development focus. This book is not primarily seen as a practical reference tool for organizational development. Instead, Wenger has the theoretical foundation of the concept operated and set out general understanding basics of the concept. But even outside of organizations, there are communities of practice, especially as internet-based working groups. The Community of Practice is now seen in close connection to online communities and knowledge management, here is an important opportunity for the formation of social capital dar. The concept of knowledge management is thereby seen by the authors critically. You (see Annotated Bibliography ) have this compared with the basic concept of ' culturing ' of communities and especially the importance of ' brokering ' and ' community management function ' worked out. According to Lave and Wenger - and other authors - is not possible, the management of knowledge. Knowledge can be as well as the formation of communities of practice is not (only) be implemented by a top-down arrangement or systematic ' means processes '. Terms of the ' Gardening ' and ' nurturing ' are preferred by the authors.

Characteristics

Wenger has a list of criteria that are identical with which such is ' identified ' Define his concept of communities of practice and: The members will attend a joint venture part ( ' Enterprise '), they work together to build a pool of tools ( ' shared repertoire of tools '), they ' negotiate ' standards, eg through the use of language, about procedures, about the external representation of the members, on learning as the formation of identity (in contrast and in addition to factual knowledge or the term can ) and take them on a common practice in some. In this practice tasks for the further development of the group are perceived but also of each individual who has this community connected for a specific reason out ( eg, the exchange of the tricks repair of copiers that are not to be found in manuals, exchange of networks of relationships, etc.).

Structure

A community of practice generally has a structure that will not get in the people via establishing a specific role, but due to their activity and the acceptance or rejection by other members acquire a role. With, definition ' is meant in this case: A handicap by management, organization charts, or other ' formal requirements '. The concept of the role, particularly in German-speaking countries with a long tradition, is not used by the authors who have made ​​public the concept of situated learning. They speak of 'identity', which forms, and distribution of tasks that are negotiated with each other. To develop on the basis of the communication processes active and less-active members, moderators and experts. These moderators can not imagine as rigidly assigned positions within the mesh of communities of practice you look. It is also situationally negotiated roles and tasks within the community. To sub-groups can also form or external individuals are included as guests.

Phases

How, then, communities of practice to develop? Five phases characterize the development of a community of practice.

These phases may, but need not be passed through. The phase sequence was generalized by Wenger, McDermott and Snyder from different cases to fundamentally define as a ' scaffold ' for the particular need for support for the flourishing of the community.

Maintenance of communities of practice

In contrast to the Knowledge Management Wenger, McDermott and Snyder have worked out the concept of maintenance of communities of practice. It is intended to counteract the phase typical problems of a community of practice.