Post on 28-Dec-2015
Communities of Practice (CoP)
SPDG Day Presentation July 18, 2011
Cynthia GlimpseTechnical Assistance Coordination
Center
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People, Passion, & Products
Professional Learning Community (PLC) vs.
Community of Practice (CoP)
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A Professional Learning Community (PLC) is aplace where you can share and exchange information on particular topics or areas of interest. In most instances, PLCs are formed around groups with similar work functions (educators, engineers, nurses, etc.).
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Professional Learning Community (PLC)
A Community of Practice (CoP) extends the sharing and exchanging of information. It is a way of working together around an area of interest or topic.
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What is a Community of Practice?
It is a strategy for:sharing, operating and engaging with a group of diverse stakeholders on a regular basis to enhance the group’s collective knowledge about their topic or area of interest.
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Community of Practice (cont’d)
In most cases, but not all, CoPs are formed around stakeholders with a shared interest and varying work functions (i.e., educators, administrators, technical assistance providers, parents, etc.).
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Community of Practice (cont’d)
Stakeholder groups do not just cut and paste “best practices” from the past to the current situation, members:
think creatively about the current situation,
reflect on their experience, generate insights, use those insights in the present to solve
problems. draw on their experience and perspective to
come up with a solution to that problem.
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Value of Community of Practice Strategy
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The Value of CoPshttp://www.ewenger.com/theory/start-up_guide_PDF.pdf
CoPs frequently link people with common interests who do not have regular day-to-day contact, the linking is through
conference calls, e-mails, websites, etc.
However, face-to-face meetings help to build trust and a greater sense of connection between community
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CoPs and Relationship among Stakeholders
Organizational support Time to do the work A group of people interested in doing the work
Resources to stay connected: In person or via technology (phone, internet)
Disseminate work - to your group & beyond.
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Starting a CoP
Examples within the Technical Assistance & Dissemination (TA&D)
Network
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Communities of Practicehttp://tadnet.ning.com/group/communitiesofpractice
Management Challenge Focus on topics important to community
members. Find a well-respected community member to
coordinate the community. Make sure people have time & encouragement
to participate. Build on the core (existing) values of the
organization.
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Critical Success Factors in Building Community
Community Challenge Get key thought leaders involved. Build personal relationships among community
members. Develop an active, passionate core group. Create forums for thinking together as well as
systems for sharing information.
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Critical Success Factors in Building Community (cont’d)
Technical Challenge Make it easy to contribute and access the
communities knowledge and practices – meet people where they are most comfortable.
Personal Challenge Create real dialogue about cutting edge
issues – what issue do we need to resolve now.
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Critical Success Factors in Building Community (cont’d)
Knowing is a human act, the heart of sharing is finding common interests, making real connections, caring for each others’ thinking, and building a community that trusts each other enough to ask for help and share ideas.
Richard McDermott
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Conclusion
Center for Disease Control• Visit http://www.cdc.gov/phin/communities to learn more about
the community approach and access the Communities Resource Kit.
IDEA Partnership • Visit http://www.ideapartnership.org/ and learn more about the
various communities of practice convened and facilitated by the IDEA Partnership
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Educational Organization (UNESCO) • Visit http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/communities.html to learn
more about the International Bureau of Education (IBE) that has a community of practice (CoP) in Curriculum Development.
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Additional Resources
Cynthia Glimpse, TACC, cglimpse@aed.org
Terry Jackson, OSEP, terry.jackson@ed.gov
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Contact Information