1- Building Communities of Knowledge:
In order to make knowledge communities active and strong, there is a need to encourage interaction among them. Take the example of the park itself passing through is more attractive to us when it shortens our distance. Benches near the main road but away from the noise invite us to sit, talk and eat together. The purpose of presenting this example here is to show that the formation of communities is slightly different from contemporary organizational designs, because these organizational designs are designed to achieve specific goals. A system, structure and rules are laid down.
Communities of knowledge and practice are groups in which
individuals connect informally to identify and solve problems of a common
nature and thereby contribute to the body of knowledge. According to Wenger,
McDermott and Snyder, these are groups of people in which individuals
communicate their feelings about issues, problems or a topic to others and
through mutual interaction give depth and breadth their knowledge .
2- Dimensions of Communities:
These communities have the following three main dimensions.
* Objectives:-
Communities'
objectives are those that their members perceive as objectives.
* Action:-
Members engage in
related activities or projects.
* Result:-
Published and unpublished sources, events and discussions
etc. come forward from the community members.
The perspective of communities of knowledge and practice
influences educational traditions on three dimensions namely (purpose,
action and result).
They are presented
below in the form of questions.
i-Internally:
That is, how to configure educational experiences to ensure
learning through participation in subject-specific communities?
ii-Externally:
How to connect students' experiences outside of academic
institutions through participation in wider communities of practical practices.
iii-Over the Lifetime of Students:
How to meet the requirements of
Lifelong learning of students through the formation of
communities of practice.
Principles for Building Communities of Knowledge and
Practice:
Wenger , McDermott
and Snyder
said that there are seven principles of community of
practice formation which are as follows:
1- Design for Evolution:
Because communities of knowledge and practice are dynamic in
nature, the design must be reflection of coherence.
2- Open a Dialogue between Inside and Outside Perspectives:
A good community design requires the perspective of community members (insiders) i.e. those who are familiar with the activities, while the perspective of non-members is also useful. It opens up new possibilities about your own mechanisms and there is an opportunity to adopt and understand the methods and sources of others.
3-Invite different Levels of Participation:
Many communities have different levels of participation. For
example, in some communities general members do not participate as much as
special members, but they still gain a lot and gain insight. However, whatever
level members participate in should be valued.
4- Develop both Public and Private Community Spaces:
There is mutual interaction between members of communities
in both public and private affairs. The public and private sectors of the
community are connected to each other, so for the formation of communities, it
is necessary to create space for both public and private activities. Events
should be strengthened by the power of individuals and relationships of
individuals should be strengthened through events.
5- Focus on Value:
Since communities are formed by voluntariness, they have
great value. The members of community and they who wish to be a part of the
community must be given importance.
However, this value is not visible and clear always that is,
it would not be visible. However, it is important that as the community
evolves, so should the value appear to be increasing.
6- Combine Familiarity and Excitement:
In communities of knowledge and practice, familiarity and
interrelationships should be similar to those found reciprocally in
individuals' native places. While enthusiasm is also very important but it
should be in a slightly different way. These communities tend to be more
reserved, however, they also need few connections and passions in their own
daily affairs.
7- Creating a Rhythm for the Community:
Just as individuals need fluidity and harmony in their
lives, so does the community. The central importance in a community is the
chain of mutual connection of members. However their mutual interaction depends
on the rhythm and harmony of the events of the communities. All dynamic communities have their own rhythm
or style, so it's important to consider each when creating a community.
Stages of Community Development:
Wenger, McDermott and Snyder have identified the following
steps for creating communities of practice.
1:-Formation (Potential and Unity)
At this level, initial and founding workers are sought out,
common work fields and relationships are created, tools and resources are
created, and procedures are determined. Preliminary meeting are informal
creative in nature.
2:-Integration(Maturing and Stewardship):
This phase focuses on specific topics and adding new
members. Methods and tools are developed that are unique to the community, and
new ideas are welcomed as the community evolves.
3:-Transformation:
At this stage the community begins to gradually disappear or die out. It also means that the community has grown quite large. This is when a new community is founded. Here the community may merge with another community or become a separate entity as a traditional unit.
The concept of a community of knowledge and practice is a
group of individuals engaged in a collective effort to learn through a common
interest. It is usually a group in which individuals work together to share
information, build knowledge, acquire skills, and solve problems under a shared
sense of purpose. The main purpose of community members as learning partners is
to share new knowledge with each other. Thus, creating a community encourages
knowledge sharing among individuals. It gives individuals the opportunity to
learn new experiences. Communities provide platforms for individuals and
experts to apply knowledge and research. The knowledge and experiences of
community members Evidence-based practice is strengthened by sharing and
publishing information.
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