Dear Colleagues,

I'm trying to gather information for a project I'm working on so I'd like
your feedback on how to more clearly articulate how you (and other
subscribers) use the Family Literacy List (and possibly other NIFL lists).
For example, the Institute's lists
(http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html) historically have
been used to 

*	Problem solve 

*	Request or receive information 

*	Seek others' teaching or learning experiences 

*	Introduce, discuss, and develop projects and resources 

*	Introduce field experts and dialogue with them about their work 

*	Raise awareness of and debate key issues important to the field 

*	Plan, preview, and report on sessions held at national conferences 

*	Identify who has knowledge and learn about our field's knowledge
gaps 

Some would call groups engaged in this kind of activity "communities of
practice" (CoPs) http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm .

Communities of practice are:

Groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and
they learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. 

CoPs share a common interest and commitment to that interest that
distinguishes them from others, they engage in joint learning activities
(whether intentional or not), build relationships that enable them to learn
from one another, and they strive to improve what they do.

1.	What are your reactions to using this language "communities of
practice" to describe who we are and what we do, or for some, what we strive
for on the list? 

2.	Is this how you see yourself on this discussion list? Or, could you
see yourself becoming more involved in this way? 

3.	What comments or concerns, if any, do you have about the concept and
the term "communities of practice" as it might be used to describe our
online interactions? 

For a quick overview on CoPs: http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm

I look forward to hearing from you! Please post your reply to the list no
later than Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Thanks so much! 

Dianna
 
Dianna Baycich
Ohio Literacy Resource Center
Research 1 - 1100 Summit Street,
P.O. Box 5190
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44242-0001
330.672.7841  330.672.4841 (fax)
 
"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray/Go throw your TV set away/And in its
place you can install/A lovely bookshelf on the wall."
- Roald Dahl

 

  

 
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