As a "lurker" rather than active participant, I still like the term "community of practice'.  For me, the listservs are a window to the world of adult education beyond my local area and a means of keeping aware of best practices and research that otherwise might get lost in the pile of paper I seem to find on my desk everyday. 
                              Joyce Hiebert 

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dianna Baycich 
  To: familyliteracy at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 1:33 PM
  Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 1175] Are we a community of practice?


  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 


    a.. Problem solve 
    b.. Request or receive information 
    c.. Seek others' teaching or learning experiences 
    d.. Introduce, discuss, and develop projects and resources 
    e.. Introduce field experts and dialogue with them about their work 
    f.. Raise awareness of and debate key issues important to the field 
    g.. Plan, preview, and report on sessions held at national conferences 
    h.. 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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