Communities of Practice:

Definition: The concept behind “Communities of Practice” was first introduced by Lave and Wenger in 1991,

in their studies around ‘situational learning.’ Etienne Wegner later applied the label ‘communities

of practice,’ which he describes as learning communities who form around shared cultural practices

and are… “groups of people who share a concern or a passion or about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge

and expertise in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis” (Wenger, McDermott, & Synder, 2002) Communities of Practice are based on shared cultural practices and reflect collective learning.

They can be both formal (deliberate and organised) and informal (occurring naturally through our

interactions). "Communities of practice are everywhere. We all belong to a number of them—at work, at school,

at home, in our hobbies. Some have a name, some don't. We are core members of some and we belong

to others more peripherally. (Wenger, E., 1998) Application: Purpose: The value of the communities of practice lies in its ability to connect personal development

and the professional identity of practitioners to the strategy of the organisation. (Wenger, 2002) A Community of Practice has the development of common goals as its driving function. Interactions

in a Community of Practice can include conversations, collective problem-solving, and sharing ideas

and examples of best practice. Learning takes place together. It defies geographical borders. There

are three distinct elements: ‘the domain, the practice and the community' (Wenger, et al., 2002). The domain is the common interest, the practice is the way this is addressed and the community is

those who participate. My professional community of practice: The domain in which my community of practice exists is education, and it incorporates many

sub-domains such as e-learning, gifted education, the Virtual Learning Network (VLN), mindlab,

my school community (and groups within that such as the senior team and my Professional Learning

Groups), the Montessori community, the Nga Pu Manawa E Waru initiative, and the Sir Paul

Callaghan alumni, to name a few. Reflection: As an educator who is passionate about teaching, I am involved in many interactions that build

knowledge and skills (practice) on a weekly basis. I sometimes feel ‘stretched’ by the sheer volume

of these interactions, but at least it is a journey we take together, as lifetime learners (with a growth

mindset). In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication

and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a

resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. (Dweck, 2006.) ​ The opportunity to ‘bounce’ ideas and share perspectives, be challenged and improve is invaluable. In

a Community of Practice, we share ideas and resources, we work for common goals and mentor each

other, using our strengths and those of others. Reflection is an inherent part of this process, both

collectively (in a community of practice) and individually. While I believe I am naturally reflective and

often adapt my practice based on my interpretations and experience, it is still important to sometimes

take a more analytical and deliberate approach. I also think that reflection is an ongoing process and

sometimes revisiting a reflection can offer a deeper opportunity than merely responding in a series of

one-off thoughts on each area… such as looking back at a reflection and questioning why I responded

in a certain why and do I still feel that way (perhaps this reflects my constructivist approach to teaching

and learning). I am not suggesting that we always do this – that becomes a prescriptive task that build

resentment and tokenism, but I am suggesting that we can build on experiences more profoundly when

we look at a situation or action and our response to it a few weeks down the track. Finlay (2009),

suggests that,,,

“There are questions about how, when, where and why reflection should take place. For busy

professionals short on time, reflective practice is all too easily applied in bland, mechanical, unthinking

ways” …which I think makes a valid and important point; reflection belongs to the individual and forcing it

will not lead to true reflection and true growth. Perhaps that is where the passionate part comes in – in

you are passionate about something, you are always seeking to improve and therefore reflection is a

useful tool to that end, and therefore something we make time for and see as having value. My contribution: At school I am a contributing member of the senior team, I help develop curriculum planning, I am the

leader of the Science Professional Learning Group (PLG), a member of the Arts PLG, a participant in

the Te Toi Tipu Science cluster, and I am also on the Mindlab journey with several of my colleagues.

Many of the aspects of the learning associated with both Mindlab and my science professional

development have been shared with colleagues in both formal (staff meetings) and informal settings

(conversations/private communications). Online, my profile is not as prolific in terms of collaboration but it is growing and is likely to grow

larger over time as my extra study commitments and Science Professional Development ends and new

opportunities arise. My current online Community of Practice involvement is mainly through Mindlab

and Google Plus, Google Classroom, the VLN (including my participation in the Science Cluster), and

through sharing my professional development here... on my website. ​ References:

Finlay, L. (2009) Reflecting on reflective practice. PBPL. Retrieved from http://www.open.ac.uk/opencetl/sites/www.open.ac.uk.opencetl/files/files/ecms/web-content/ Finlay-(2008)-Reflecting-on-reflective-practice-PBPL-paper-52.pdf

Dweck, C., (2006-2010). MINDSET. Blog post retrieved from http://mindsetonline.com/whatisit/about/

Lave, J., & Wenger, E., (1991). Situated Learning. Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge:

University of Cambridge Press Wenger, E. (2000). Communities of practice and social learning systems. Organization, Volume 7(2),

225-246. SAGE. Retrieved from http://stjamesschoolbermondsey.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2. -Wenger-E-2000-Social-theory-of-learning.pdf

​ Wenger, E., McDermott, R., Synder, W., (2002). Cultivating Communities of Practice. Harvard

Business School Press, Boston.