Education for a Digital World Advice, Guidelines and Effective Practice from Around Globe, 2008a

30 – Supporting E-learning through Communities of Practice
library, and course delivery services. BCcampus also
supports educators across the public post-secondary
sector. Through BCcampus educators receive development
funds for creating online learning resources, access
to a shareable online learning resources (SOL*R) repository,
training, and dissemination of best practices
and support for communities of interest.
Discussions in the BCcampus online communities
have explored a diverse set of issues, including how to
teach science labs online, how to invigilate online exams,
the use of e-portfolios for adult basic education, copyright,
and assistive technologies for the visually impaired,
to name but a few. The community has found
that live events featuring or profiling expertise of interest
to members often cause a ripple of excitement and
interest that can be built using pre-event activities and
sustained using post-event activities.
BCcampus organizers have found that ongoing programming
and planning are needed to sustain their online
groups. Both formally organized and impromptu
events take place in the online communities; activities
have featured live coverage of educational conferences,
advice on the pros and cons of various tools and technologies,
aggregated blog feeds, job postings, calendaring
of professional development events, technical help
and how-to’s, virtual conferences, podcasts, webcasts,
use of virtual offices, and a myriad of others.
Combining text, images, audio, animations, and
other rich media into these activities makes the use of
the online community interesting and engaging.
BCcampus members use star ratings, comments, and
linking of content to other similar content as an essential
means of highlighting items of particular interest or
providing editorial comment.
This online community has not only served as a vehicle
of knowledge mobilization, it has also served to
identify and network practitioners with expertise, enhancing
the reputation of members across the entire
public post-secondary system.
Factors related to CoP success
What makes [communities of practice] successful
is their ability to generate enough excitement, relevance
and value to attract and engage members . . .
nothing can substitute for this sense of aliveness.
(Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002, p. 50)
Lave & Wenger (1991) suggest that five factors determine
the success of a CoP:
(1) the existence and sharing by the community of a
common goal;
(2) the existence and use of knowledge to achieve that goal;
(3) the nature and importance of relationships formed
among community members;
(4) the relationships between the community and those
outside it; and
(5) the relationship between the work of the community
and the value of the activity.
Wenger (1998) later added the idea that achieving the
shared goals of the community requires a shared repertoire
of common resources, e.g., language, stories, and
practices.
There are a number of key factors that influence the
development, functioning and maintenance of CoPs
(Lathlean & LeMay, 2001). The legitimacy of initial CoP
membership is important. Commitment to the desired
CoP goals, relevance to members, and enthusiasm about
the CoP’s potential to influence practice are also key. On
the practical side, a strong infrastructure and resources
are essential attributes. These include good information
technology, useful library resources, databases, and human
support. Of course, skill in accessing and appraising
knowledge sources is important, as is skill in
bridging this knowledge to practice. In order to provide
these key factors, one or more strong, committed, and
flexible leaders are needed, to help guide the natural
evolution of the CoP. If professional learning is to
flourish, it is critical that community members can learn
from positive and negative experiences in a blame-free
culture (Triggs & John, 2004).
Millen, Fontaine & Muller (2002) have outlined key
questions to address in establishing a CoP, including:
• How will the community be formed and evolve?
• How and when will members join?
• What do members do and how will they interact?
• How will the CoP be supported by the members’ organization(s)?
• What value will members and their organizations
receive?
Wenger et al. (2002) suggest principles for cultivating
CoPs:
• CoPs are dynamic entities and need to be designed
for adaptability and scalability.
• They should combine the perspectives of both insider
members and outsider participants, and all members
should be valued regardless of their level of participation.
478 Education for a Digital World