1. Social learning spaces
in
landscapes of practice
The evolution of a theory and implications for practice
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
University of Iceland
October 4, 2012
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
2. A social theory of learning
some key concepts
Where do we
belong?
community
Who are we
becoming?
practice learning identity
What are we
doing?
meaning
What is our
experience?
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
3. Communities of practice
a central type of social learning space
A community of practice is ...
… a self-governed learning partnership among people, who
• share challenges, passion or interest
• interact regularly
• learn from and with each other
improve their ability to do what they care about
define in practice what competence means in their context
In gangs…
they learn to survive on the streets
In organizations…
they provide better service to clients
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
4. Learning as becoming
realignment of competence and experience
socially defined competence
personal experience
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
5. Social learning initiatives
across sectors
Ontario
leading municipalities
provincial
service
organizations
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
6. Language and practice
English for Specific Purposes: in international settings
genres in international settings
Portuguese participation
in international practices
Communities of practice
as learning contexts
International networks of
communities of practice
EU Social fund
social innovation challenge
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
10. Reconfiguring geographies of practice
dimensions of social learning capability
Localities
social learning spaces
institutions projects physical spaces
networks communities
Scaling domains social bonds
strategic resizing
scaling outwards Changing geographies of
scaling upwards
practice
scaling across
Boundaries
in between places where differences are salient
periphery threshold
boundary encounters
boundary objects
brokering
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
11. Vertical and horizontal accountability
key tensions in social learning capability
CoP
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
12. Competence and knowledgeability
Reflect and
self-design
Reflect and
self-design Domain
Learning Push practice
Bring practice in
partnership forward
Community Practice
Create self- Reflect and
representation self-design
Domain
Domain
Learning Push practice
Bring practice in Bring practice in
Learning Push practice
partnership forward partnership forward
Community Practice
Community Practice
Create self-
Reflect and representation
self-design
Domain
Learning Push practice
Bring practice in
partnership forward
Community Practice
Create self-
representation
Create self-
representation
Defined within a community of Defined in relation to a
practice landscape of practice
• Claims to competence • Claims to knowledgeability
negotiated in the politics of negotiated in the politics of
community formation landscapes of practice
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
13. Knowledgeability
negotiating identity in a complex landscape
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
14. Knowledgeability
negotiating identity in a complex landscape
Training
Professional Research
body discipline 1
Regulatory Research
body discipline 2
Workplace Colleagues
Client
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
15. Knowledgeability
negotiating identity in a complex landscape
Training
Professional Research
body discipline 1
Regulatory Research
body discipline 2
Workplace Colleagues
Client
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
16. Knowledgeability
negotiating identity in a complex landscape
Informal
curriculums Wikipedia
Institutes
Training Google
Professional Research
body discipline 1
NGO’s
Twitter
Regulatory Research
body discipline 2
Bloggers Alumni
Workplace Personal
networks
Client
Communities Informal
of practice communities
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
17. Knowledgeability
the modulation of identification
A shift in the burden of identity
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
18. Social learning spaces
localities to negotiate complex identities
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
19. Learning citizenship
a social ethic of learning and identity
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
20. How do you act as a learning citizen?
In your organization, in your personal spheres, in your world?
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
21. Thank you!
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner
Email: be@wenger-trayner.com
Website: http://wenger-trayner.com
Workshops: http://wenger-trayner.com/betreat/
Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner