The document discusses communities of practice and how they support learning. It defines learning as becoming familiar with the tools, norms, and practices of a community through legitimate peripheral participation. This involves newcomers participating in low-risk authentic activities to fully join the community over time. A community of practice has a shared domain of interest, engages members in joint activities, and develops a shared repertoire of resources and practices. Well-designed communities of practice cultivate evolution, invite various participation levels, and balance familiarity with new perspectives to maximize member value and direction.

1. Communities of Practice
Oliver Dreon, PhD
Educational Foundations
Millersville Univeristy

2. How do you define
learning?

3. Learning “in situ”
Learning is situated in authentic social practice
Learning is more than the acquisition of
decontextualized knowledge or skills, but the
mastery of knowledge and skill so that newcomers
can move toward full participation in the socio-
cultural practices of a community.
Learning implies becoming a different person with
respect to the possibilities enabled by the systems
with the community

4. Legitimate Peripheral
Participation
Describes how novices are enculturated into the
practice of the community
Newcomers participate in authentic, low risk
activities that help them become acquainted with
the tools, vocabulary, social norms and
organizing principles of the communities.
LPP leads to fuller participation within the
community

5. Elements of a
community of practice
The domain
A community of practice is more than a club or a
group. It has a shared domain of interest and
identity.
The community
A community of practice engage in joint activities
and discussions. Participants build relationships,
help one another and share information.
The practice
Members of a community of practice are
practitioners. They develop a shared repertoire of
resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of
addressing recurring problems—in short a shared
practice

6. Dualities of
a community of practice:
Participation and reification
The designed and the emergent
The local and the global
Identification and negotiability
(Wenger, 1998)

7. Cultivating a
Community of Practice
Design for evolution.
Open a dialogue between inside and outside
perspectives.
Invite different levels of participation.
Develop both public and private community spaces.
Focus on value.
Combine familiarity and excitement.
Create a rhythm for the community.
(Wenger, McDermott, and Snyder,
2002)

8. “The goal of community
design is to bring out the
community's own internal
direction, character, and
energy.”
From Cultivating a
Community of Practice
(Wenger, McDermott, and
Snyder, 2002)

9. Activity theory
Meditating tools
Subject Object
Rules Community Division of labor