Communities of Learning

1. Communities of Learning Jann RustinNoanie SullivanLinzee LiaBraaten

2. Presentation Outline • Community • Online Communities • Learning Communities • Theoretical Foundations • Types of Learning Communities & Examples • CoP Structural Model • Dimensions • Negotiation of Meaning • 5 Stages of Community Development • Common & Recommended Features • Four Challenges of Building CoPs • Conclusion

3. Community Communities can refer to people who share common: • Interests • Personal • Professional • Social • economic • political • Policies • History • Ownership & Participation • Location “In their simplest sense, communities are collections of individuals who are bound together for some reason, and these reasons define the boundaries of the communities.” -Richard A. Schwier

4. Online Community Characteristics Define and articulate thepurpose Build flexible, extensible gatheringplaces Create meaningful and evolving memberprofiles Design for a range ofroles Develop a strongleadershipprogram Encourage appropriateetiquette Promote cyclicevents Integrate theritualsof community life Facilitate member runsubgroups Amy Jo Kim

5. Learning Communities • Three types of learning communities: • Knowledge-based • Task-based • Practice-based Task-based Communities Practice-basedCommunities Knowledge-based Communities Learning Communities

6. practice practice Identitylearning as becoming Communitylearning as belonging practice Practicelearning as doing Learning Social Learning TheoryA Foundation for Learning Communities Situated Cognition:Learning Communities, terrestrial or online, rest on the idea that cognition is situated, context-dependent, and distributed, going beyond the boundaries of a person to include environment, artifacts, social interactions, and culture. practice Meaninglearning as experiencing Fig. 1 Components of a social theory of learning-Etienne Wenger

7. Task-based Learning Communities

8. Passport to KnowledgeA task-based learning community Membership Structure Email address Grade Level Subject(s) taught Main interest in using Passport to the Rainforest Number of students Planning to team teach? Demographics questions We invite you to "hang" your student work on our "virtual bulletin board" so that all the students and teachers in our virtual classroom can view the work being done by your great pupils.

9. Passport to KnowledgeA task-based learning community Task Structure TheLive From The Rainforest Teacher’s Guide contains more than two dozen lesson plans developed by teachers for teachers. Explore/Procedure Vocabulary Materials Engage Explore

10. Passport to KnowledgeA task-based learning community Participation Structure Timeline for multiple media learning adventures is flexible. M e n t o r s    &    P T K A d v o c a t e s PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE offers an ongoing series of LIVE FROM... specials appearing on participating public television stations and NASA-TV.

11. Passport to KnowledgeA task-based learning community Cultural Mechanisms Evaluation of NSF IMD Grant A S S E S S M E N T    I N F O R M A T I O N Changes in Students' Attitudes towards Science and Scientific Careers Teachers were asked to consider the impact on students of a specific PtK module Report

12. Knowledge-based Learning Communities

13. Knowledge LoomA knowledge-based learning community • Membership Structures • Knowledge Products • Participation Structures • Cultural Mechanisms

14. Practice-based Learning Communities

15. Tapped InA practice-based learning community • Membership Structures • Outcomes of Work • Participation Structures • Cultural Mechanisms

16. Education with New TechnologiesA practice-based learning community • Membership Structures • Outcomes of Work • Participation Structures • Cultural Mechanisms

17. PBS TeacherLineA practice-based community • Membership Structures • Outcomes of Work • Participation Structures • Cultural Mechanisms

18. PBS TeacherLineA practice-based community

19. PBS TeacherLineA practice-based community Discussion Board Posting on Textmapping for enhanced reading comprehension

20. Shared Practice • A set of tools, ideas, language, stories, documents • Actions and participation • Development of knowledge: shared and maintained • Shared Practice • A set of tools, ideas, language, stories, documents • Actions and participation • Development of knowledge: shared and maintained CoP Structural Model • Shared Practice • A set of tools, ideas, language, stories, documents • Actions and participation • Development of knowledge: shared and maintained • Domain • of Knowledge • Defines a set of issues • Topics of focus identified • Sets a common ground • Shared Practice • A set of tools, ideas, language, stories, documents • Actions and participation • Development of knowledge: shared and maintained • Community • of People • Fosters interaction/relationships • Members who care about the • domain • Encourages sharing of ideas & • learning

21. Joint Enterprise Mutual Engagement Shared Repertoire Community & PracticeDimensions of the Relationship Etienne Wenger

22. Joint Enterprise Participation Mutual Engagement Shared Repertoire Reification Negotiated Meaning & Shared Histories

23. Joint Enterprise Participation Mutual Engagement Shared Repertoire Reification Crossing Boundaries State & National District High School

24. Level of Energy & Visibility Stewardship Coalescing Maturing Transformation Potential Time Developmental Tensions Discover/ Imagine Incubator/Deliver Immediate Value Focus/Expand Ownership/ Openness Let Go/ Live On Stages of Community Development The jagged line represents the level of energy and visibility that the community typically generates over time. (Wenger, McDermott, Snyder, p.69)

25. Common & Recommended Features For Communities of Practice • Common on-line facilities and capabilities include: • Home page • Conversation space • Facility for floating questions • Directory of membership • Shared workspace • Document repository • Search engine • Management tools • Spawning capability • Capabilities should ideally be: • Easy to learn • Easily integrated • Not too expensive

26. Management Community Technical Personal Four Challenges of Building CoPs • Focus on important topics. • Find a well-respected community member to coordinate. • Encourage participation. • Build on the core values. • Get key thought leaders involved. • Build relationships within. • Develop an active passionate core group. • Create forums for thinking and for sharing information • Easy access to community resources. • Create real dialogue about cutting edge issues

27. ConclusionRelationship to WWSF Project Project Vision Our vision is to enhance the experience of teachers and students through the integration of technology. Project Mission/Goals To achieve our vision, we will conduct research to determine the best practices of technology in high school, with special attention to communities of practice and after-school programs.