Kablogerate

I am still thinking that we should define COPs with a handout for the first exercise. One reason is so that we are all discussing the same characteristics and we are not attempting a definition from multiple class sources. This, to me, is somewhat like a control for the exercise.

Here is the definition that I would recommend, taken from Mr. Wenger's web site.

Communities of Practice

Definition:
Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and who interact regularly to learn how to do it better.

Characteristics:

1. The domain:
A community of practice has a shared domain of interest and shared competence that distinguishes members from other people.

2. The community:
In pursuing their interest in their domain, members engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information. They build relationships that enable them to learn from each other.

3. The practice:
Members of a community of practice are practitioners, not merely a community of interest. They develop a shared practice including a repertoire of resources. This takes time and sustained interaction.

Source: What are Communities of Practice? by Etienne Wenger. http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm