Communities of Practice

As they say, it is not what you know, but who you know. In today’s world, networking and interpersonal skills are essential for success. In the early 1990s, when we first used the Internet and emails, we felt that we had the tools that would keep us connected. Now with the development of web 2.0 applications and social networking channels like Face Book, sharing, networking, collaborating and making friends is as easy as sending an email, which is considered now by many Internet users as an old fashion method of communication.

People are different and they belong as members to different social, educational or professional communities. Generally speaking, in each of these communities people are contributing to the good of their community and sharing their knowledge and experience to help others. Having the ability to put these communities on the Internet will definitely help different peoples around the world. It is far easier now for people living in third world countries to learn and educate themselves through online social media means. In fact, in her 2009 writing Sharma stated, “Using online communities of practice, represents the shift from a dominant teacher to an enabling learner.”

The 21^st century world’s requirements and market demands have already changed how we conduct so many things in our lives, such as networking, learning, sharing and searching. Furthermore, economic conditions and global competition raises the bar on how we introduce a new idea or search for a solution or even finding a partner.

West (2009) stated in his article that “The information age entails real economical, technological, sociological, and historical changes. These changes have enabled ubiquitous access to information (through the Internet, public databases, digital media, etc.) and ubiquitous communication, or access to social networks (through emerging social technologies and mobile devices). These two trends combine to create a very different society from previous generations—one that necessitates a different understanding of how people learn and work as communities.”

The new digital generation is adapting easily to new technologies, and specifically to social networking environments, such as FaceBook, MySpace and other Web2.0 interfaces. They are more open to sharing and contributing to these networks. Chatting, texting, and tweeting have become part of their daily routines. It is we, the educators, who need to realize the importance of these social networks and how we should take advantage of such tools to enhance and improve our teaching methods and communicating with our students.

Mohamed Bahrani

References

Sharma, Ramesh. (2009). Constructing identities in online communities of practice – By Leila Kajee. British Journal of Educational Technology, 40(5), 965-966. Retrieved on August 18th, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=102&sid=30e70680-d218-4170-a96a-38e48f33e26c%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=43676790%23db=aph&AN=43676790

West, Richard .(2009). What is shared? A framework for understanding shared innovation within communities.
Educational Technology Research & Development, 57(3), 315-332. Retrieved on August 18th, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=105&sid=02caf991-ce34-43f4-a77d-66a221477b7a%40sessionmgr111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=39767992

Other Resources:

https://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/187_03_060807/mcl10181_fm.pdf