communities of practice

(noun)

Approach to professional development by engaging in shared inquiry and learning with people who have a common goal.

Related Terms

  • technical assistance
  • reflective supervision

Examples of communities of practice in the following topics:

  • Informal Groups

    • A community of practice (CoP) is, according to cognitive anthropologists Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, a group of people who share a craft and/or a profession.
    • A project team differs from a community of practice in several significant ways (McDermott, 1999):
    • A community of practice often develops organically, and it may have as many objectives as it does members.
    • A community of practice can exist as long as the members believe that they have something to contribute to or gain from it.
    • Compare a community of practice to other forms of informal groups
  • Long-Term Development

    • Some examples of approaches to professional development include the case study method, consultation, coaching, communities of practice, lesson study, mentoring, reflective supervision, etc.
    • There are a variety of approaches to professional development, including consultation, coaching, communities of practice, lesson study, mentoring, reflective supervision and technical assistance.
    • Individuals may participate in professional development because of an interest in lifelong learning, a sense of moral obligation, to maintain and improve professional competence, enhance career progression, keep abreast of new technology and practice, or to comply with professional regulatory organizations.
    • Lesson Study - to solve practical dilemmas related to intervention or instruction through participation with other professionals in systematically examining practice.
    • Other methods include communities of practice, reflective supervision, and technical assistance.
  • The Reasoning of Specialization

    • Gathering together into communities for the mutual achievement of common goals succeeds because each person specializes in practice.
    • It also reduces the ability of individuals to survive outside of the system containing all of the specialized components.
    • In order to resolve this difficulty, we gather together into communities for the mutual achievement of our common goals.
    • This succeeds because we can work more efficiently if each of us specializes in the practice of a specific craft: I make all of the shoes; you grow all of the vegetables; she does all of the carpentry; etc.
    • This structure saves us money because of the economies of scale.
  • The Disadvantages of Communism

    • Ho Chi Minh raised a guerrilla army in Vietnam, promising them a Utopian communist future of rule by the people and a communal country.
    • The theory peddled by Ho Chi Minh was far removed from the practice of Communism once he was successfully elected.
    • There are many other examples of how Communism has failed the people of a country.
    • Whether this is down simply to corrupt leaders, or to a deeper flaw in the nature of Communism is a subject debated by many scholars.
    • The economic and political system of Communism effectively dictates what can and cannot be done in the realm of business.
  • Informal Communications

    • Informal communication is established around the societal affiliation of members of an organization and is spread through the 'grapevine'.
    • The American political scientist and communication theorist Harold Lasswell popularized the concept of the communication channel in his 1948 paper, The Communication of Ideas.
    • Informal communication does not follow authority lines as in the case of formal communication.
    • The use of this type of communication is common among managers as well as subdivision employees.
    • Surprisingly, 75% of all organizations' practices, policies, and procedures are shared through grapevine communication.
  • Types of Public Relations

    • Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of information between an individual or an organization and the public.
    • Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of information between an individual or an organization and the public.
    • Common activities include speaking at conferences, winning industry awards, working with the press, and employee communication.
    • Media relations involves working with various media for the purpose of informing the public of an organization's mission, policies, and practices in a positive, consistent, and credible manner.
    • "Media relations" refers to the relationship that a company or organization develops with journalists, while "public relations" is the practice of extending that relationship beyond the media to the general public.
  • Word of Mouth

    • Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication.
    • Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up.
    • An important area of marketing is called word-of-mouth marketing, which relies on the added credibility of person-to-person communication.
    • Because of the personal nature of the communications between individuals, it is believed that product information communicated in this way has an added layer of credibility.
    • The relatively new practice of word-of-mouth marketing attempts to inject positive "buzz" into conversations directly.
  • The Benefits of Communism

    • In practice, however, it has many drawbacks, and historically it seems that only the most corrupt members of Communist governments have gained advancement within systems.
    • Communism supports the emancipation of women and the ending of their exploitation.
    • In communism, the government dictates economic structure; therefore, economic instability is out of the question.
    • Strong social communities are established.
    • Explain how the theoretical benefits of communism may lead to a more equitable society
  • Successful Implementation of CSR and Sustainable Development

    • Tetra Pak Colombia is currently working with the government to coordinate this effort and is still building houses that are periodically awarded to low income people of the community (tetrapak.com).
    • As evidenced in the case of Tetra Pack Colombia, a company with CSR and sustainable development aligned into its strategy can be effective in working with its community to solve a social problem.
    • In this case, Tetra Pack Colombia was able to utilize waste that impacted the environment; worked with the government to coordinate efforts to improve the welfare and the quality of life of its community; worked with companies in the community to develop knowledge and new technologies; and create new jobs and alternative, environmentally friendly new sources of material.
    • CSR opportunities and challenges include promoting good labor practices and diversity, supporting health and education programs in the community.
    • Shahira, her company profits from its relationship with the community.
  • Dynamically Crafting your Message

    • A forecasting statement positioned at the beginning of a communication should focus its organization and scope.
    • Always begin in a way that encourages your readers to be open and receptive to the rest of your communication.
    • Readers' expectations and preferences about the beginning of a communication are shaped by their culture.
    • You must have good understanding of the communication customs of your readers' culture in order to create an effective opening.
    • But that means you could spend years before addressing a practice you regard as unethical.
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