Our Community of Practice Model
What is a Community of Practice (CoP)? It is a learning community, or collegial network, defined as “a group of people who share interest in an area of inquiry and engage in collective learning about that issue as it relates to their work or practice. Through discussions, joint activities, and relationship building, the community of practice develops a shared and individual repertoire of resources, skills, and knowledge to use in their practice. ” (MN Campus Compact).
The CoP model combines elements of learning, practice, and community. Together, these interact so that shared learning in community informs practice. CoPs balance an emphasis on each of these, giving as much attention to building relationships as to thinking and doing. In this way, CoPs are designed to function differently than most dominant cultural modes of work, where action may be prioritized over relationships or reflection.
These CoPs embraces and embodies the following equity-based principles that: (a) everyone has knowledge to share, (b) everyone has learning to do, and (c) participants bring many identities and ways of knowing and that such diverse expressions should be encouraged and incorporated into CoP activities. CoPs will:
The CoP model combines elements of learning, practice, and community. Together, these interact so that shared learning in community informs practice. CoPs balance an emphasis on each of these, giving as much attention to building relationships as to thinking and doing. In this way, CoPs are designed to function differently than most dominant cultural modes of work, where action may be prioritized over relationships or reflection.
These CoPs embraces and embodies the following equity-based principles that: (a) everyone has knowledge to share, (b) everyone has learning to do, and (c) participants bring many identities and ways of knowing and that such diverse expressions should be encouraged and incorporated into CoP activities. CoPs will:
- Provide participants with the space to share, reflect on, and build knowledge & leadership skills in civic and community engagement.
- Cultivate a valued cohort experience for collegial support as participants reflect on professional practice across New York & Pennsylvania.
- Harvesting resources, research findings, program models, insights, webinars, conference sessions and more to share with those beyond a specific community of practice.
- Building the field’s knowledge about communities of practice as a model for professional development.