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Inventiveness in Communities of Practice
Inventiveness in Communities of Practice
According to Wenger, "technology and community creates a vortex of inventiveness that propels both forward," (p.172). Communities of practice are acquiring a tremendous collective energy that is moving information and technology forward and eliciting from people to take on different roles to adapt and support goals and missions. While taking on different roles is sometimes overwhelming and scary, it is imperative for the survival of communities overall.
Some polarities of communities researched in chapter 11 follow certain trends that connect inventiveness to technology and community. The most important trends are the following:
Increased connectivity across time and space- Factors like wireless technologies, multimedia experiences and virtual environments are included in this area and are changing the face of community habitats that are connected 24/7.
New modes of engagement- Easy access to information, social networking public storage spaces that are shared with the public drive this arena and make participatory collaboration more accessible to all.
Changing geographies of community and identity- proliferation of sites, links, tools, customized searches can support this trend support more customizable groups as well as easier possibilities of group formations and interactions.
Toward a socially active medium- social relations and interactions as data, socially directed searches and web activities that relate to identity and intermittently leave a digital footprint.
Fluidity of Togetherness and Separation
Fluidity of Togetherness and Separation
We can see this more than ever with COVID and having to try to find connection when we are isolated and quarantined. "Our experience of space is becoming a dynamic mixture of physical and virtual relationships," (Wenger, 2015, p.174). Due to this phenomena, participation is now enabled globally and "spanning geographic, organizational, professional, cultural, and national boundaries," (Wenger, 2015, p.174). While this sort of participation is inclusive, there are issues that come up such as where does meaningful interactions and reduced attention take precedence and priority? Are those important?
Challenges of Inventiveness
Challenges of Inventiveness
Like everything new and still being researched and applied, inventiveness related to technology and communities of practice come with it's own challenges. Some challenges discussed were an overwhelming volume of information absorption that can decline in interactions or practicing of pedagogy; falling into groupthink and disabling self-discovery and thought process; vulnerable systems that can be attacked by cyberattacks and technology disruptors; finally, stretching our relationship limits whereas we confuse meaningful interactions and relationships with few by stretching ourselves thin with a huge amount of collaborators.
Learning Challenges when Integrating Inventiveness with Technology and Communities of Practice
Learning Challenges when Integrating Inventiveness with Technology and Communities of Practice
Serving Existing Communities: Looking as how to better support communities that were created before dramatic technological advances. How to support members navigate the many tools that available and how to be selective based on needs.
Making New Communities Possible: Equally supporting new communities that emerge with technology knowledge. Helping members with development of practices.
Stretching the Very Notion of Community: Navigating technology as a tool and not the foundation of a community. Supporting identity of individuals as well as the whole group.
References
References
Wenger-Trayner Etienne and Beverly. (2015). Introduction to Communities of Practice.
https://wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice/
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