Virtual Collaboration for Impact: Communities of practice (CoP) can be agents of change (Saint-Onge & Wallace, 2003). CoP support communication and work among varying participants and offer sharing of resources, mentoring relationships, and applied experiences. Members are more likely to participate in the community if it provides value to them and creates connection. Collaboration and networking among members of CoP lead to learning and innovation, and the World Wide Web offers huge potential for impact on the communal creation of knowledge and understanding among participants.

Learners in the CoP will implement four strategies to plan for engaging members online in collaborative work towards a shared priority. 

Purpose for Learning: Communities of practice rely on participation and collaboration to share best practices and create new knowledge to advance their domain of professional practice. The majority of interaction in the community of practice will take place online. 

Guiding Question: How can we build community enthusiasm for participation and create a collaborative space where members see value and want to engage?

Play the video presentation Online Collaboration in a K-12 Educator Communities of Practice. 

To extend learning, visit these resources: 

Educator Community of Practice in Alberta, Canada

How to Create an Online Collaborative Space in Google Workspace for Education by Virginia Tech