Defining your practice
In an educational setting we expose ourselves to opportunities of reflection by critically addressing the where to next on numerous occasions daily. But how do we define the pathways in which we seek to find the answers to our leading questions, next steps or even our failures?
Relating to those in a similar position as a educator many confide in others via the assistance of social media. Are these virtual worlds connected to being a community of practice or just a group of similar people with similar interests and the resources to relate? Wenger (2000) states that communities of practice are developed through mutual commitment and active participation. However, the majority of these social media sites are conducted and contributed to by a rare few erratically with no established purpose or focus being fostered. The downfall for many social media sites such as, Facebook, are the limited links in which they have in connection to Wenger's theory around Communities of Practice. Many of these sites do not have artefacts, there are no routines to the posts and the tools that may be offered are not specific to their need.
For me a community of practice is one that assists to enable your ability to reflect, understand your successes and failures, challenge your thinking and address your preconceptions around various topics, each to help improve your practice.
From experience the most beneficial communities of practice have been those that offer the face to face interactions. The ability to bounce ideas off one another and discuss classroom content at depth with those that understand the group of children you are working with gives a sense of purpose to the professional discussions that are taking place.
The Senior Syndicate at Salford School serves as a Community of Practice for me. With a smaller sector of educators involved in this Community of Practice critical reflection and open discussions are unavoidable. Whether these discussions are informal chats or formal meetings we continue to build our community and establish our basis of mutual engagement. As we work in the education system it is very likely that the make up of our community changing from year to year. Every year that a change does occur we find ourselves adapting and adjusting to the artefacts that we have already established to help adapt to other possible teaching approaches.
Although I see myself as an early adopter the realisation is that not everyone is inclined to act in this nature. How can I guide others to be more experimental in their practice and yet allow myself to be open to the guidance of others through the assistance of a Community of Practice?
How do you find face to face interactions versus the accessibility of digital media sites?
Relating to those in a similar position as a educator many confide in others via the assistance of social media. Are these virtual worlds connected to being a community of practice or just a group of similar people with similar interests and the resources to relate? Wenger (2000) states that communities of practice are developed through mutual commitment and active participation. However, the majority of these social media sites are conducted and contributed to by a rare few erratically with no established purpose or focus being fostered. The downfall for many social media sites such as, Facebook, are the limited links in which they have in connection to Wenger's theory around Communities of Practice. Many of these sites do not have artefacts, there are no routines to the posts and the tools that may be offered are not specific to their need.
For me a community of practice is one that assists to enable your ability to reflect, understand your successes and failures, challenge your thinking and address your preconceptions around various topics, each to help improve your practice.
From experience the most beneficial communities of practice have been those that offer the face to face interactions. The ability to bounce ideas off one another and discuss classroom content at depth with those that understand the group of children you are working with gives a sense of purpose to the professional discussions that are taking place.
The Senior Syndicate at Salford School serves as a Community of Practice for me. With a smaller sector of educators involved in this Community of Practice critical reflection and open discussions are unavoidable. Whether these discussions are informal chats or formal meetings we continue to build our community and establish our basis of mutual engagement. As we work in the education system it is very likely that the make up of our community changing from year to year. Every year that a change does occur we find ourselves adapting and adjusting to the artefacts that we have already established to help adapt to other possible teaching approaches.
Although I see myself as an early adopter the realisation is that not everyone is inclined to act in this nature. How can I guide others to be more experimental in their practice and yet allow myself to be open to the guidance of others through the assistance of a Community of Practice?
How do you find face to face interactions versus the accessibility of digital media sites?
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