Communities of Practice and you

1. Communities of Practice and you Mark Stone Dr Neil Witt INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

2. What is the HELP CETL? • The HELP CETL aims to • become the national exemplar of excellence in locally-based Higher Education in Further Education; • build on the excellent track record in developing successful HE in FE partnerships and significantly widening participation while simultaneously maintaining high retention levels; • further strengthen our partnership; • enhance the students' experience; • support a major expansion of provision and spread excellence both across our network and more widely through collaboration with other HE in FE consortia. INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

3. Why focus on communities? • Built on educational research and development • To meet the HELP CETL aims we need to communicate, share ideas, information and findings • We need to capture and share good practice • Communities are not a solution themselves but can be a very effective means to providing solutions INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

4. What can communities achieve? • Identification of expertise and good practice • Transfer of successful practices • Focused collaboration of experts • Faster learning through the management of knowledge • Development of new knowledge • Coordination of cross-community activities and projects • Independence of geographic boundaries INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

5. Defined Communities of Practice [CoP] • The core of a CoP is common interest with common topics. To be successful we need to: • Define the groups topic/purpose exactly and communicate it; • Assure relevance and importance of the topic; • Set the scope narrow enough to interest most members and wide enough to bring in new ideas; • Involve core members to define the scope; • Let the scope change with time; • Evidence suggests a community consists of at least 5-10 people. INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

6. What’s in it for me? • Successful CoPs have members that invest time and energy to realise a range of potential benefits: • To get faster, focused or exclusive information • To learn and be prepared for future tasks • To be more effective or make parts of their job easier • To be involved in “something bigger“ • To join or form a group of peers to achieve something • To enhance a CV and speed up career progression • To make a good reputation as an expert • To meet interesting people and widen a personal network • To make work more fun INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

7. HELP CETL CoP types • CoPs will come together in different ways at different times depending on their focus • Three key types of HELP CETL CoP are those based on : • UPC Subject Forums • generic or specific development activities • Fellowship or CPD activities • meta level collaboration or dissemination [including multi-CETL, multi-institutional work] INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

8. Virtual support for CoPs [CoPv] • The CoPv will be the key communication and information sharing methodology for HELP • In time it will take on a significant dissemination role • The value of the CoPv will depend on extent to which it supports collaborative working relationships of CoP members • Trust is a vital factor for knowledge sharing and trust creation must be facilitated to form partnerships by making all users stakeholders in the community INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

9. Different to UoP Portal Communities? • More facilities • More flexibility • The tools have been designed by CoP experts rather than technologists • It’s what you do with it that’s important • The system specification has been developed from research including user feedback INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

10. Knowledge Management [KM] • The CETL will establish a KM model that is built on the needs of the UPC & HE in FE community • KM supports collaborative working among loosely structured networks or communities • Therefore, it is important that the CoPv is targeted to the focus and context of each CoPs [a person centric view of KM] • Tools designed to support collaboration among already busy staff must be easy to use and effective INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

11. Knowledge Management [KM] • The CETL will support and facilitate “champions” in each CoP to act as KM coordinators for the community’s activities • This human element is vital to turn data and information into knowledge that can be used by a wider audience • The CoPv will be based on interoperable technologies (based on the JISC e-learning Framework - ELF) and designed to interface with the University/UPC Portal [Facilitating the integration of commercial, home-grown, and open source components and applications] INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

12. CoPv and longer term strategy • While the CoPv is built around the needs of the CETL, it will also assist the University/UPC in taking forward targeted aspects of e-learning strategies; specifically enhanced support for collaborative working • While the CoPv will develop and trial systems and tools to support HELP CETL CoPs; it will also evaluate their value in supporting regional and national communities over the first two years of the CETL INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

13. What will the CoPv look and like? • Highly customisable: • Accessible via Portal, VLE & web • Choice of tools - use and availability • Layout - upfront and menu driven • Design - identity, style and colour • Organic growth - through invitation • CoP size and break-out groups However it’s not about the technology it’s about the process INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

14. Who will do the work? • HELP CETL team supported by linked to a network including: • UPC - Jane Rowe is a key contact • University Information and Learning Services team (ILS) • Tomoye • Sharepoint INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

15. What do I need to do? • Dialog and debate in Subject Forums • Offer an expression of interest in establishing a CoP • Participate in: • CETL development activities • CETL CPD/Fellowship activities • UPC / CETL staff development opportunities • Input, debate, share, experiment, feedback and evaluate INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION