A Community of Practice

A community of Practice using a discussion forum

21/05/2009

Contents
Module 1
Introduction 3
Community of Practice 4
Conclusion 10
Bibliography 12

Introduction

In light of new technology and the massive increase in social networking, it is understandable that educationalists are embracing and utilising these new technologies to develop courses and tap into the learner’s social needs, which could prove to be a lucrative source of motivation. However, motivation is not the only reason educationalists are integrating social networks into the course design, that is, there is also evidence that demonstrates social networks not only allow users to share interests, but the users also learn from one another and in some instances develop a relationship based on common skills or experiences.

The experiences of today’s learners are not always connected to the classroom, many learners are taking it upon themselves to join in communities and share their experiences with other community members. They are in fact learning and developing their own skills to succeed in work and in life and to share their findings since they have a common interest. These type of communities has developed significantly over recent times and can