COMMUNITIES FOR THE LESS CONVINCED A Model for SME Learning Based on Communities of Practice

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COMMUNITIES FOR THE LESS CONVINCED A Model for
SME Learning Based on Communities of Practice

• ALT-C, Edinburgh, September 2006
• Nick Kearney, Florida Universitaria, Valencia,
  Spain
• Friedrich Scheuermann, Institute for Future
  Studies, Innsbruck, Austria

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Introduction

• I never teach my pupils I only attempt to
  provide the conditions in which they can learn.
• Albert Einstein

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ICT SME Project

• Exploring lack of uptake of e-learning in
  European SMEs
• Problem not e-learning so much as learning
• Formal learning unsuitable, (university of
  experience)
• Learning in SMEs tends to be informal and
  situated
• Similiarities with community of practice
• Communities of practice identified

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WLT Project

• Potential of communities model for facilitating
  learning
• Develop and pilot for SMEs in Tourist sector
• EU financed (Leonardo)
• Series of difficulties identified

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WLT - Issues

• 1. Overuse of term communities, differing
  understandings
• 2. Informal, emergent vs planned, design issue
• 3. Business context, structured vs chaotic
• 4. SME attitudes, life as competition
• 5. SME paradox, community behaviour
• 6. Co-location, high context cultures

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The challenge

• Can you create a community of practice?
• A pragmatic model for learning informed by the
  literature on CoPs, rather than strict adherence.
• Self-definition and emergence over time, in
  practice
• Flexibility and open design, rather than
  creation cultivation
• Not dressing a course in community clothes, but
  supporting and facilitating existing informal
  learning processes

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Stage 1 - Creating conditions for emergence

• Identification of potential participants and
  potential
• Mutual implication (identity)
• Shared repertoire (background)
• Joint enterprise (objectives)
• Motivation to participate, the value of
  belonging.

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Stage 1 Creating the conditions for emergence

• Configuration of the framework
• Provision of highly simple and accessible tools
• Definition of initial spaces and norms
• Temporal framework, managing time commitments
• Configuration of presence
• Emergent, not pre-defined
• Managing rhythms of interactions and
  expectations
• Managing the real and the virtual

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Stage 1 The process

• 1. Definition of initial parameters
• 2. Research and interaction - survey
• Exploration of needs
• Identification of potentials
• 3. Participatory design interviews
• 4. Launch

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Design as a series of questions - examples

• Basic elements
• What are the common interests of this potential
  community of practice?
• How do members of this potential community view
  themselves? Is there a shared identity among the
  potential participants?
• Framework
• What kind of time commitment to the community is
  likely to be possible for participants?
• Is there a history of similar face to face
  community activity among the participants?
• Presence
• Are there cultural attitudes that may affect
  participation in the community?
• How do potential participants view their peers in
  the sector?

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Stage 2 Current Status

• 3 types of community emerging in design process
• Existing but dormant group. Travel agents
• Existing potential group. Rural tourism
  accomodation
• Potential group, still to be created. Small
  hotels

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Thankyou

• nkearney_at_florida-uni.es