Developing Communities of Practice - Coffee Course

 

When a group of people with a shared interest or concern come together to share and learn, this is commonly known as a "community of practice". Developing communities of practice with colleagues and peers within and beyond your discipline and institution is highly beneficial in both face to face and virtual spaces. It reduces the sense of isolation, fosters connectedness and a broader sense of belonging, and can improve your practice as a teacher. This course will take a look at communities of practice, how to create them and explore some challenges and possible solutions.  

Dates

Monday 19 August to Wednesday 21 August 2019. There will be 3 blog posts, one per day, that will take about 15-20 minutes to work through. You are welcome to work through the course at your own pace, any time.

All are welcome

We welcome all staff, including tutors, demonstrators, professional staff, and academics at the Australian National University and beyond to join us for this course.

How to participate

The entire course will be conducted online, at your own pace through this blog. We encourage you to make a cup of coffee or tea and work through the material. Each post includes an activity or discussion question for you to respond to in the comment section of the blog. Be sure to subscribe to the blog (scroll down to the bottom, enter your email address and click on the red Subscribe button). If you use an RSS reader you can subscribe to the blog feed as well. You'll receive an email each time a new post is made, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Modules

Day 1 – What is a community of practice, why take part and how is it beneficial to your teaching and professional development.

Day 2 – How to create a community of practice – where to start, what to consider.

Day 3 – Challenges, misconceptions and possible solutions.

Facilitators

Karlene Dickens is a Learning Technologist with the ANU Online Team. Karlene loves the fluid and dynamic nature of facilitating group discussions and is continuously inspired by the transformation and growth that occurs for both the group as a whole and the individuals within it. Karlene has facilitated numerous groups in diverse settings both face-to-face and online, including corporate, community and university environments.

Mandy Tutalo joined ANU in 2017 and moved to ANU Online in 2018 as Education Support Officer. Having spent a few decades working in education including ten years as a classroom teacher in the ACT, she is passionate about education, teaching and learning.

Technology-Enhanced Learning in Higher Education Certificate

Go here to learn more on getting recognised for your participation in coffee courses.

Questions?

Please feel free to contact EdDesign@anu.edu.au with any questions.