Abstract
Background: Given the importance of knowledge and learning, as well as teaching-learning processes at the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), creating an effective learning environment and structure is necessary. Since communities of practice (CoPs) can be a useful environment for creating and sharing knowledge and providing learning opportunities, the purpose of this study was to design a standard instrument to develop a pattern of CoPs in TUMS. Methods: In order to achieve the research objectives, a 37-item questionnaire was designed following a comprehensive literature review. This questionnaire was given to 14 experts at TUMS to determine face and content validity. The Communities of Practice Questionnaire (COPQ) was given to 30 individuals in the target group to determine reliability. Its internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to evaluate the construct validity and to estimate the stability, retest method and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: After extracting validity indicators, 2 items whose content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR) were lower than the equivalent values in the Lawshe table were removed, and a 35-item questionnaire was finalized; the full scale CVR and CVI were 0.78 and 0.92, respectively. Based on the results of EFA, 6 factors were identified that could explain approximately 60% of the variance. Conclusion: The Communities of Practice Questionnaire can be a valid tool for evaluating CoPs in medical schools for creating and sharing knowledge and creating learning opportunities among faculty members.
Highlights
In recent years, with the advancement of research in the field of knowledge management and the emphasis on the integration of knowledge creation and sharing processes, the working patterns and structures of organizations are of renewed interest, especially educational organizations and universities and, in particular, universities of medical sciences (UMS) that deal with human health
To examine reliability and construct validity, 2 groups of faculty members of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) participated in this study; 30 faculty members were included in a pilot study in order to examine the reliability of the instrument
Because previous studies have shown that CoPs have individual, social, and organizational benefits, it is necessary to establish these communities in educational organizations, including UMS, which are centers of knowledge creation and sharing, learning, and scientific development
Summary
With the advancement of research in the field of knowledge management and the emphasis on the integration of knowledge creation and sharing processes, the working patterns and structures of organizations are of renewed interest, especially educational organizations and universities and, in particular, universities of medical sciences (UMS) that deal with human health. Since communities of practice (CoPs) can be a useful environment for creating and sharing knowledge and providing learning opportunities, the purpose of this study was to design a standard instrument to develop a pattern of CoPs in TUMS. Methods: In order to achieve the research objectives, a 37-item questionnaire was designed following a comprehensive literature review. This questionnaire was given to 14 experts at TUMS to determine face and content validity. Conclusion: The Communities of Practice Questionnaire can be a valid tool for evaluating CoPs in medical schools for creating and sharing knowledge and creating learning opportunities among faculty members
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