Using Technology to Promote Communities of Practice (CoP) in Social Work Education

Abstract

Communities of Practice (CoP) comprise ‘groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting on an ongoing basis’ [E. Wenger, R. McDermott & W. Snyder (2002) Cultivating Communities of Practice: A Guide to Managing Knowledge, Harvard Business Press, Boston, p. 4]. In pursuit of common goals and interests, these groups employ common practices, tools, language, beliefs and values. As people work together, they learn from doing and develop a shared experience. Technology and the Internet can facilitate the development of CoP in social work education. Consistent with social work's emphasis on socialization into the profession, CoP don't just focus on learning about, or accumulating factual knowledge, but also on learning to be, or applying knowledge to practice situations. The Internet allows social work educators and students to engage in mutual learning not constrained by time and place. Online learning provides a venue for connecting a diverse community of learners and practitioners to enhance social work education and practice. The development of virtual CoP in social work education has the potential for transforming the social work education process.