Communities Of Practice Research Articles

Bridging the gap: national virtual education programme for professionals caring for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the time of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the mental health of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). During this period of uncertainty and need for up-to-date information, various virtual training programmes demonstrated the role of tele-mentoring programmes. The aim of this paper is to describe the educational evaluation of the National Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes - Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ECHO-AIDD), a programme for service providers working with adults with IDD during COVID-19. The programme consisted of six sessions, conducted weekly, over two cycles. Each session included didactic teaching by hub team members, COVID-19 news updates, wellness check-ins and a brief mindfulness activity, followed by a 30 to 45 min case-based discussion. The hub structure had an inter-professional approach to team expertise. Those with lived experience were an integral part of the content experts' hub. Pre-, post- and follow-up evaluation data were collected. Care providers from health and social care sectors (n = 230) participated in the programme. High levels of engagement and satisfaction were reported. Self-efficacy ratings improved from pre- to post-, and were maintained at 8-week follow-up; improvement from pre- to post- was significant (P < 0.0001). Exposure to National ECHO-AIDD educational intervention led to improvement in perceived competencies. This study also shows the valuable role of people with lived experience in fostering adaptive expertise in learners. The outreach and scalability support the feasibility of building a national virtual community of practice for IDD service providers. Future studies should focus on studying the impact of these programmes on the health outcomes of people with IDD.

Bringing a Systems Approach to Living Donor Kidney Transplantation

BackgroundLiving donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the best treatment option for patients with kidney failure. Efforts to increase LDKT have focused on micro-level interventions and the need for systems thinking has been highlighted. We aimed to identify and compare health system-level attributes and processes that are facilitators and barriers to LDKT. MethodsWe conducted a qualitative comparative case study analysis of three Canadian provincial healthcare systems with variable LDKT performance (Quebec:low, Ontario:moderate-high, British Columbia:high). Data collection entailed semi-structured interviews (n=91), document review (n=97) and focus groups (n=5 with 40 participants), analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. ResultsOur findings showed a strong relationship between the degree of centralized coordination between governing organizations and the capacity to deliver LDKT: 1) Macro-level coordination between governing organizations in British Columbia and Ontario increased capacities, while Québec was seen as decentralized with little formal coordination; 2) A higher degree of centralized coordination facilitated more effective resource deployment in the form of human resources and initiatives in British Columbia and Ontario, whereas in Québec resource deployment relied on hospital budgets leading to competition for resources and reduced capacity of initiatives; 3) Informal resource sharing through strong communities of practice and local champions facilitated LDKT in Ontario and British Columbia and was limited in Québec. ConclusionOur findings suggest that interventions that account for full-system function, particularly macro-level coordination between governing organizations can improve LDKT delivery. Findings may be used to guide structured organizational change towards increasing LDKT and mitigating the global burden of kidney failure.

A Community of Practice for CURE Development: The MIRIC (Mentoring the Integration of Research into the Classroom) Network

A Community of Practice for CURE Development: The MIRIC (Mentoring the Integration of Research into the Classroom) Network

Building a knowledge infrastructure for Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP). An analytical approach based on the experimental TIP conference 2022

Tackling social and environmental challenges requires communities that can create, integrate, use, and contextualise diverse knowledges. The Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP) seeks to respond to these challenges through collective action enabled by experimental and inclusive approaches. This paper focuses on examining the kind of knowledges, structures and practices required to build a knowledge infrastructure (KI) for TIP, taking the TIP Conference 2022 as a case study. The conference aimed at building a sustainable and inclusive KI for systemic transformation pathways, providing the basis for a TIP KI framework. The framework includes tangible and intangible infrastructures that support broadening and deepening networks, learning, unlearning, and aligning visions. These are the constituent elements to build communities of practice that can integrate knowledge towards transformation pathways. Furthermore, the paper explores how conferences can contribute towards transdisciplinary and action-oriented research as part of their developing strategies.

China’s real estate agents’ persuasion realizations on WeChat Moments

Abstract Persuasion is a well-documented language phenomenon in the fields of rhetoric, communication, and sociopsychology. However, there is still a need for further research into persuasion on social media from a pragmatic perspective. The current research contributes to the existing literature on persuasion, particularly in virtual environments, by examining the tactics of online persuasion with a dataset of 409 excerpts from WeChat Moments. It examines the frequency and percentage of persuasive strategies deployed by fourteen Chinese real estate agents. Additionally, a qualitative analysis of each tactic is conducted, supported by specific examples. The findings indicate that, in increasing order of frequency, persuasion attempts on the participants’ WeChat Moments are primarily realized through rational, ethos, and emotional appeals. The determinants of this strategic inclination are examined with respect to the anonymity afforded by the Internet, media effect, community of practice and Chinese cultural particulars.

Innovate and empower: the malate dehydrogenase course-based undergraduate research experiences and community of practice.

College science programs exhibit high rates of student attrition, especially among Students of Color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those with disabilities. Many of the reasons students choose to leave or feel pushed out of science can be mitigated through participation in faculty-mentored research. However, faculty resources are limited, and not every student has access to faculty mentoring due to systemic or structural barriers. By bringing authentic scientific research into the classroom context, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) expand the number of students who participate in research and provide benefits similar to faculty-mentored research. Instructors also benefit from teaching CUREs. Using a systematic review of 14 manuscripts concerning the Malate Dehydrogenase CUREs Community (MCC) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) CUREs, we demonstrate that CUREs can be implemented flexibly, are authentic research experiences, generate new scientific discoveries, and improve student outcomes. Additionally, CURE communities offer substantial advantages to faculty wishing to implement CUREs.

Health simulation through the lens of self-determination theory — opportunities and pathways for discovery

Health simulation is broadly viewed as an appealing, impactful, and innovative enhancement for the education and assessment of health professions students and practitioners. We have seen exponential and global growth in programmes implementing simulation techniques and technologies. Alongside this enthusiasm and growth, the theoretical underpinnings that might guide the efficacy of the field have not always been considered. Many of the principles that guide simulation design, development and practice have been intuited through practical trial and error. In considering how to retrofit theory to practice, we have at our disposal existing theories that may assist with building our practice, expertise, identity as a community of practice, authority and legitimacy as a field. Self-determination theory (SDT) is an established and evolving theory that examines the quality of motivation and human behaviours. It has been applied to a variety of contexts and provides evidence that may support and enhance the practice of health simulation. In this paper, SDT is outlined, and avenues for examining the fit of theory to practice are suggested. Promising links exist between SDT and health simulation. Opportunities and new pathways of discovery await.

Environmental orientations at work: Scientific and embodied environmental knowledge

Based on two qualitative case studies undertaken in Switzerland, this article compares the positioning of Climate Strike activists and construction workers on questions of climate change, so as to analyse the impact of work practices on environmental orientations. Building on a praxeological approach, the article argues that communities of practice in workplaces and educational institutions influence environmental orientations. Everyday practice in schools and universities fosters the scientific environmental knowledge that is central to the orientations of climate activists. By contrast, the practice of construction workers inculcates an embodied environmental knowledge which accompanies an orientation that takes environmental problems as not primarily a question of conservation, but rather as inherently linked to workplace matters. By way of conclusion, the article argues for an expanded notion of environmental concerns, beyond the acceptance of scientific facts on ecological crisis and towards embracing the embodied environmental knowledge more broadly prevalent among manual workers.

Testing contingency theory to drive organizational change in community care: A case study in the Emilia Romagna Region.

The objective is to test contingency theory among "community homes" in a region in Northern Italy. Community homes constitute an emerging key setting in the Italian primary healthcare system and are emblematic of the most recent organizational solutions in primary care across countries. A case study was carried out through semi-structured interviews administered in community homes to key professionals. Results were validated in two communities of practices. Several elements of organizational and managerial variability were detected across the sample of community homes involved in the study, although they were all responding to the same regulations and normative pressures. The study provides preliminary evidence on the role of contingency theory in the primary healthcare sector, shedding light on its characteristics and providing food for thought on the extent to which organizational variability should be supported, rather than hindered.

From EMI to CLIL: negotiating teacher identity

ABSTRACT In English-medium instruction (EMI), students learn content knowledge through their additional language. Despite the implicit English learning goals, EMI content subject teachers have been urged to provide more language support for their students. Such expectations may not be something that EMI teachers were professionally prepared for. It is then worth examining how EMI teachers (re)construct their identity when facing such new expectations. Based on Wenger’s [Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge University Press] identity construction framework, this qualitative multiple case study reveals how three EMI teachers in Hong Kong and Mainland China secondary schools negotiated their identity when being supported to incorporate language teaching in their content lessons. From data collected in co-planning meetings, lesson observations and interviews, all the teachers were engaged in constructing the identity of language aware content teachers, but some of them appeared to experience identity conflicts. The contrast of the three cases reveals that teachers’ professional training, school context and curriculum requirement are important in shaping teachers’ professional identity. Teachers’ agency also impacts on how teachers negotiate their identity, especially when facing contextual constraints. These findings underscore the importance of preparing teachers both psychologically and practically in EMI teacher education.

Oyster Restoration to Recover Ecosystem Services.

Oyster reef loss represents one of the most dramatic declines of a foundation species worldwide. Oysters provide valuable ecosystem services (ES), including habitat provisioning, water filtration, and shoreline protection. Since the 1990s, a global community of science and practice has organized around oyster restoration with the goal of restoring these valuable services. We highlight ES-based approaches throughout the restoration process, consider applications of emerging technologies, and review knowledge gaps about the life histories and ES provisioning of underrepresented species. Climate change will increasingly affect oyster populations, and we assess how restoration practices can adapt to these changes. Considering ES throughout the restoration process supports adaptive management. For a rapidly growing restoration practice, we highlight the importance of early community engagement, long-term monitoring, and adapting actions to local conditions to achieve desired outcomes.

Design-based approach to technology innovation: Teacher educators’ experiences with tablets as instructional tools in South Africa

The role of higher education in improving educational practices and access through research in technology innovations across the wider spectrum of schooling has especially increased in the information driven 21&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt; century lifestyle. Pre-service teacher training plays a significant role in this transformation. For South Africa, research in technology integration has not provided requisite skills for teacher educators to bring about this envisaged transformation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the affordance of the design-based research (DBR) when combined with community of practice (CoP) framework in mitigating context-based technology integration related challenges and professional development in teacher education through the social learning theory. The qualitative paper explores the experiences teacher educators had of using tablets in a DBR as technology integration tools for contextual pedagogical practices. Teacher educators (n = 10), in one university in South Africa were given tablets to use over a year before they responded to semi-structured interviews about their experiences and were also observed as they engaged in both the CoP and in classroom practice. After a thematic analysis, the main results were that the CoP provided space for teacher educators to improve their confidence and technology integration skills. The combination of DBR and the CoP was found to be complementary in bridging the gap between theory and practice for teacher educators. The CoP provided the much needed safe space for professional growth and confidence building for teacher educators. However, learning engagements were limited by inadequacy of ICT tools for the students. In light of this, the implication of the study is that professional development plans for teacher educators in technology integration skills must be context based and subject specific through DBR programs for practical results and sustainability.

Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s: Operationalising a teaching and learning community of practice

Social theories of learning propose that communities serve as vital building blocks for knowledge sharing and construction (Bandura, 1977; Cobb, 1994). In essence, learning thrives when individuals congregate in a community where they exchange tacit knowledge and expose areas of ignorance (Wenger et al., 2002). Nevertheless, the process of cultivating a community of practice is not necessarily straightforward, as it requires meticulous planning and decision-making. This instrumental case study seeks to explicate the formation and development of a teaching and learning community of practice (T&amp;L CoP) at a research-intensive university in Hong Kong. More specifically, it explores how the structural model of the community of practice – domain, community, and practice – are applied and manifested. Multiple sources of documents, including a project proposal, a project website, a project progress report and archival records, were analysed using deductive thematic analysis. The results reveal that the T&amp;L CoP is constitutive of an overarching domain of teaching and learning, within which ten special interest groups are formed. The T&amp;L CoP also bring together 150 professoriate and professional staff from across eight faculties. The community facilitates knowledge exchange through periodic professional development workshops and materials as well as sharing sessions that highlight exemplary teaching practice. The study concludes by discussing three fundamental questions regarding the operationalisation of a CoP, in terms of expansion, retention, as well as sustainability, and argues that the T&amp;L CoP helps cultivate members’ social capital through improved networks and visibility among the teaching and learning community.

Recovery and Renewal of Co-Design Approaches in Health: Protocol for a Realist Synthesis.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly transformed the landscape of work and collaboration, impacting design research methodologies and techniques. Co-design approaches have been both negatively and positively affected by the pandemic, prompting a need to investigate and understand the extent of these impacts, changes, and adaptations, specifically in the health sector. Despite the challenges that the pandemic imposed on conducting co-design and related projects, it also encouraged a re-evaluation of co-design practices, leading to innovative solutions and techniques. Designers and researchers have explored alternative ways to engage stakeholders and end users, leveraging digital workshops and participatory digital platforms. These adaptations have the potential to enhance inclusivity, allowing for a wider range of individuals to contribute their perspectives and insights through co-design and thus contribute to healthcare change. This study aims to explore the impacts of the pandemic on co-design and related practices, focusing on co-design practices in healthcare that have been gained, adapted, or enhanced, with a specific focus on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The study uses a realist synthesis methodology to identify and analyze the effects of the pandemic on co-design approaches in health, drawing on a range of sources including first-person experiences, gray literature, and academic literature. A community of practice in co-design in health will be engaged to support this process. By examining the experiences and insights of professionals, practitioners, and communities who were actively involved in co-design and have navigated the challenges and opportunities of the pandemic, we can gain a deeper understanding of the strategies, tools, and techniques that have facilitated effective co-design during the pandemic, contributing to building resilience and capacity in co-design in health beyond the pandemic. By involving community partners, community of practice (research), and design practitioners, we expect closer proximity to practice with capacity building occurring through the realist process, thus enabling rapid adoption and refinement of new techniques or insights that emerge. Ultimately, this research will contribute to the advancement of co-design methodologies and inform the future of co-design in health. DERR1-10.2196/58318.

Immersive learning in a block teaching model: A case study of academic reform through principles, policies and practice

Universities across the globe are considering how to effect meaningful change in their higher education (HE) delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting student learning preferences. This paper reports on a descriptive case- study of whole-of-institution curriculum reform at one regional Australian university, where more traditional 13-week semesters have been replaced with a 6-week immersive block model known as the Southern Cross Model. Based on a synthesis of literature in best practice HE pedagogy and principles, the case study draws on both a review of policy and staff interviews (N = 5) to outline the key changes necessary for successful HE transformation. Analysis revealed themes related to the vital roles of leadership, capacity building, monitoring the transition, staff adoption, and adequate technical systems in implementing a radical, multifaceted institutional transformation. Implications for practice at institutions considering reforming their curriculum model are also discussed. The findings from this case study indicate that an institutional transformation to an immersive block model requires both a considered change in institutional policy and process, as well as the appropriate resourcing of roles, governance committees, technical solutions, and, importantly, communities of practice.

Teachers' Pedagogic Competence in Strengthening Character Education of Students in Elementary Schools : Exploring Effective Strategies

This study aims to explore effective strategies for improving teachers' pedagogical competence to strengthen learners' character education at the primary school level. The research method used was a literature study with a qualitative approach. Primary and secondary data were obtained from books, documents, and journals that were of the same relevance as this research. After the data was obtained, the data analysis technique for this research used content analysis. The results of the study found that teachers must master educational technology to improve teaching effectiveness and student engagement. It involved using digital tools for assessment, teaching, and communication with students and parents. Teachers needed to develop 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication. These skills were important to help students become individuals who are ready to face future challenges. Teachers should apply an adaptive pedagogical approach, tailoring teaching methods to students' individual needs, interests and abilities. It includes differentiated learning, formative assessment and the use of adaptive technology. Character education should be integrated in the curriculum by teaching universal and contextual values. A holistic approach, including project- and problem-based learning, is important to develop a strong student character relevant to modern challenges. Continuous professional training and development for teachers is key to ensuring they are up-to-date with best practices and innovations in education. This involves workshops, online courses, mentoring and collaboration within communities of practice. Modern assessment and reflection are important for monitoring student progress and evaluating teaching effectiveness. The use of formative and summative assessments, technology in assessment, and regular reflection by teachers and students can improve the quality of learning. Collaboration with parents, communities, educational institutions, government and non-profit organizations can strengthen character education and support teachers' pedagogical competencies.

Immersive learning in a block teaching model: A case study of academic reform through principles, policies and practice

Universities across the globe are considering how to effect meaningful change in their higher education (HE) delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting student learning preferences. This paper reports on a descriptive case- study of whole-of-institution curriculum reform at one regional Australian university, where more traditional 13-week semesters have been replaced with a 6-week immersive block model known as the Southern Cross Model. Based on a synthesis of literature in best practice HE pedagogy and principles, the case study draws on both a review of policy and staff interviews (N = 5) to outline the key changes necessary for successful HE transformation. Analysis revealed themes related to the vital roles of leadership, capacity building, monitoring the transition, staff adoption, and adequate technical systems in implementing a radical, multifaceted institutional transformation. Implications for practice at institutions considering reforming their curriculum model are also discussed. The findings from this case study indicate that an institutional transformation to an immersive block model requires both a considered change in institutional policy and process, as well as the appropriate resourcing of roles, governance committees, technical solutions, and, importantly, communities of practice.

Belonging in remote higher education classrooms: The dynamic interaction of intensive modes of learning and arts-based pedagogies

In this paper, the authors explore the conditions that support belonging in remote VU Block Model® teaching. They examine the role of arts-based, embodied pedagogy in promoting engagement in learning, connection between students, and between students and teachers, and in an environment in which vulnerability and risk-taking in learning is valued. A discussion of belonging in higher education and the practice of embodied learning is followed by the reflections of seven participants. These participants were students in a remotely taught, arts-based higher education block unit, which had been mindfully adapted to retain the embodied nature of delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. After students’ participation in focus group interviews, the lead author constructed found poetry from their comments and reflections. This found poetry forms the dataset through which the questions of belonging are explored. The researchers found that when explored through the lens of the Community of Inquiry Framework, embodied and arts-based practices provided opportunities for students to develop a sense of belonging, deepen understanding of lived experiences, and realise higher education and career goals. This study elevates the voices of students, providing opportunities for higher education teachers to consider the importance of belonging for student success in remote, intensive, and on-campus modes of delivery.

Empathy Capacity-Building through a Community of Practice Approach: Exploring Perceived Impacts and Implications

Empathy can be a powerful catalyst for caring action toward wildlife and nature more broadly. Given the critical developmental period of early childhood, interventions that build the capacity of educators to support empathy development in young children are needed. We report on an evaluation of an empathy-focused Community of Practice (CoP) that engaged 15 regional early childhood professionals (including four zoo preschool staff) in the co-creation of empathy practices that are deepened through a ‘Two-Worlds’ (Indigenous and Western) approach. Ripple effect mapping was the evaluation approach used, as its participatory nature and emphasis on reflection were well aligned with the CoP approach. The results suggest CoP participation influenced teachers’ capacity for supporting empathy development, which rippled outward from teacher-level impacts to positive impacts on children, families, and beyond. We also offer reflections on the use of a CoP approach to build individual, organizational, and community capacity for supporting empathy, as well as on the conduciveness of ripple effect mapping for evaluating capacity-building professional learning in the context of empathy conservation.

Crossing boundaries: Beginner teachers transitioning from university graduates to full legitimate participants in the teaching profession

This paper stems from a broader study that foregrounded an existing mentoring programme against the backdrop of low teacher retention in the South African schooling system. It works from the premise that beginner teachers are exiting the teaching profession within the first three to five years of teaching. This research suggests that one way of addressing low teacher retention is through a formal mentoring programme that will assist in the transition from university graduates into school practitioners. Data was produced through semi-structured individual and group interviews with a principal, two mentors, and two mentees. Theoretically, we drew on the work of Lave &amp; Wenger (1991) whose constructs of Community of Practice (CoP) and Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP) were used as analytical tools to frame this study conceptually. The data revealed that beginner teachers come into the profession with marked inadequacies stemming from their initial training at universities which meant that they were insufficiently prepared for the realities of schooling. Furthermore, the data reveals multiple and overlapping CoPs in operation, pointing to viewing mentoring as multidimensional and not only in dyadic terms as a relationship between a mentor and mentee as it has traditionally been viewed.