This document discusses an evaluation of an online community created for social care students at the Open Training College. The community aimed to function as a community of practice but was found to be more of a discourse community. While it had some benefits for student learning and sharing of ideas, student participation was mostly limited to what was required for assignments rather than organic engagement. In the future, the community may develop more characteristics of a true community of practice if participation was broader among social care workers in Ireland and allowed for deeper professional learning and development of practice.

1. Moodle as a Community of Learning or Practice or neither?? Raymond Watson Open Training College Dublin

2. 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 2 Build it and they will come!!!

3. The Research Question An illuminative evaluation of an online community of practice as an element of curriculum design for work based social care students. Does the innovation operate effectively as a community of practice? Does the innovation contribute to students learning? What benefits were there for the student? 09/03/2011 3 The Open Training College

4. 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 4 Facilitation Participation Assessment Community

5. The Open Training College A College that developed as a sub division of a human service in Dublin- St. Michaels House. Delivers ordinary and honours degrees to frontline staff and managers in human services and the non profit sector Courses in Social Care / Management / Supported Employment All accredited by HETAC (Level 7/8) 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 5

6. Mission To provide educational opportunities to frontline workers and managers in social care (specifically the disability sector) that: Is accessible Is flexible Is accredited Focuses on best practice 09/03/2011 6 The Open Training College

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8. 09/03/2011 Online Learning Strengths and Weaknesses Mayes , T. (2002) The Open Training College 8

9. Online Community Developed a virtual learning environment Used MOODLE as the platform Developed a site for students that included discussion boards Discussions started by tutors, but then students encouraged to open their own Students assessed on participation, based on time, networking and relevance of contribution 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 9

10. Community of Practice Definition: ‘a group of people who do not necessarily work together everyday but find value in their interactions....they typically share information, insight and advice’. Wenger (2002) 09/03/2011 10 The Open Training College

11. 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 11 Allen (2008)

12. Learning or Practice? Are the student ‘legitimate participants’ in a community of practice or are they still learners?? 09/03/2011 12 The Open Training College

13. What we needed to find out? Was the student participating? Salmon’s (2004) five levels of e participation If participating, were the key components of CoP present? Saint-Onge and Wallace’s (2003) 5 characteristics of CoPs. 09/03/2011 13 The Open Training College

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15. Saint-Onge and Wallace’s 5 Characteristics of a CoP (2003) Commitment Conversations Connectivity Collaboration Capabilities 09/03/2011 15 The Open Training College

16. Instruments Student questionnaires – identify key information on the students taking part and to explore their experience of being a member of the online community Interviews with the tutors involved Tracking of the student’s online activity 09/03/2011 16 The Open Training College

17. Tracking By labelling the students based on their experience of accessing, networking and sharing and then identifying how the experience was for each group 09/03/2011 17 The Open Training College

18. Saint-Onge and Wallace’s 5 Characteristics Evidence of each characteristic being present. But what was the motivation behind this participation? The questionnaires had shown that while professional development was a motivator, the main motivation was the generation of new ideas for assessment purposes. 09/03/2011 18 The Open Training College

19. Key Benefits Share others experience Identify new ideas Exchange ideas Reduce isolation Solutions for Assignments 09/03/2011 19 The Open Training College

20. The Assessment Assessment looked at how their organisation planned for individual service users? Assessed on a rubric Rubric looked at amount (750 words), over 3 postings, to 3 different people, content (practice ideas and linkage to key theory) 10% 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 20

21. Some of The Student Driven Topics Person Centred Planning Dealing with Families Dealing with Managers Planning for Children Planning for People within the Autistic Spectrum Language Topical Issues What do you do when....? Finance 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 21

22. Examples of Collaboration Working with Families – Do organisations give training to parents? What would the curriculum be? Language – moved from medical model language like the use of terms like sever and profound to identifying that for PCPs to work that the language must be more collegial like partner. 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 22

23. Examples of Capabilities Exploring Person Centred Planning against other planning systems in organisations and their role in them Supporting someone who was not a self advocate in the process 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 23

24. Authentic Assessment? Thorny issue? Shifts instruction from a teaching environment to a learning environment with a focus on practice centred learning Meaningful dialogue it supports ‘deep learning’ Meaningful interaction with both tutor and peer Dialogue with a wide community of learners Provision of formative feedback Immediate response to real time issues 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 24

25. Discourse Community The community was not a community of practice. The tool had two characteristics that diluted its power as a community of practice. Online Pedagogical rationale 09/03/2011 25 The Open Training College

26. Students were not self selecting and the community was too structured. Participation was limited to the level required to reach assessment criteria. Did not have that key characteristic of a COP as a defined by Wenger- it was not a fuzzy, organic structure based on passion for practice. 09/03/2011 26 The Open Training College

27. 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 27 Sharp (1997) stated that generally online communities produced a weaker form of community of practice, called DISCOURSE COMMUNITIES.

28. What had we learned? The devise did have benefits as a pedagogical tool. The devise does support meaningful conversation on practice. Support for students needed to ensure everyone accessed the community , networked and shared. Engagement with the innovation was not dependent on gender, previous computer skills or age. Engagement was based on the students motivation to learn. 09/03/2011 28 The Open Training College

29. The Future Where the innovation may blossom into a Community of Practice is in the wider field of social care in Ireland. Deepen ongoing professional learning Develop practice through participation Create a valid platform for CPD Collective experience of many social care workers would produce a valid reference point and align people to be effective beyond their own practice. 09/03/2011 29 The Open Training College

30. 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 30 Facilitation Participation Assessment Community

31. References Mayes, T. (2002) The Technology of Learning in a Social World. London, OUP. Salmon, G. (2004) e-moderating-The Key to Teaching and Learning Online, UK, Routledge-Falmer Saint-Onge, H. & Wallace, D. (2003) Leveraging Communities of Practice for Strategic Advantage, Boston, Butterworth-Heinemann Schwen, T. & Hara, N. (2003) Community of Practice: A Metaphor for Online Design in The Information Society Vol. 19 Wenger, E. (1998) Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity, New York, Cambridge University Press Wenger, E; McDermott, R. 7Snyder, W. (2002) Cultivating Communities of Practice, Boston, HBS Press 09/03/2011 The Open Training College 31