Communities of Practice Facilitating Social Learning in Higher Education [Paperback]

In this book about communities of practice in the international, higher education sector, the authors articulate the theoretical foundations of communities of practice (CoPs), research into their application in higher education, leadership roles and how CoPs sustain and support professional learning. Research demonstrates that communities of practice build professional and personal links both within and across faculty, student services and administrative and support units. This book describes how community of practice members may be physically co-located and how social media can be used to connect members across geographically diverse locations. It positions higher education communities of practice within the broader community of practice and social learning literature, and articulates the importance of community of practice leadership roles, and the growing focus on the use of social media for community of practice implementation.  The multiple perspectives provide higher education leaders, academic and professional staff with the means to establish, or reflect on existing CoPs, by sharing insights and critical reflections on their implementation strategies, practical guidelines and ideas on how community of practices theoretical underpinnings can be tailored to the higher education context.

Part 1 Theoretical underpinnings informing Communities of Practice.- 1 What is a Community of Practice?.- 2 Social Learning in Higher Education: A Clash of Cultures?.- 3 Faculty Learning Communities & Community of Practice: Dreamers, Schemers, and Seamers.- 4 Using Communities of Practice to internationalise HEd: Practical and strategic considerations.- 5 Delivering institutional priorities in learning and teaching through a social learning model: Embedding a high impact community of practice initiative at the University of Tasmania.- 6 Creating and Facilitating Communities of Practice in Higher Education: Theory to Practice in a Regional AuslS(