Weaving Together Online and Face-To-Face Learning is a thoughtful look at the benefits of combining both online and face to face interaction in developping CoP's.
The article by John D. Smith and Beverly Trayner analyses actual workshops they were invovled in running as part of the CP Square network. The approach taken was to use online tools leading up to and following up after the face-to-face meeting.
Smith & Trayner really emphasise the importance of process They contrast the way web based and face to face interaction both contribute to the process. Reading the Heuristic table that chronicles participants experience is interesting and it is helpful to appreciate the dynamics of not only moving between the two different expressions of community, but also just what it is like to participate in community in both media.
It goes without saying that these CoP's are by no means accidentally or spontaneously formed. With facilitators spending up to a year discussing how the community would function the level on intentionality is quite high. So while the process seems succesful does it need that level of attention and preparation to be paid to it? Is this one of the difference between bottom up more organic forms of CoP and top down more orchestrated forms?
I am also curious as to how the two aspects would effect each other if the order of engagement was somehow different i.e. meet face to face first then just continue online. Of course CoP's that exist in a more localised setting would benefit greatly from regular face to face engagement with the online expression serving as a continuation and augmentation of the face to face time.
Resource
Smith, J.D. & Trayner, B. Weaving Togehter Online and Face to Face Learning: A Design From a Communities of Practice Perspective,(2005). Retrieved 7/12/07 from http://www.cpsquare.org/News/archives/F2F_ONLINE_CYCLE.pdf
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