A community practice enables people with the same interests and passions to share information and experiences. "CoPs can exist online, such as within discussion boards and newsgroups, or in real life, such as in a lunch room at work, in a field setting, on a factory floor, or elsewhere in the environment" (Wikipidia) I like this statement as it leaves the set up of a community of practice group very open as anyone can set one up and encourage members to join. There are a few groups on facebook where you can voice opinions and discuss certain company's but I haven't come across a discussion group as such which I feel would benefit this industry. "Communities of practice have also become an important focus within organizational development and have considerable value when thinking about working with groups" (The netwoked professional-2010)
"Supposing learning is social and comes largely from of our experience of participating in daily life?" (Wenger 1998: 3). I am a great believer in you learn as you go through life. Listening to stories, experiences and general problem solving. I have set myself a task to write down three things each day that i feel is gained knowledge whether it is pointless information or not. These five learning points will be within my professional network.
Todays gained knowledge
1- That Sonny (a friend who i am working with) can speak fluent Spanish.
2-A dance step (that i have always struggled with)
3- Saw an job on Facebook that is re-casting, and it is a company I have always wanted to work for
2-A dance step (that i have always struggled with)
3- Saw an job on Facebook that is re-casting, and it is a company I have always wanted to work for
This BAPP course is a community of practice as we are communicating via blogging, we are sharing thoughts, exchanging knowledge and inspiring one another. We are all such a mixture of people however I feel I have gained so much from reading and engaging in other people's ideas.
References
Wikipedia-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_of_practice- Accessed 18/12/10
References
Wikipedia-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_of_practice- Accessed 18/12/10
The Networked Professional Reader 2010/11
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/data/files4/133682/The%20Networked%20Professional%20Reader.pdfAccessed 18/12/10
Wenger 1998: 3-http://www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm Accessed 18/12/10
In my current contract I am learning so much through dressing room conversations. We talk about everything from auditions, to agencies to our personal lives and can all relate to each others experiences. It feels good to know that there are others battling the same things you do. One of the dancers is a personal trainer and is going to give some of us a fitness plan etc. There are also a couple of new girls to the industry who are listening closely to us talk about past contracts. This can have a good or bad effect. Hearing something bad might sway them not to audition for that company yet one dancers bad experience could be anothers best contract. There is a lot of power in dressing room talk!
ReplyDeleteHi Stacey
ReplyDeleteI too feel I have gained so much from the community of Knowledge on this BAPP Course. I had no idea the variety of networking skills and ideas there could be to enhance out professional conduct. I wonder if I ever would have discovered half of these new ideas if I weren't part of this community of practice? I guess I can relate that in life as well. If i didn't socialise much I wouldn't get the chance to meet new people. I really find a reassurance knowing there are others performers like you who can share their experiences and pass on knowledge. It definitely is about life long learning! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.