Conference :: Castle, C., Deedrick, R., Koke, J., Monaco, G., Swartzlander, E., & Wood, E. (2007). Diversities Among Us: Integrating Visitor Studies Through Communities of Practice. 20th Annual Visitor Studies Association Conference. Columbus, OH: Visitor Studies Association.

last updated: 2008-05-09 14:51:30

Abstract

Many museum professionals seek to improve their practice by integrating visitor studies into their daily work. Currently, limited opportunities to acquire this specialized knowledge exist so practitioners often learn by consulting with and seeking support from others, thereby creating a “community of practice.” Wenger (2006) defines communities of practice as “groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly." The community of practice (CoP) model operates as an informal group of professionals united by common work activities across multiple organizations (Wenger, 1998). Wenger suggests that though many in the group share interests or are geographically close the community of practice functions within a shared understanding of work responsibilities as a collective, social entity. In part, the social capital that is built among members is as critical as the information generated, the resources shared, or the problems solved. The CoP is essentially based on individual participation for the betterment of the professional practice rather than that of any one organization represented. The work of a CoP incorporates the development of knowledge, definition of competencies, exchange of resources and information, and a sense of identity for its members.

Communities of practice seem a natural outgrowth of visitor studies practitioners. In the museum field, a CoP helps build shared leadership and ownership of visitor studies. It can be an avenue for professionals to deal with the challenges of day-to-day practice, local issues, and broader field concerns. Through local and online groups, visitor studies practitioners have organized groups of like-minded professionals who share resources, knowledge, and ideas in an active way that enhances their practice and promotes their professional learning. In this session, two examples of a CoP related to visitor studies and visitor experience will be reviewed to illustrate the power and possibility of these groups in advancing the profession.

Example 1: Face-to-face Communities of Practice.

Visitor studies and marketing representatives from the five Visitor Based Community Organizations and the Greater Columbus Arts Council meet regularly to discuss commonalities and differences among the VBCOs, approaches to current issues, and to share ideas and solutions. The goal was to develop projects that will produce findings to benefit each participating organization and the central Ohio community. Two projects of the group moved from the conceptual to the implementation phase. The first aims at identifying crossover audiences, and the second at uncovering the common denominator of the participating organizations, addressing how the audience should consider their collective impact on the community. The successes of the Columbus group are the common purpose, willingness of members to share, the need to learn and desire to improve, trust, and commitment to participation. The group provides members a way to communicate across organizations and disciplines. The size of the group supports larger scope projects and effective advocacy. Most importantly, gaining a better understanding of what's going on at each organization, and how that overlaps with what's going on in other organizations engenders new and different partnerships and gives members a chance to elevate thoughts from the day-to-day to include bigger picture issues.

Example 2: Online Communities of Practice.

Online CoPs use list-servs, chat rooms, and bulletin boards to develop interaction and engagement of group members. Developing these communities takes careful planning and consideration of the needs and purpose of the group, expectation of participation and levels of technology access. Museum-Ed is a prime example of the ways in which a CoP evolves over time, and is constantly shaping and redefining itself. It began as a discussion list for museum educators to facilitate the exchange of ideas. Now, with over 1,000 subscribers, the group has an extensive website complete with blogs, online training sessions, and a shared calendar of events. The discussion board continues to be one of the more active lists in the museum community. Most recently Museum-Ed formally organized itself as a formal not-for-profit organization. The success of online communities, just as those that meet face-to-face, requires motivated members, careful coordination, and opportunity to build skills and explore situations. Online groups have additional needs in the use of moderators, enculturation of new members to the group as well as online etiquette, and negotiating content.

Regardless of the format, a CoP provides members with opportunities to share problems and solutions, to understand better practices, to understand communication barriers between areas of expertise, and the means to overcome them.

Wegner, E. (2006). Communities of Practice a Brief Introduction. Available: http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm [Accessed December 2006].

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