Online Learning Communities

Online Learning Communities The community of practice that is the basis of this analysis is a list located on the Twitter platform. The list is used for sharing information on key technology topics including enterprise software. A variety of hashtags are used to communicate across the community of practice, highlighting specific messages of interest. Members of the list have also created unique DropBox accounts for capturing larger files that are shared with all members of the group.

This specific group concentrates on staying current in the areas of information technologies including cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), customer relationship management (CRM) and the latest software mobility trends for the Apple iOS and Android operating systems. It is a diverse group that is a community of practice focused on sharing useful information both through links and also via the DropBox account for larger files. The group has over time created a taxonomy of specific areas of interest in the DropBox account as well, using the folder feature of that application.

The group is designed to provide a continual commentary and source of information on advanced technology topics. It is also designed to provide a means for members to get feedback on blog ideas and share potential writing projects with each other. All of these elements taken together create a community of practice that is unified with a personal and professional interest in the technologies being discussed, and relevant of content of which is being curated both on Twitter and using the DropBox platform.

Members are expected to provide contributions and enrich the overall value of the community by freely sharing the most interesting and relevant research studies, information and other data that is valuable to the entire group. There is a reciprocity dynamic that occurs in the group as well, as is true of many of communities of practice. Those that provide the most valuable data are often the same who get invited to events in major technology areas where members of the technology group live.

This transition from the virtual to the real or in-person isn't awkward at all as people have known each other for months, sometime years, through the online community. As the community is highly valuable for gaining insights into new areas of interest, I often contribute research studies and other data to enrich others in the group as well. It is evident that all of these factors together drive a greater level of reciprocity group-wide as well.

Improving the Community The organizational structure of the group is very open with low clear definition of who is leading it. A meritocracy is emerging however if those that give the most information to.