This presentation explains the theoretical lens and its practical outcome for an ongoing project. The purpose of the project (called DISCUSS) is the development of a state-of-the-art platform for Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoPs) in lifelong learning. The aim is to foster dialogue and exchange, in a collaborative environment, between the beneficiaries and users of the Lifelong Learning Program of the European Union. The beneficiaries include actors from a wide range of existing LLL projects, experts, stakeholders, decision makers and end users. For the DISCUSS group members to begin the work of establishing and developing the VCoPs they needed first to ensure they had a clear and collectively acceptable theoretical lens. There are two parts to the theoretical framework we constructed for the project. The first part was adapted from the key principles of Wenger et al’s (2002) notion of Community of Practice (CoP). The other part is based on Engeström’s (2001) theory of expansive learning. In the presentation, I will begin with explaining why and how we developed the two complemetary parts to our theoretical lens. We knew that for CoPs to be developed from existing LLL projects, and become VCoPs, they needed to attract, engage and motivate the members to scaffold collaboration and mutual learning between their different projects. The VCoPs had to be stimulating, relevant and of value to the members. So from the theoretical framework we developed a 12 step process for the DISCUSS virtual platform’s five ‘starter’ VCoPs, one for each of the five themes/CoPs identified for early development. In the presentation I will go on to demonstrate how expansive learning provides a very practical way of understanding and putting into operation the 12 step process. I will also highlight the pivotal role played by DISCUSS as a creator, developer and propagator of shared or ‘boundary’ objects (eg knowledge repositories and graphic models) and as a provider of the appropriate tools needed by the VCoPs to connect, create and grow. DISCUSS can be found at: http://www.discuss-community.eu

1. Expansive learning in lifelong learning
virtual communities of practice
Dr Lesley Doyle
Senior Lecturer in Education
lesley.doyle@glasgow.ac.uk
University of Catania, Italy Oct 7-9 2015

2. DISCUSS: EU funded LLL project
Today:
1. Purpose and method of DISCUSS
2. DISCUSS theoretical lens: two parts
– Key principles of a community of practice (CoP)
(Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002)
– Ideas from expansive learning (Engestrom, 2001)
3. The usefulness of theory in developing
practice

3. DISCUSS: purpose
European Platform for Communities of
Practice (CoPs) in Lifelong Learning
• Establish a state-of-the-art web platform for
fostering dialogue and exchange between LLL
project participants and end users in the EU LLL
programme
• Provide a collaborative environment for the
development of LLL CoPs
• Link with other similar projects as a VCoP for
development and sustainability

4. DISCUSS: method
• Devise a model
• Build the organisational capacities, software
tools and technical infrastructure for the CoPs
• Create excitement, relevance and value
necessary to attract and engage members
• Scaffold collaboration and mutual learning
across CoPs

5. Communities of practice
What does Lifelong Learning mean to you?

6. The principles of CoP cultivation
• Wenger, McDermott & Snyder’s (2002) seven principles
for success of CoP:
1. Capacity to adapt
2. Facility for open dialogue within & outwith CoP
3. Accommodation of different participation levels
4. Development of both public & private community spaces
5. Discussion of value & productivity of participation
6. Familiarity + interest for balance of conventional + radical
wisdom
7. Creating natural rhythm

7. Communities and Networks
• Wenger, Trayner and de Laat (2011) draw attention to
how networks and communities often develop together
– interconnectedness of network can often increase sense of
community through shared concern BUT
– networks don’t always have necessary ‘self-awareness to
achieve a desired level of collective intentionality’ SO
– shared identity has to be developed THEN
– the new connections have potential to draw new boundaries
with fresh perspectives ‘because each new connection brings
with it a network of other connections that can affect the
community and what it does together’.

8. Limitations of CoPs
• CoP concept to a ‘one-dimensional conceptual space’,
sufficient for vertical transmission of learning and
empirical knowledge (Engeström and Sannino, 2010)
• Concept does not cover communities that need to
create new understanding, new concepts, new theories
and new practice from what is already known and
understood by the individuals in the community. called
this expansive learning (Engeström, 2001)
• Describes the membership, not the action

9. Expansive learning
• ‘Boundary crossing and network building’ (Engeström
and Sannino, 2010, p. 12) and ‘distributed and
discontinuous movement’ (p14).
• Discontinuities generated by activities or movement
within and between the organisations in a network
create learning opportunities (Hubbard, et al, 2006,
cited in Engestrom and Sannino, 2010, p. 14)

10. Expansive learning and Virtual CoPs
• Learning opportunities occur where the organisations work to
overcome the boundaries between them through identifying
together the object of their networking, what it is that has the
potential to cohere them as VCoP
• Each brings own object(s), some will be shared and some
contested in the network
• For a ‘community’ they will need to create – in a ‘third space’
(Gutierrez, 2008) - new, mutually purposeful shared objects
or goals (Engestrom, 1987, p. 21).
• Knotworking needed ie discussions and activities around
resolution of conflicting boundaries and the creation of new
objects (Engestrom, 2008) – crucial for VCoPs

11. CoP+EL to Virtual CoP: Model + ‘Starter’
• Needed:
– to translate the CoP+EL theory into practice
– themes identified by project members and other
interested individuals and organisations as important for
their work but
– to provide initial focus – selected five thematic areas eg
validation of lifelong learning; Creativity and innovation,
including intergenerational learning, learning for senior
citizens and family learning
– to move from CoP to VCoP
• Solution: Model + ‘Starter’ VCoP for the DISCUSS platform:
12 step process using one of the initial themes

12. DISCUSS: model
DISCUSS
Collaborative
Workspaces
(with tools for
communication)
Social Network
(for building
relationships)
Information
(projects + tools
for sharing)

13. DISCUSS roadmap: ‘Starter’ VCoP

14. DISCUSS: the usefulness of theory
• The video on how it works

15. DISCUSS: CoP and EL refs
• Bienzle, H., Gelabert, E., Wolfgang, J., Kolyva, K., Meyer, N. and Tilkin, G. (2007): The Art Of
Networking. European Networks In Education Buchveröffentlichung und Pfd. Wien: Berater
• Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by expanding: An activity-theoretical approach to developmental
research (Helsinki, Orienta-Konsultit).
• Engeström, Y. (2001) Expansive learning at work: toward an activity theoretical
reconceptualisation,Journal of Education and Work, 14(1), 133–156.
• Engeström, Y. (2008). From teams to knots: Activity-theoretical studies of collaboration and learning at
work. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Engeström, Y. & Sannino, A. (2010) Studies of expansive learning: Foundations, findings and future
challenges. Educational Research Review doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2009.12.002
• Gutierrez, K. (2008) Developing a Sociocritical Literacy In the Third Space Reading Research
Quarterley 43(2), 148-164
• Hubbard, L., Mehan, H., & Stein, M.K. (2006). Reform as learning: When school reform collided with
school culture and community politics in San Diego. New York: Routledge.
• Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W.M. (2002). Cultivating Communities of Practice: a guide to
managing knowledge . Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
• Wenger, E., Trayner, B., and de Laat, M. (2011) Promoting and assessing value creation in communities
and networks: a conceptual framework Rapport 18 Heerlen: Open Universiteit, Ruud de Moor Centrum