Just to have a laugh and sing a song;
Seems we just got started and before we know it,
Comes the time we have to say
So Long”
Those of my vintage (and maybe younger, thanks to Nick at
Nite) may recognize this as the way the venerable Carol Burnett used to sign
off her show every Saturday night on CBS.
As I was reflecting back on this course, these lyrics popped into my
head and seemed appropriate to use for my final post.
We’ve stroked a lot of keys during the last fifteen weeks
writing about community,what makes one, what doesn’t, what maybe kind of does,
etc. And I think that it was during these
and other discussions that we in 597 became part of an official community of
practice. And though part of me wants to
say that some members of this community are more equal than others,because there
are some who were way more engaged and productive than others both in their
contributions in class as well as out., Wenger would say that “each participant in a community of practice finds a unique
place and gains a unique identity, which is both further integrated and further
defined in the course of engagement in practice. (75-76)”, which Lis
wrote about in her “Are you Living?” post way back when. I’m good with that. So even though there were some in our class
who did not sit at the table; some who skipped from time to time; some who went
through an entire 3 hour session without saying a word, the CI 597 community of practice is still
theirs to call home.
I truly enjoyed this experience,
even though there were certainly times when my head throbbed both in class and
out when I struggled to come to terms with a particular thread of discussion or
reading. 597 has spawned a multitude
of interests for me, and I think has really helped confirm for me the direction
that I want the rest of my PhD studies to follow. The fact that this could be done amid quick
wit, friendly ribbing, and lots of Twittering is a major bonus. I expect to never have a similar class
experience, but hope that I do, and will strive to create it in courses that I
lead in the future. I have a feeling that communities of practice
have a bit of a viral aspect to them.
Once one has been part of one, one might want to try to replicate them
in other parts of life, whether academic, professional and personal.
Thanks everyone for your
contributions to my learning. I hope I
was able to do the same for you. Good night! Insert
virtual ear tug here. . .
dmd340 says
I am crying…so long….and another..Happy trails to you…until we meet again….
Roy and Dale