Sense of community in academic communities of practice: predictors and effects

Newcomer integration in knowledge communities: development of the strat-I-Com questionnaire for MMORPG-based communities

“…The proposed instrument provides results that are in line with previous educational research focused on KCs (Eberle et al 2014;Nistor 2013;Nistor and Fischer 2012;, Nistor et al 2015a, Nistor et al 2015b, Nistor et al 2015cScardamalia and Bereiter 2014) and MMORPG (Chang and Lin 2014;Hopp et al 2015;Iacovides et al 2014; Lemke et al 2015;Zhong 2011). The insight gained by using this instrument suggests further developments of smart learning environments.…”

“…Evidently, MMORPG players form knowledge communities (Chang and Lin 2014;Nistor 2010;Zhong 2011) by building groups that share interests, goals and practice, developing a common history, and collaboratively constructing knowledge and "ways of doing things". Evidence of such socio-cognitive structures could be found especially in the study participants' common practice (i.e., playing MMORPG continuously and for a longer time), in their identification with the knowledge communities reflected in the vocabulary (i.e., participants responded positively to questionnaire items that mostly addressed things that happened "in my players community"), and in the measurable development of a sense of community related both to social and to learning aspects (Nistor et al 2015c). These knowledge communities deliberately offered newcomers support structures to facilitate their integration in the community and legitimate peripheral support structures.…”

“…Research points at KCs, either online or traditional, as particularly effective environments for informal adult learning (Lave and Wenger 1991;Nistor 2010;Scardamalia and Bereiter 2014;Wenger 1998). The participation outcomes in KCs include the acquisition of skills and applicable knowledge (Lave and Wenger 1991;Scardamalia and Bereiter 2014;Wenger 1998), participants' positive self-evaluation and development towards expert status (Eberle et al 2014;Lave and Wenger 1991), and the emergence of a sense of community (McMillan and McMillan 1986;Nistor et al 2015c). KCs are characterized by their socio-cognitive structure that includes central, active and peripheral members (Lave and Wenger 1991;Wenger 1998).…”

“…A more central participation, in turn, may lead to more accurate perceptions of the community practice (Lave and Wenger 1991;Nistor and Fischer 2012), including newcomer integration. Participants' sense of community may increase in time due to increasing socio-emotional interpersonal knowledge, or it may decrease due to a less enthusiastic and more realistic view of the KC (Nistor et al 2015c). …”

A Community of Practice Approach to Delivering Research Support Services in a Post-92 Higher Education Institution: A Reflective Case Study

“…The importance of a sense of community is recognised as a key factor in enabling CoPs to flourish, together with the value that members place on participating and gaining a sense of integration and fulfilment of needs (Nistor, Daxecker, Stanciu, & Diekamp, 2015). The level of participation in a CoP will vary across all participants with (Lave & Wenger, 1991) arguing that some members perform a central role, are involved in more activities and have greater responsibility, whilst others perform a more peripheral role.…”