scholarly journals Exploring the Smart Future of Participation

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-108
Author(s):  
John Bricout ◽  
Paul M. A. Baker ◽  
Nathan W. Moon ◽  
Bonita Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Civic Life ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Virtual Community Of Practice ◽  
Virtual Participation

COVID-19 is having an enormous impact on civic life, including public services, governance, and the well-being of citizens. The pace and scope of technology as a force for problem solving, connecting people, sharing information, and organizing civic life has increased in the wake of COVID-19. This article critically reviews how technology use influences the civic engagement potential of the smart city, in particular for people with disabilities. The article aims to articulate new challenges to virtual participation in civic life in terms of accessibility, usability, and equity. Next, the article proposes a framework for a smart participation future involving smarter communities that utilize universal design, blended bottom-up, and virtual community of practice (VCoP) approaches to planning and connecting citizens with disabilities to smart cities. Policy and ethical implications of the proposed smart participation future are considered.

scholarly journals A Virtual Community of Practice to Introduce Evidence-based Pedagogy in Chemical, Materials, and Biological Engineering Courses

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Farrell ◽  
Stephen Krause ◽  
Nancy Ruzycki ◽  
Amber Genau ◽  
Brittany Nelson-Cheeseman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Biological Engineering ◽  
Virtual Community Of Practice ◽  
Chemical Materials

Abstract W P274: Developmental Evaluation Enhances Utility of the Toronto Stroke Networks Virtual Community of Practice

Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Fortin ◽  
Krystyna Skryabka ◽  
Gail Avinoam ◽  
Shelley Sharp ◽  
Jacqueline Willems ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Interprofessional Collaboration ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Stroke Care ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Developmental Evaluation ◽  
Virtual Community Of Practice ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
Value Add

Background: The Toronto Stroke Networks (TSNs) Virtual Community of Practice (VCoP) was developed to connect stroke healthcare providers (HCPs), enhance professional and organizational stroke expertise, foster implementation of best practices, and improve patient outcomes in stroke care. The VCoP is a secure social media platform fostering cross system interprofessional collaboration (IPC). Purpose: To use formative developmental evaluation to inform further improvement of the VCoP’s content and performance and to measure its efficacy as a KT tool to support IPC. Methods: An evaluation framework was developed based on “Promoting and assessing value creation in communities and networks” (Wengar, 2011). Stroke HCPs from 15 organizations in the TSNs were provided VCoP training to build virtual competence and to seek feedback for enhanced utility. The TSNs Education and KT Implementation Plan for 2013-2014 integrated activities that encourage VCoP use. These activities include co-development of educational material across sites, information sharing between meetings, and to support implementation of specific activities. Qualitative (e.g. value stories, narratives) and quantitative indicators (e.g. membership and usage) data are evaluated. Results: The TSNs VCoP currently has: 287 members and 26 groups (open and private groups with 4-19 members). There are 8 interprofessional discussions, with a total of 20 pre-populated and requested forums. Feedback from the membership has prompted investments to improve search features and identification of members within the site for more efficient collaborations. Uploading of Provincial Stroke Rounds, provision of a Research and Knowledge Translation Widget, and securing a space for HCPs to submit recommended presentations were added to increase the value-add of the site as a one-stop shop for Stroke HCPs seeking stroke care information. Qualitative analysis of value stories demonstrating the efficacy of the VCoP for IPC is in progress and will be available at time of publishing. Conclusions: The VCoP is an innovative approach to enhancing the system of stroke care. This formative developmental evaluation approach has enhanced the utility of the VCoP as a source for stroke information and HCP connections.

The Search for the 'Hidden' Virtual Communities of Practice

2010 ◽  
pp. 42-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Ribeiro ◽  
Chris Kimble
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Electronic Networks ◽  
Virtual Community Of Practice ◽  
Seci Model ◽  
Virtual Communities Of Practice ◽  
Fully Functioning

This chapter examines the possibility of discovering a “hidden” (potential) Community of Practice (CoP) inside electronic networks, and then using this knowledge to nurture it into a fully functioning Virtual Community of Practice (VCoP). Starting from the standpoint of the need to manage knowledge and create innovation, the chapter discusses several issues related to this subject. It begins by examining Nonaka’s SECI model and his notion of Knowledge Transfer; the authors follow this by an investigation of the links between Communities of Practice (CoPs) and Knowledge Management; the chapter concludes by examining the relation between Nonaka’s Communities of Interaction and CoPs. Having established this the authors start their examination of the characteristics of “hidden” Communities of Practice. Following on from the previous discussion, they look at what is meant by “hidden” CoPs and what their value might be. They also look at the distinction between Distributed CoPs (DCoPs) and Virtual CoPs (VCoPs) and the issues raised when moving from ‘hidden’ CoPs to fully functioning VCoPs. The chapter concludes with some preliminary findings from a semi-structured interview conducted in the Higher Education Academy Psychology Network (UK). These findings are contrasted against the theory and some further proposals are made.

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