Communities of practice - ways of interaction between professionals

Abstract

This study approaches the issue of the communities of practice, seen as effective ways of interaction, exchange of ideas, practices, experiences between specialists belonging to the same field or related fields. Communities of practice are thus sources of efficiency in the activity, both at the individual level and at the level of the company or structure to which the members of that community belong. What is the epistemological basis of setting up these communities, what are their characteristics, advantages and limitations, what are the steps to be taken in establishing a community of practice are all questions to which we try to offer possible answers or points of view? The study also presents the relationship between virtual communities of practice and technology, which offers specialists the opportunity to interact, by removing the limitations imposed by time and space. We also analyze the benefits of the communities of practice, in the academic context in general, and in the context of initial and in-service teacher training.