This week helped me see how social media can support learning when people share expertise and support one another in everyday or professional contexts. One idea is that the community needs a sense of purpose, interaction, norms, trust, and some form of ongoing value for its members. Adams et al. (2023) emphasize that communities of practice need intentional design, facilitation, equity, digital learning considerations, and sustainability. Designing for the community is important. Social media can help a community form and grow; a crucial part of this is providing emotional support, making it easier for newcomers to join the community.
Social media can support performance support. Performance support provides help when people need to perform a task. Hu et al. (2018) show that Pinterest can serve as a socialized knowledge community in which teachers share resources and professional knowledge. This made me reflect on how curation can support learning outside a formal course. This connects to my broader interest in higher education because students also need support beyond formal classroom learning. They need networks, resources, and communities that help them navigate academic life.
References
Adams, S., Tesene, M., Gay, K., Brokos, M., Swindell, A., McGuire, A., & Rettler-Pagel, T. (2023, Mar 7). Communities of practice in higher education: A playbook for centering equity, digital learning, and continuous improvement. Every Learner Everywhere. https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/resources/communities-of-practice-in-higher-education
Hu, S., Torphy, K. T., Opperman, A., Jansen, K., & Lo, Y. J. (2018). What do teachers share within socialized knowledge communities: A case of PinterestLinks to an external site. Journal of Professional Capital and Community.
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