Characteristics+of++on-line+CoPs

=__ ﻿Characteristics of on-line CoPs __= "By their very nature, they are flexible, borderless, & innovative; they are able to create collaborative environments, focus their efforts, & develop agendas that grow and change with their participants" (Lieberman, 2000, p.221).

Online Communities of Practice are generally designed from the top down. Technology tools such as wiki pages and blogs are needed to create the online space for the community to develop.

__Membership -__ Online CoP are usually open. Will have a range of ages and will include beginners to experts in the given area

__Leadership -__ Leaders are usually recruited to oversee and monitor the members contributions

__Communication -__ It is primarily computer-mediated

__Time -__ It takes more time to develop an online CoP than a face-to-face CoP

__Relationships -__ These can be both more flexible and durable in nature than face-to-face interactions (Lai., Pratt., Anderson., & Stigter, 2005)

=__ ﻿Brief comparison of On-line CoPs and Face-to-Face CoPs __=

Online CoPs and Face-to-Face CoPs do "share similar characteristics as they are both learning communities with members who are mutually engaged in shared practice aiming to develop a repertoire of cummunal resources" (Wenger et al., 2002 & Lai et al., 2005, p.28).

It's important to note that the norms and culture of face-to-face meetings differ from those of an online CoP. Schlager et al., 2002, in Lai et al., 2005, states "in face-to-face meetings, visual and auditory cues and social taboos prevent people from talking over one another, ignoring a question, or holding unrelated conversations" (p.34).

The major and quite obvious difference between the two CoPs is that online CoPs are "supported by information and communication technologies" (Lai et al., 2005, p.28). They need to be designed with activities that will keep the members coming back, as it has value to them through their participation (Lai et al., 2005).