The Difference Between A Community Of Practice, And A Social Network
Do you know what the difference is? I read an interesting blog post this week from Collaborative Thinking in which the author, clearly defines the difference:
Is a CoP the same thing as a (social) network? There is often some overlap. A network is the collection of connections and relationships between people. Right now, “social networking sites” such as Facebook and Meebo are all the rage. They can be useful tools for communities of practice, but they aren’t the same thing. The line between a community and a network is fuzzy in terms of membership, but the differnece between a community of practice and a network is that the CoP is interested not just in the connections or relationships, but in the doman and practice.
This was powerful to me… The definition illustrated the different motivations within these communities. One is to connect, the other is to accomplish. In other words, what makes a community, or network flourish and grow is all up to how you set it up, who you invite and what the users do.
Have you had any experiences within communities of practice or social networks that are different?
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