Building and Sustaining a Community of Practice: Repair Mechanisms in a Biology Integration Institute

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 4:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Disrupting School Inequities: Leveraging Culture, Community, and Freedom Dreams (Table 5)

Abstract

Biology Integration Institutes (BIIs) represent interdisciplinary, multi-institutional communities advancing research and training. Building and sustaining BIIs requires attending to the diverse needs of the community members over space and time. We used the Community of Practice (CoP) change theory to examine the features of a BII as it moved from the potential to the beginning of the stewardship stages. This paper documents this evolution, highlighting its meaningful activities and evaluation feedback loops, which led to the implementation of several repair mechanisms to support members in becoming experts within the community. The study provides insights that could enable other Institutes to implement intentional structures, activities, and evaluation strategies to develop a CoP, fostering meaningful interactions and enhancing collaborative efforts.

Authors

• Soumi Mukherjee, Purdue University

• Emily Georgopoulos, Purdue University

• Stephanie M. Gardner, Purdue University