Community of Practice by Linda O’Donoghue

My thoughts about outdoor experiences with children are shifting and changing through my involvement in the community of practicum group. The outdoors has always been part of my personal life with my son and husband and within my culture and family of origin. In my professional life as an ECE my understanding of its critical role for a child’s development and learning is expanding.

I believe that my learning is gaining momentum due to our weekly discussions, readings, and reflections. Much of our ongoing study has confirmed my already existing beliefs on outdoor pedagogy, “The great benefit that outdoor play can offer is a greater diversity of opportunities for rich, integrated play…typically…a more “enriched environment” than indoor settings, and are more likely to stimulate creativity and problemsolving…” p. 2 Loebach and Cox, 2020.

My role as a college instructor is being challenged. I am invited to re-think what it means to be an instructor and how I facilitate learning. Different perspectives and provocations are shared about curriculum delivery, group facilitation, the child’s voice within pedagogical documentation, action research and more! I know that I am being changed through this process as our meetings ‘live’ within me long past our meeting times. I try out new ideas with my students and with my colleagues. Cognitive knots, tension, and joyful discoveries have emerged.

Participating in a community of practice offers me the opportunity to build relationship with the participants and to have ongoing conversations on topics relating to outdoor pedagogy, curriculum, and research. The ability to continue our conversations, reflect on learning, and share experiences is highly valuable and so different than attending a workshop or conference. In the moment the workshop and/or conference content has high impact; yet, it may or may not be sustained within me for the long term. Whereas, this community of practice LIVES with me. I look forward to engaging in the readings and discussions in partnership.

The weekly meetings influence my knowledge about outdoor pedagogy in many ways. My beliefs and knowledge are challenged each week by the questions asked and the diverse theoretical perspectives offered. For example, the notion of pedagogical documentation and the presence of the child’s voice. I began to truly wonder, has the child’s voice been the strongest voice when my students learn about pedagogical documentation?

I appreciate the sharing that happens from the group about their experiences within their particular contexts. We hold many similarities and differences and I find each meeting gives me further insight into our contexts.

My Bow Valley College colleagues are always welcome to join our community of practice and so are other colleagues from all over Canada. It is truly wonderful to meet so many advocates for outdoor pedagogy and their attendance enriches the conversations.

Each person within the community of practice is acknowledged for their skills and expertise regularly which gives energy and positivity to the community. I believe the outdoor pedagogy community of practice allows me to shine a light upon my teaching and learning with my students. What do I do well? Where can I improve? What needs to be changed? How can I give the students a stronger voice? Is my voice too loud? I believe I need to speak less and listen more, “Emergent listening may start out with what is known but it is open to evolving into new ways of knowing and being; it requires ‘courage to abandon yourself to the conviction that our being is just a small part of a broader knowledge” [Rinaldi 2006, 114] cited in Merewether, p. 261, 2018.

To form a community of practice I would recommend that individuals ensure they establish a ‘Vision and Mission’ for the group. Groups need to ask themselves, why does this community of practice exist? What does the group wish to achieve? The community of practice requires guidelines for the group to follow. For example, how often should the group meet, for how long, what commitments are required of the participants? Finally, initiate short term goals for the group to achieve, as well as, long term goals to sustain the learning and momentum of the group.

Linda O’Donoghue, M Ed, ECED Program, Bow Valley College