We are excited to announce the new Community of Practice Model (COP) and Community of Interest (COI) models for our Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Just like a SIG, a Community of Practice is driven by the value it brings to the members. Communities of Practice constitute a professional learning strategy, serving as a vehicle for authentic communication, mentoring, and growth. The development of STC lies with our communities and our members, and we need to nurture our Communities of Practice and provide the tools required to succeed.
Community of Practice
Communities of Practice (COP) are groups of STC members who are focused on developing expertise, skills, and proficiency in a technical communication specialty. Their goals include:
- Learn about the specialty
- Engage in rich activities
- Solve problems together
- Build proficiency in the discipline
Communities of Practice must engage in the following activities:
- Synchronous Meetings and/or Education Programs (seminars, webinars, workshops, conferences)
- Asynchronous Information Sharing (newsletters, blogs)
- Capturing and Transferring Subject Matter Expertise (educational resources, mentoring)
Communities of Practice will continue offering current benefits and maintaining websites. They will have a leadership/management team in place and be eligible to receive current funding (annual budget submission).
Community of Interest
Communities of Interest (COI) are groups of STC members who are passionate about a technical communication topic. Their goals include:
- Collaboration and knowledge sharing to stay current on the topic
- Loose moderation on informal question and answer forums (with an emphasis on asynchronous communication)
Community of Interest web presence consists of a webpage on the STC site with a link to them on an STC Communities Slack.
Community of Practice Charter
For COPs, the community managers should complete the new charter below for the CAC and the STC office. Once this is submitted and approved, the charter will be valid for two years.
Community of Interest Application
For COIs, the facilitator should complete the application below for the CAC and the STC office. Once this is submitted and approved, the application will be valid for one year.