Knowledge Communities glossary

Knowledge Community

A group of individuals who share a common interest, goal, or practice and collectively engage in the process of creating, sharing, and managing knowledge. Unlike a simple network, a knowledge community focuses on advancing the collective knowledge of its members through structured interaction and collaboration. A Knowledge-Building Community, a specific type, has the primary goal of knowledge creation rather than task completion.

The concept is grounded in the work of Bereiter and Scardamalia, who envisioned communities modeled after scientific research centers where "problem redefinition at increasingly high levels is the goal, based on a fundamentally social process".

Knowledge-building community model - EduTech Wiki

Knowledge Community Goal

The overarching objective that guides the community's activities. This is typically centered on the production, distribution, and use of knowledge to advance the collective understanding of its members. For a knowledge-building community, the goal is to create new knowledge artifacts (theories, models, publications) that advance the field, rather than simply sharing existing information.

The goal transforms individual expertise into collective organizational capability . It is focused on "problems, not topics," where knowledge is advanced through discussion and argumentation to resolve discrepancies.

IDB Guide to Communities of Practice

Knowledge Repository

A digital or physical library where the community's collective knowledge, artifacts, and resources are stored, managed, and made accessible to members. This can include documents, discussion threads, best practices, lessons learned, and other forms of codified knowledge.

Effective knowledge communities utilize digital tools to capture and disseminate knowledge . In educational settings, this is often a database like Knowledge Forum, where ideas become public artifacts that can be analyzed, referenced, and progressively refined over time .

Knowledge building community - Wikipedia (Computer Support)

Community Organizer / Core Organizer

An individual responsible for the coordination, facilitation, and administrative health of the community. This role is crucial for sustaining the community by organizing activities, fostering engagement, and managing logistics.

An ethnographic study of online technology communities identifies the "core organiser" as one of seven distinct roles, highlighting its impact on knowledge management activities . In Communities of Practice (CoPs), this function is often fulfilled by "Leads" who provide light-touch governance .

Role and knowledge management in online technology communities | IIMB Repository

Knowledge Manager

A role focused on the systematic management of the community's knowledge assets. This includes curating the knowledge repository, identifying and capturing valuable tacit knowledge, promoting knowledge-sharing behaviors, and ensuring the right knowledge reaches the right people at the right time.

While not always a formal title, the function is critical. Knowledge management in communities involves understanding how different roles impact the generation and flow of knowledge . It supports the "practice" component of a community, which is the collective know-how .

Roles and Knowledge Management in Online Technology Communities - Semantic Scholar

Experts

Members who possess deep knowledge, skills, or experience in the community's domain. They serve as a valuable resource, providing authoritative insights, validating information, and guiding the community's intellectual growth.

Experts are engaged in the knowledge-building process but do not delineate the limits of investigation . The knowledge-building model aims to "produce new experts and extend expertise within the community's domain" . They are one of the key roles identified in community structures .

Knowledge-building community model - EduTech Wiki

Participants / Members

All individuals who take part in the community. Their participation is valued at all levels, from active contribution to legitimate peripheral participation (observing and learning). A healthy community relies on a diverse range of participants.

The participation of less knowledgeable members is highly valued as it helps identify gaps and inadequacies in the existing knowledge, prompting experts to clarify ideas . A foundational principle is "democratizing knowledge," where all participants are empowered and there are no knowledge "have/have-not" lines .

Knowledge building community - Wikipedia

Community of Practice (CoP)

A group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better through regular interaction . The IDB defines CoPs as "strategic knowledge networks" with three core components: Domain (shared challenge), Community (network of trust), and Practice (collective know-how).

CoPs are reemerging as a critical mechanism for fostering cross-sector collaboration and exchanging tacit and operational knowledge.

IDB Guide to Communities of Practice

Knowledge-Based Society (or Knowledge Society)

A society whose processes and practices are based on the production, distribution, and use of knowledge .

This is a macro-level term that defines the broader context in which knowledge communities operate. It is a key concept in European education and training policy, highlighting the shift towards knowledge as a primary economic and social driver .

TVETipedia Glossary: Knowledge-based society | UNESCO-UNEVOC

Epistemic Agency

The capacity of community members to take responsibility for their own knowledge creation and problem-solving processes, rather than relying on an authority figure (like a teacher or manager) to direct them .

This is one of the 12 Knowledge Building principles. It means that participants plan and engage in the process themselves, setting goals and making decisions about the direction of their inquiry .

Knowledge building community - Wikipedia

Symmetric Knowledge Advance

The principle that knowledge advancement is a bidirectional process; giving knowledge to the community also results in gaining knowledge. There is no single expert who solely imparts wisdom; everyone learns and contributes .

This principle reinforces the idea that "to give knowledge is to get knowledge," creating a non-hierarchical, collaborative learning environment .

Knowledge building community - Wikipedia