Online learning collaboration takes many forms. In some models, communities of interest are open to anyone expressing an interest in a topic or objective. People need not be experts or experienced on a topic, which is a defining characteristic of communities of practice or professional learning communities.
In an online community of interest, social interaction may play a more central role as a method for online learning. In an online community of practice, online learning may be focused on teaching about a particular field. In learning communities, the focus is more on learning than teaching, and doing so through collaborative education among administrators, teachers and students. Blending the concepts of professional orientation of a practitioner community and the community aspect of learning communities, creates a collaborative hybrid. Practitioners who share special knowledge to problem solve within its own community to produce knowledge that can be shared externally and applied to the larger community.
One such example of a practitioner learning community (PLC) is Teachers Without Borders (TWB). TWB is an online professional collaboration site that networks teachers for information sharing. Teachers can congregate this virtual space and join groups based on their objectives or interests. The group’s focus drives idea and information exchanges, such as teaching methods. Groups include Education in Haiti, The Certificate of Teaching Mastery and Character Education. TWB enables collaboration among its community with its built-in translation which removes communication barriers between members who speak different languages to foster international connections.
Among defining PLC characteristics are collective team work. This involves shared responsibility of members as leaders for student learning, reflective inquiry, a focus on improving student learning, common norms and values, the development of common practices, and feedback for continuous learning.
Online collaboration such as TWB can fast track the development of global communities that transcend typical educational, social and cultural barriers.