1. Use of Electronic Communities of Practice (e-CoPs) in Creating Collaborative Advantage: the Experience of InspireNet, BC’s Nursing Health Services Research Network. Presentation at 16th Annual Ethel Johns Research Day February 5, 2011

2. Co-leaders: Noreen Frisch, PhD, RN Grace Mickelson, MA, RN Manager: Pat Atherton, BCom, MPA

3. Supported by BC Nursing Research Initiative (BCNRI) Funded by Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) 2009-2013

4. InspireNet Vision Vibrant and interactive network of individuals and organizations Working collaboratively to advance and use research and knowledge to improve nursing health services in BC Vibrant and interactive network of individuals and organizations Working collaboratively to advance and use research and knowledge to improve nursing health services in BC

5. Mission: Build Collaborative A dvantage [ From this To this Provide venue for collaborative leadership - Link people - Animate discussion - Spark innovation - Combine knowledge & expertise in novel ways - Benefit from collective wisdom

6. Goals: By 2013… Increased research capacity Coordinated approach to planning / priority setting Strategic nursing / interprofessional partnerships Care delivery innovation

7. Key Strategies & Tactics Leadership Council; Management, Coordinating and Action Teams; Nursing Research Facilitators Distributed & shared leadership All teams Partnership with UBC e-Health Strategy Office Academic- practice collaboration Full use of Web 2.0 capabilities All teams use eCoP approach Active member involvement

8. Profile: 15 Months Old! 618 members 376 from health sector 198 from academic sector 18 from out of province 12 active teams

9. Participation Model: “Legitimate Peripheral” → Active Leadership Participation Model: “Legitimate Peripheral” → Active Leadership All Members Receive bi- weekly e-news Access website Members can join Action Teams. Team eCoPs : - Document sharing - Online discussion Action & Coordinating Core Team Members Use / build database Attend events Action Team Members: topic-specific learning Core members lead eCoP & InspireNet activities: - eCoP, WebEx, support from InspireNet Management Team

10. Focus for Today: Action & Coordinating Teams Work of our Action Teams is to facilitate: Knowledge sharing Capture of ‘tacit’ knowledge Research projects Use of evidence in practice Development of researchable questions

11. Action Teams Members eHealth, eTechnology (Elizabeth Borycki, Noreen Frisch, UVic) n=28 Healthy Workplace Climate (Lesley Moss, VIHA) n=16 Optimal Utilization of Advanced Practice Nursing Roles (Linda Sawchenko, IH, Maureen Shaw, VCH) n=34 Nurse Educators Scholarship Action Team (Penny Cash, UBC, Betty Tate, NIC) n=18 Nursing Research And Education Rounds (NEARR) (Aggie Black, PHC/VCH) n=65

12. Work of our Coordinating Teams Provide infrastructure and support for the ‘actions’ & ‘activities’ Identify barriers to full participation Provide technical solutions Make the eCoPs user-friendly Facilitate knowledge exchange Develop effective communications tools Evaluate our progress

13. Coordinating Teams & Governance Members Coordinating Teams & Governance Members Annual Conference Planning Group (Monica Redekopp, VCH; 6 members) Communications (Pat Atherton; 3 members) Database (Pat Atherton; 2 members) Evaluation (Noreen Frisch; UBC eHealth Strategy Office; 6 members) InspireNet Leadership Council (Monica Redekopp, VCH; 12 members) Knowledge Translation & Exchange (Grace Mickelson; 11 members ) Management Team (Noreen Frisch, Grace Mickelson, Pat Atherton)

14. Concepts Guiding Action & Coordinating Teams Community of Practice (CoP) originally developed by Lave and Wenger: Learning takes place in social relationships rather than through the simple acquisition of knowledge (Li et al, 2009) People come into CoP because of shared interests Community of Practice (CoP) originally developed by Lave and Wenger: Learning takes place in social relationships rather than through the simple acquisition of knowledge (Li et al, 2009) People come into CoP because of shared interests

15. Communities of Practice Definition: ‘groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis’ Wenger, et al, 2001 Definition: ‘groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis’ Wenger, et al, 2001

16. Electronic Communities of Practice Emerged through the use of information technologies that connect people virtually eCoPs essential to InspireNet’s mission: –connecting people province-wide and beyond Emerged through the use of information technologies that connect people virtually eCoPs essential to InspireNet’s mission: –connecting people province-wide and beyond

17. eCoPs Develop Over Time eCoPs Develop Over Time Like all communities and social networks, an eCoP takes time to develop Starts with a core and then grows! Like all communities and social networks, an eCoP takes time to develop Starts with a core and then grows!

18. CoP Life Cycle Phases Potential Coalescing Maturing Stewardship Transformation Informal network, develops focus Establishes value of knowledge sharing and support Clarifies focus and is actively working Sustains momentum; attains cutting edge Work and specific contributions are done

19. eCoPs need support! Computer support People support Computer support People support

20. Support for Action & Coordinating Teams ‘Start-up’ planning Technology & Training (eCoP, WebEx) Linking & Connecting Leaders’ Coordination & Shared Learning Evaluation

21. Teams: What to develop? Relevant domain / focus / core groupLeadership / facilitation Participation: experts / ‘legitimate peripherals’ Community / discourse / relationships Practice: body of knowledge / stories cases / documents / tools

22. Team e-Collaboration Tools Team e-Collaboration Tools Synchronous and asynchronous collaboration Synchronous: WebEx – online webconferencing software Asynchronous: e-CoP functionality

23. Web 2.0 & e-CoP Design Web 2.0 & e-CoP Design Development software Drupal (Content Management System) Anyone can add content to website Easy to make website design changes E-CoPs = free online password protected groups discussion forum blog event calendar shared document library wiki Fully integrated into website and members’ database Notifications Automated email notifications to team members when new content added

24. Current State of Teams Potential Year 1: informal discussions Coalescing Year 1 and 2: Writing Action & Coordinating Teams proposals or work plans; learning to use technology; reaching out to others Maturing Year 2: Beginning active work moving forward

25. Barriers encountered (and addressed) Barriers encountered (and addressed) Technological Users need help with entering the system and navigating the webpages Participants of WebEx meetings need instructions to log in, communicate Technological Users need help with entering the system and navigating the webpages Participants of WebEx meetings need instructions to log in, communicate

26. Current eCoP Use by Teams Using Google Analytics: eCoPs’ hits (May 2010-January 2011) range from a high of 446 to a low of 119 eCoPs use WebEx to communicate, and to record sessions for asynchronous participation. eCoP members come from across the province from both academic and health care sectors; all health authorities’ regions are represented. Using Google Analytics: eCoPs’ hits (May 2010-January 2011) range from a high of 446 to a low of 119 eCoPs use WebEx to communicate, and to record sessions for asynchronous participation. eCoP members come from across the province from both academic and health care sectors; all health authorities’ regions are represented.

27. As Teams Mature… They will: Increase their productivity Require different support Define and achieve their goals Transform: new purposes and goals, or end their usefulness for the members They will: Increase their productivity Require different support Define and achieve their goals Transform: new purposes and goals, or end their usefulness for the members

28. What we know now: Team leader(s) must be committed & willing to learn eCoP use Webpages and systems must be user- friendly and intuitive Nurse-users require development of technological skills All participants require clarification on laws related to copyright sharing of information Support needs to be available daily Action team leaders need their own support Team leader(s) must be committed & willing to learn eCoP use Webpages and systems must be user- friendly and intuitive Nurse-users require development of technological skills All participants require clarification on laws related to copyright sharing of information Support needs to be available daily Action team leaders need their own support

29. Timelines 33 months to go within our current project; evaluation is ongoing It has taken one year to launch Action & Coordinating Teams using the eCoP approach 33 months to go within our current project; evaluation is ongoing It has taken one year to launch Action & Coordinating Teams using the eCoP approach

30. Evaluation Continuing in partnership with the UBC eHealth Strategy office Embarking on surveys/interviews and other methods We’ll have more to report in the future! Continuing in partnership with the UBC eHealth Strategy office Embarking on surveys/interviews and other methods We’ll have more to report in the future!

31. References Bourhis, A., Dube, L. & Jacob, R. (2005). The Success of Virtual Communities of Practice: The Leadership Factor. Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management, 3(1), 23-34. Li, L., Grimshaw, J.M., Nielsen, C., Judd, M., Coyte, P.C., & Graham, I.D. (2009). Evolution of Wenger's concept of community of practice. Implementation Science, 4:11. Mousavidin, E., & Goel, L. (2009). A Life Cycle Model of Virtual Communities. Proceedings of the 42 nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating Communities of Practice. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Wenger, E., White, N., & Smith, J. (2009) Digital Habitats: Stewarding Technology for Communities. Portland, OR: CPsquare.

32. For more information Visit us! www.inspirenet.ca Thank you to our 618 members!