School of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada.
Department of Family Medicine and the Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, ON, Canada.
Health Res Policy Syst. 2022 Sep 1;20(1):95. doi: 10.1186/s12961-022-00897-0.
Communities of Practice are formed by people who interact regularly to engage in collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavor. Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoP) are online communities that use the internet to connect people who share a common concern or passion. VCoPs provide a platform to share and enhance knowledge. The Policy Circle is a VCoP that connects mid-career professionals from across Canada who are committed to improving healthcare policy and practice. We wanted to understand the perceived value of the VCoP.
We used qualitative and quantitative survey research to explore past and current Policy Circle members' thoughts, feelings, and behaviours related to the program. Our research was guided by the Value Creation Framework proposed by Wenger and colleagues. Three surveys were created in collaboration with stakeholders. Data were analyzed within cohort and in aggregate across cohorts. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically, and quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (means of ranked and scaled responses).
Survey participation was high among members (Cohort 1: 67%, Cohort 2: 64%). Participants came from a variety of disciplines including medicine, health policy, allied health, and nursing, with most members having a direct role in health services research or practice. The program was successful in helping participants make connections (mean = 2.43 on a scale from 1 to 5: 1 = yes, significantly, 5 = not at all); variances in both qualitative and quantitative data indicated that levels of enthusiasm within the program varied among individuals. Members appreciated the access to resources; quarterly meetings (n = 11/11), and a curated reading list (n = 8/11) were the most valued resources. Participants reported the development of a sense of belonging (mean = 2.29) and facilitated knowledge exchange (mean = 2.43). At the time of this study, participants felt the program had minor impact on their work (mean = 3.5), however a majority of participants (50%) from Cohort 2 planned to acknowledge the program in their professional or academic endeavours. Through reflective responses, participants expressed a desire for continued and deeper professional network development.
The Policy Circle was successful in facilitating knowledge exchange by creating a community that promoted trust, a sense of belonging and a supportive environment. Members were satisfied with the program; to promote further value, the Policy Circle should implement strategies that will continue member participation and networking after the program is finished.
实践社区是由经常互动以在人类努力的共同领域进行集体学习的人组成的。虚拟实践社区 (VCoP) 是使用互联网连接共同关注或热情的人的在线社区。VCoP 提供了一个共享和增强知识的平台。政策圈是一个由来自加拿大各地的中级职业人士组成的 VCoP，他们致力于改善医疗保健政策和实践。我们想了解 VCoP 的感知价值。
我们使用定性和定量调查研究来探索过去和现在的政策圈成员与该计划相关的想法、感受和行为。我们的研究以 Wenger 及其同事提出的价值创造框架为指导。与利益相关者合作创建了三个调查。在队列内和跨队列的综合分析中分析数据。对定性数据进行主题分析，对定量数据使用描述性统计（排名和比例响应的平均值）进行分析。
成员的调查参与率很高（第 1 组：67%，第 2 组：64%）。参与者来自各种学科，包括医学、卫生政策、辅助卫生和护理，大多数成员在卫生服务研究或实践中有直接作用。该计划成功地帮助参与者建立联系（1 表示是，显著，5 表示完全不是，平均值为 2.43）；定性和定量数据的差异表明，计划内的热情水平因人而异。成员们赞赏资源的获取；季度会议（n=11/11）和精选阅读清单（n=8/11）是最有价值的资源。参与者报告说他们有一种归属感（平均值为 2.29）并促进了知识交流（平均值为 2.43）。在本研究时，参与者认为该计划对他们的工作影响较小（平均值为 3.5），但第 2 组的大多数参与者（50%）计划在他们的专业或学术工作中承认该计划。通过反思性回应，参与者表示希望继续并深化专业网络的发展。
政策圈通过创建一个促进信任、归属感和支持性环境的社区，成功地促进了知识交流。成员对该计划感到满意；为了进一步提高价值，政策圈应该实施策略，在计划结束后继续成员参与和网络建设。
