Jawitz, J. (2009). Academic Identities and communities of practice in a professional discipline

Jawitz, J. (2009).  Academic Identities and communities of practice in a professional discipline.  Teaching in Higher Education, 14(3), pp. 241 - 251.  Retrieved on August 7, 2010 from http://www.informaworld.com.ezproxy.usq.edu.au/openurl?genre=article&issn=1356-2517&volume=14&issue=3&spage=251


Interviews conducted on university staff reveal changes that have taken place over a thirty year time frame.  Issues in identity formation in staff and reputation are covered.  Details include leadership qualities, the relationship between practice and research, and a shift in ideology from traditional to modern.


Academic identity
Identity is constructed by individuals as they ally themselves with what is important or of primary consideration, indicating that identity is entrenched (e.g. doctors may view themselves as healers, or they may have a particular calling to a hobby).  They may not always present this side of themselves, and it may not be apparent to the world at large as it constitutes the values they attribute to life.  Membership to communities of practice open up an individual to experience that reveals environmental stimulation.  


Experience of practice and environment help develop identity.  Within academia, a traditional view has been to think of teaching as less rewarding than research.  Teaching has been a profession that encountered isolation, unlike research practice which embodies collective knowledge.


Identity construction and participation
Models describing transactive memory deconstruct identity building processes to verify and understand the supportive nature of integration within a community of practice.  Transformation in identity is indiscernible when viewed on a day to day basis.  Although embedded activity progressively enhances an individuals cognitive and associative behaviour, epistemic beliefs play a major role in the way adaptation to transformation occurs.


Identity becomes a negotiated compromise between the framework of the environment (e.g. setting), the extent of participation, the individual, and self-perception.  The learning trajectories that emerge are attributed to past and current exposure, and define future potential.  New members observe displayed patterns of behaviour and modulate themselves.  Levels of participation determine involvement and attitude.  Initial attitudes transform over time as new members settle in with the familiar, and assert independence.  Tensions are observed as new members attempt to find their own space amongst established members.  Evolution and progression is a continuous cycle.


Communities of practice in the department of design
In this study, a division between undergraduate and postgraduate teaching departments was obvious.  The undergraduate teaching department consisted of new members and mid-level employees.  Senior teaching faculty members were seconded to the graduate programs.  Although there were regularly held meetings, departments were unable to contribute effectively together (e.g. working memory can only store x amount of information).  Jawitz indicates that the undergraduate department was tightly structured, whereas the postgraduate department was much looser owing to the type of study at that level.  As such, postgraduate studies required more senior level academics.


Traditionally, experience is gained through professional unity by building identity through interaction.  Communities of practice exist as memes.  Group members are seen to be role models.  The point of this is to develop a generation of young professionals capable of handling working systems.  Assessment is geared up to understand how students can best deliver their knowledge in ways that shows in behavioural change.


Tensions between professional and academic identities
Identity lies in valuing empathic integrative behaviour of the collective (e.g. people like each other).  Fear of complacency motivates individuals to strive harder, and in doing so, expect group members to work at the same levels of speed or accuracy.  Tensions emerge when individual members have expectations that cannot be met (e.g. belief that one individual is doing more).  An open and honest culture of communication is vital to transactive memory and integrative behaviour.


A commitment to participate may mean a shifting of priorities over time.  Senior members accept responsibilities with a growing awareness of group function and activity.  Identities develop and transform continuously as roles or job functions develop.  The holistic knowledge and capability that an individual develops as a result of time on performance generates subject matter expertise allowing task based function to develop within a different capacity.  Core functions change as members realise their strengths.  Novice members produce behavioural changes based on what they see and how they are treated.  The priorities and values that a senior member models establishes the professionalism of communities of practice.


Sustaining standards within a community can lead to contextual problems when considering an international network.  Introspective reflection determines how discipline and practice emerge.  Contextual links to other members of the community makes a difference in how knowledge is gathered.  Role models with strong identities that adhere to one principle archive knowledge in a manner that dictates their practice and may not be entirely suited for other areas in the profession (e.g. the difference between a teacher teaching a novice researcher, and a researcher teaching the novice).


An emergent research identity
Acknowledging the value of outputs and how they relate to professional and academic sustainability bifurcates the discipline into fields of 1) practice; and 2) research.  By allying to a professional standard (e.g. a community) both functions are brought together to produce a new knowledge that has its foundations in both disciplines.  Younger generations are more in tune with this approach to knowledge gathering and adapt to acquiring both to ensure a successful future.  Early indications suggest that research and development departments may emerge in all areas of practice.  Compromise is sought and only made possible by open communication that has high regard for contributions, and patience in solving problems.


Identity and career trajectories
Professional practice can be viewed as the practice of consulting with a strong and sustainable link to learning and analysis.  Projection of successful identities determines an individuals career path.  By absorbing the culture, values and knowledge of a community, members are able to transmit their learning via inbound or outbound trajectories (e.g. stimulation from one group may cause similar results in another group).  Current trends of practice are the results of an evolving and progressive culture.


Conclusion
Although a shortage of available talent has led to a competitiveness within individuals, and an acceptance of legitimate peripheral participation (e.g. part-time work to maintain links in a professional capacity).  Assessment takes into consideration the outcomes as modeled by individual practice.  A supportive framework allows members to develop an identity within their function that enhances group process and activity (e.g. when each member accepts responsibility for their function and values group members with empathy as they develop and interact during activities).  Individual epistemic beliefs direct their area of involvement and the development of their professional identity.  As experience is gained and knowledge increases, levels of participation change and adapt with seniority that propels transformation in identity.