A methodology for exploring emergence in complex learning communities

Complex Learning Communities (CLCs) where diverse groups or individuals come together to gain new knowledge, understanding or skills through social interaction are increasingly being developed to address complex social or economical problems (McDonald 2005a). These learning communities attempt to capitalise on the potential synergy between diverse groups of people to address multiple, diverse aims. A good example of this phenomenon is the learning cit ies initiative (Yarnit 2000) which seeks to build city wide learning communities which both improve citizen learning and economic regeneration. Like l earning communities in general, the educational underpinning of this movement derives from approaches such as Vygotsky's (1978) social constructivis m and Bandura's (1977) Social Learning Theory. While heavily influenced by Wenger's (1998) concept of Communities of Practice, CLCs are however significantly different in the heterogeneity of their composition and the multiple drivers for participation – there is no common core aim amongst the many participants. Learning Communities can be considered complex adaptive social systems in which the community dynamics are driven by non-linear interaction both internally between participants and externally with its environment. Like all complex adaptive systems, this means that prediction and control is difficult-design and management of learning communities to ensure successful vibrant communities which achieve their multiple aims is not a simple task. Within more traditional learning communities such as formal education learning communities or Communities of Practice, the considerable body of extant research shows that success has in large measure been achieved by narrowly restricting the community to organization, interest domain or task (Brown and Salafsky