Sue's Tasks Wenger and Jean Lave -Task two

An example of an 'Organizational unit' that Wenger talks about is when somebody in that organization holds a higher status than everybody else and they act as a kind of boss. Everybody else in that organization has to stick to their rules. An example of where this happens is in the workplace, in a school or at home with parents and children. With an organizational unit you are under pressure and you have to go by the 'bossess' rules and it is essential that you attend and complete what is asked of you. You wouldn't argue with your boss or school teacher or not turn up to work/school one day. It is a more strict enviroment the person in the organization who holds the power and authority is there for a reason to keep people in their place and make sure they are doing their job right. For example if you didn't take you 'boss' at work very seriously and see them as having authority and the power to sack you then you wouldn't do your job properly and often wouldn't turn up.

Whereas with a community of practice there is the people who have more knowledge and are the experts at that particular thing than others but it isnt as strict and is more 'informal' as Wenger says. You don't see them as much of a 'boss' they are more there to help you learn something you are interested in and have fun with it. After all you are there because you want to be not because you have to be like with school or work. With my horseriding teacher that I talked about previously i saw her more as a friend rather than a teacher and i saw her outside of my horseriding lessons and she is friends with all my family. As we lived in the same village also we new a lot of the same people. I think when you first start a community of practice like dancing or horseriding you may see the person who runs it as a kind of teacher especially if you are young. I think the older you get though and the more you get to know them you become to see them as a freind that you respect and look up to rather than seeing them as a boss. As you all share the same interests it is harder to put some people above others you just get along and work together as a team and enjoy what you are there for.
As Winger quotes '"Communities of practice are not a new kind of organizational unit; rather, they are a different cut on the organization's structure—one that emphasizes the learning that people have done together rather than the unit they report to" with communities of practice you are not pushed to go and don't have to report to somebody say for instance if you don't show up for a couple of weeks its acceptable. You kind of have the freedom to do what you want to a certain extent. You often make choices as a group rather than been told to do so or having to abide by rules and regulations like you would in school.

Communities of practice are a more relaxed atmosphere than an Organizational unit. You can learn at your own pace like taking exams when you are ready and helping one another. Age doesn't really matter you mite start a dance school and not know as much as somebody who is younger than you who has been there a long time. However with school for example most of your learning just comes from your teacher. You move along with everyone else who is the same age as you and is in the same class and don't have a choice when taking exams things are more structured.