Scope: The design of an online community

Simon Fraser University’s Community of Practice for Educators (SCoPE), an online community for individuals who share in an interest in education research and practice, provides opportunities for sharing and dialogue across disciplines, geographical borders, levels of expertise, and educational sectors. Prior to launch in fall, 2005 we undertook a number of research, planning, and design activities to inform our choices about platform, core activities, and initial preparation of the community environment. We continue to shape the community environment and plan for future activities based on participation and feedback from our members. This project documents the activities and observations that have informed the design of the SCoPE online community.