Communities of practice as information systems: Humanities scholars and information convergence.

摘要

This study explores the information work practices of humanities scholars. Forty-three scholars from three universities' humanities disciplines were interviewed and observed during 1999–2000. Humanities scholars' work focuses on a large volume of materials in multiple media over a broad time span. For these reasons, they are an optimal case study of information behavior.; Communities of practice are collectivities whose members' engagement with each other, via work practices, constitute the community. The community of practice provides a shared history, creates a common understanding of scholarly work, and shapes professional interaction. Individuals' memberships are trajectories, beginning in graduate school and extending throughout scholars' careers, along which the amount and type of engagement vary.; Work practices are defined collectively through community engagement. The practices described include how they search for and gather information, manage time and tasks, read and analyze information, take notes, and write their own documents. Engagement with the rest of the community takes place throughout each of these practices—peers help each other find information, and directly or indirectly define what resources are critical, they critique each others' work, they read and discuss or ignore each others' publications. Research is carried out and evaluated in a process of interaction with community members, standards, and shared history. These practices are rooted in a base of resources and tools which significantly contribute to and shape scholarly work.; Scholarly work practices create and constitute two essential resources: personal collections and individuals' expertise. The personal collection, which reflects past and ongoing scholarly work, and professional expertise, the ever-changing base of knowledge and experience, are the basis upon which research develops and professional identity is formed. This professional identity shapes and reflects scholars' success in academia.; Ultimately, the community of practice itself constitutes an information system. The central dynamic of this is information convergence, the alignment of practices and resources. This convergence is created in the course of becoming a full member of the community of practice, and is enacted through the practices of the community. This holistic understanding of humanities scholars' work leads to new understandings of how and why people use information resources.