A literature review of several studies revealed the following arrangements necessary to prepare and implement a CoP at school successfully (Silveira-Maia et al., 2025):
Monthly meetings for 7-9 months;
Only include members with the most direct interest to solve the day-to day challenges in the class;
Meet in regular and authentic life contexts;
Make it clear that meetings are not about having all the answers, but about exploring questions together;
Define members’ roles and responsibilities;
Acknowledge that the team builds upon each other's information to produce new ideas in a participatory and creative process;
Recognize that there are no final solutions from the outset – rather, there is a plan to be tested in practice and adapted as needed. It’s an ongoing, improvisational process.
As with setting up the CoP team, preparing the Community of Practice itself also depends on its focus area and requires attention to the people, context, timing, and rules involved. It's an ongoing and collaborative effort.
From experience to practice: our tips for getting started
Don’t worry – you don’t have to launch big right away. Based on our own experience, we’d like to share a few practical tips that can help you get started and keep things sustainable:
Start small: Try short, focused meetings, such as lunch sessions.
Build on what’s already there: Connect to existing activities or plans for school development instead of adding extra layers.
Give the team ownership: Let participants decide how often they meet and which topics they want to explore.
Value the effort: Make contributions visible and meaningful and celebrate small successes.
These small steps can make a big difference in creating a strong foundation for a thriving Community of Practice.
Plan your CoP meetings to make them work
When preparing the CoP, it can be helpful to use a meeting design tool such as IDOARRT. This framework provides a simple structure to plan and prepare effective meetings and create clarity for all participants.
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Intention
Define the purpose of the meeting: What brings your CoP together and why this meeting matters? A clear intention helps everyone understand the shared focus and sets the tone for collaboration. You might, for example, write down one sentence that captures the main reason for meeting and share it with the core team members.
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Desired outcome
Describe what you want to achieve by the end of the meeting. Clarifying the desired outcome gives direction and helps ensure that your time together leads to tangible results. Communicating these outcomes in advance enables the core team members to prepare meaningfully.
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Agenda
Outline the topics and activities that will help reach your desired outcomes. A clear agenda structures the conversation, keeps discussions on track, and ensures everyone knows what to expect.
Once, these preparatory activities are in place, you are ready to invite the core team to the meeting. We recommend sending a personal and motivating invitation - it sets the tone for collaboration, shows that everyone’s presence matters, and highlights the shared responsibility for shaping the CoP. Include the following elements in your invitation and share it well in advance:
Define the purpose of the meeting. Formulate a short and clear statement that explains why the group is coming together. This shared intention gives meaning and direction to your collaboration.
Share the agenda, date, and time. Providing this information in advance allows everyone to plan ahead, prepare thoughtfully, and fully engage in the meeting.
With the date and time fixed, you can now focus on preparing the meeting in more detail.
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Roles
Clarify who takes on which responsibilities during the meeting - for example, who facilitates, keeps time, or takes notes. Defining roles helps ensure structure, shared ownership, and smooth collaboration. You can simply assign roles at the beginning of the meeting or rotate them among team members to strengthen participation.
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Rules
Agree on a few ground rules for how the group wants to work together in order to foster a positive meeting culture and create a safe space for open exchange. These can be discussed briefly at the start or summarized on a slide or whiteboard.
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Time
Create a schedule and allocate realistic time slots for each agenda item. This helps the group stay on track and ensures that all important topics are addressed.
References
Silveira-Maia, M., Neto, C., Sanches-Ferreira, M., Alves, S., Durães, H., Breyer, C., Vandenbussche, E., Boonen, H., Zacharová, Z., Ferková, Š., Schukoff, P., Unterreiner, S., & Teijsen, E. (2025). Mapping CoP for inclusion: a Knowledge Base. Instituto Politécnico do Porto. https://doi.org/10.26537/e.ipp.136
