Communities of Practice

MAC supports AI Communities of Practice across Maine — groups of practitioners who share knowledge, build trust, and help each other navigate rapid change.

A Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common concern or interest and who learn from each other by interacting regularly. Unlike a committee or a task force, a CoP isn’t defined by an organizational chart or a deadline — it’s held together by the members’ shared commitment to a domain they care about, and by the trust and relationships that develop over time. Think of the informal network of nurses on a hospital floor who share shortcuts and flag emerging problems before they become crises. A CoP produces something a library or a website cannot: the accumulated knowledge that comes from people working through real problems together, sharing what worked and what didn’t, and building a common understanding of their field.¹

Each CoP is run by community-side conveners, supported by MAC infrastructure: meetings, online discussion, participation by email, and a dedicated website.