Lifelong Learning: The Fundamental Reality

GSLL 6206 80 Sec. 2

Roger Johnson

28 January 2012

As I read Wenger's text, I find the material complex in nature but fundamental in his notions. In vignettes 1and 2, s/he uses the roles and responsibilities of claims processors, to show how knowledge can sometimes inhibit a preconceived outcome. S/he states that claims processors use a worksheet to calculate incoming claims. The worksheets are relatively straight forward and if information is logged correctly, the total amount of payment awarded to the client will be calculated in accordance to the inserted information. However, there are unknown factors that will inhibit the claims processors from effectively settling some of the claims, because information from other departments must be included before a final decision can be made for payment.

Within the employ of the claims processors, are implicit expectations that are not written in their job descriptions. They will continually retrieve information from other departments to determine whether the claimant has received recent payment or has had their benefits altered in some way. In some instances benefits may have been cancelled. At the same time, phones are also ringing and must be answered. Answering phones is crucial and is an integral part of a claims processor job description. The claims processor will need information not available to them because it has not been uploaded to their system, or the information has not been processed. S/he also talks about a claims processor who overheard a conversation between other employees that was pertinent information. If the claims processor did not overhear the conversation, they would have had to find this information on their own which would have taken up valuable time and could possibly create a backlog in the department.

I think Wenger is using these vignettes to show how a community of practice is formed at Alinsu Insurance Company. There is no question that there is consensus and commitment at Alinsu. The working environment is positive environment, and employees have a willingness to assist one another when and where it is necessary. I also see committed employees because they do whatever it takes to complete a given task. Sometimes the task they need to perform, is not a task that is conducive to their job description. I can see how the worksheet is a contributing factor as to the difficulties sometime faced by the claims processors. If the processors only followed the guidelines and procedures dictated by the worksheet, they would often find themselves overwhelmed with incomplete claims as well as a chaotic department. I think Wenger is saying that it is not our knowledge of any given thing that advances our society, but our ability to use our imagination when we are in doubt. The claims processors needed to use their imagination to solve many problems that had no direct link to their department. The fact that the worksheet was written correctly and covered all aspects of mitigating a claim, it did not address the fact that all claims are different and may require information not listed on the sheet. Hence, a community of practice is formed, and the cohesiveness of the employees will work in harmony and effective.

I am with the belief that Wenger's notions can be infused with the teachings of an Africentric organization. Wenger talks about community and organization, and Africentrism models community as an underlying practice. Both address overlooking the faults of one another, a desire to be in harmony and balance, avoid conflict, and work toward seeking positive interactions whether it is inside or outside of the workplace. That being said, it then stands to reason that a communal or group type of relationship is necessary, if society is going to advance in a meaningful and positive direction during this age of fast paced lifestyles and technological precepts. Therefore, to follow Wenger's idea of community practices, I think society must become connected and recognize the pitfalls of our nonproductive tendencies within ourselves and our organizations. Until we are able to improve on the perspective of community practices, we will never have the ability to improve ourselves or our organizations.

References

Wenger, Etienne. (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity.

            New York: Cambridge University Press.