At ASU, we’re exploring how to build more human-centered, character-driven systems of learning, leadership, and collaboration. One of our core frameworks to put this into practice is Principled Innovation (PI). PI is a way of making decisions that considers moral, civic, intellectual, and performance dimensions. To help bring PI to life across the university, we’ve been cultivating Communities of Practice (CoPs) – spaces where people regularly come together to learn, reflect, and grow in community. We are continuing to learn as we develop and scale our CoP ecosystem, starting with our work at the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation (MLFC).
What we set out to learn
Even before PI became an institutional design aspiration at ASU, we launched a Templeton-funded evaluation project to explore how CoPs support the cultivation of knowledge, meaning-making, and practice. Over three years, we focused on the CoP ecosystem at MLFC and asked several questions to better understand our learning community’s understanding and use of PI and CoPs. Among the many questions we explored were:
- To what extent do faculty and staff like and find value in participating in CoPs?
- What is the greatest facilitator for implementing or practicing Principled Innovation?
- How does CoP participation affect communication and connection with peers around PI?
Each year, we reviewed a new wave of data and reflected on what to sustain, shift, or release in our approach.
What the data is telling us
The data affirmed what many of us had experienced firsthand: PI-CoPs are valuable, and their value deepens over time.
We found that consistent participation (as opposed to occasional or none) was associated with greater understanding and use of PI. This insight is helping us think about how to support long-term engagement – either by helping participants stay involved in a single CoP over time or by supporting involvement in multiple CoPs. Anecdotal evidence over the years has shown us that those who participate in more than one tend to be more intentional in how they practice PI.
A small example of what we saw in the data In Year 2, 60% of participants rated their CoP experience as “very” or “extremely” valuable. In Year 3, that number rose to 71%. We believe this increase, along with other findings, reflects the power of sustained engagement – the longer people participate, the stronger their relationships and practices become.
Designing for relationship
One of the most exciting findings in our research is that people find it helpful to practice Principled Innovation in relationship with others.
We’ve taken this insight seriously. In our early Meta CoP at MLFC, which met virtually, we relied on breakout rooms to foster small-group dialogue and reflection. But there’s no substitute for the depth and nuance of in-person connection. We noticed the limitations of screens, and the sudden disconnect that happens when you log off.
With our Catalyst and Program Manager CoPs, we’ve been more intentional about designing in-person gatherings that support embodied practices and deeper relationship-building. These include:
- Walk and talks
- Partner design activities that involve movement and rotation
- Shared meals and informal conversation
- Physical environments that invite connection, such as circles of chairs, round tables, and open dialogue
These design choices help us foster a sense of care, belonging, and community, which is something participants frequently tell us they value, even during busy times.
Responding to real-life barriers
We also recognize that time is a real constraint. That’s why we strive to make sessions purposeful and responsive, balancing in-person gatherings with virtual ones to accommodate different needs and schedules.
What’s been encouraging is that even during the busiest times of the year, participants often push back on offers to cancel sessions. They say, “This is the meeting I want to be in.” That kind of feedback tells us we’re creating something that matters.
Why this matters
As we continue to grow our PI- CoP ecosystem, we’re learning that real change doesn’t happen in isolation, it happens in community. By investing in relationships and creating intentional spaces for shared reflection and learning, we’re not only advancing Principled Innovation at ASU, we’re building a culture of purpose, connection, and care.