ERIC Number: EJ1089480
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1941-5257
EISSN: N/A
The Dynamics of an Online Community of Practice Involving Teachers and Researchers
Marques, Margarida Morais; Loureiro, Maria João; Marques, Luís
Professional Development in Education, v42 n2 p235-257 2016
In the literature, communities of practice (CoPs) are recognised as having potential to promote teachers' professional development. However, the study of the dynamics of CoPs with teachers and researchers, and their impact on teachers' professional development, is still scarce. Contributing to fill this gap, this paper presents a single case study of the dynamics of a Portuguese online CoP, created during the research project IPEC. The messages posted by the group's members in online fora (the most used communication tool) and descriptive statistics of the use of the project's platform are presented and discussed. The analysis shows different levels of participation among the members over two school years. The group's dynamic fits an adaptation of Wenger "et al.'s" model of CoP development stages. Finally, this analysis allowed the presentation of suggestions concerning teachers' involvement in CoPs and their professional development.
Descriptors: Communities of Practice, Teachers, Researchers, Professional Development, Group Dynamics, Case Studies, Partnerships in Education, Science Education, Science Teachers, Participation, Information Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Teacher Participation, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Portugal
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A