Adopting Communities of Practice as a Framework for Teacher Development
Communities of Practice: Creating Learning Environments for Educators, 1, chapter 12, Information Age Publishing, Charlotte, NC, (2008)Abstract
This chapter reports on a study that aims to explore the potential effect of Communities of Practice (CoPs) as a framework for teacher learning and professional development. The Community of Practice (CoP) created among a group of primary school teachers for this study aimed at enhancing teachers' knowledge and perceptions of teaching English to young learners. The findings strongly suggest that a CoPs approach to teachers' professional development is more beneficial than the so-called traditional learning opportunities envisaged by many in-service teacher training models. It creates a powerful learning environment where teachers can find opportunities to share, cooperate, understand, and support each other; become aware of their weaknesses and strengths; and enhance their perceptions of Teaching English to Young Learners through collaborative, dialogic and reflective learning.
Description
CLEE