83 research outputs found
Communities of practice in the school workplace
Purpose – The first aim of this study is to explore to what extent communities of practice occur in
the school workplace. The second aim is to explore the relation between communities of practice and
diversity in composition of teacher teams.
Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative as well as qualitative data were gathered from
seven teacher teams in a school for secondary education. Questionnaires and observation instruments
were used to measure and analyze teacher teams’ collaborative activities and diversity in composition.
Findings – Data suggest that communities of practice actually occur in the school workplace, but to a
moderate extent. Also, communities of practice are related to four of the five diversity attributes that
were investigated.
Research limitations/implications – The current study is a snapshot measurement of
communities of practice. Future research is recommended to focus on the development of
communities of practice in the school workplace by including longitudinal measurements.
Practical implications – Implications for teachers and administrators include follow-up activities
aimed at stimulating and sustaining communities of practice as well as taking diversity considerations
in team composition into account.
Originality/value – Studies suggest that a community is a promising context for embedding
collaboration into the culture of the school. However, empirical research that focuses on communities in the
school workplace seems largely absent. This study provides insight in the occurrence of communities of
practice from two perspectives: the perception of community members and the observation from outsiders.NWO-PRO
Community development in the school workplace
Purpose – The aim of this study is to explore whether and to what degree community development
of teacher teams takes place and how community development comes about, that is, what
community-building efforts teacher teams undertake.
Design/methodology/approach – Using a multi method approach, quantitative and qualitative
data were gathered from seven interdisciplinary teacher teams in a secondary school during one school
year. Teachers’ perceptions of community development were complemented with video-observations
of team meetings by relative outsiders.
Findings – Data showed that the teacher teams undertook a wide variety and amount of
community-building efforts. However, community development of the teacher teams as perceived by
the teachers was limited. Relative outsiders observed some community development.
Practical implications – From the findings the authors conclude that school managers could play a
more proactive role in supporting teacher teams’ community-building efforts. Strategies embedding
community-building into the culture and policy of the school, including diagnosing, custom-made
support and making efforts explicit, could be effective.
Originality/value – The current study takes a long-term approach, investigating the community
development of teacher teams during the course of one school year. In addition, community
development is measured using two perspectives, i.e. that of the community members and that of the
relative outsider.NW
Workplace learning processes in Care in Dutch senior secondary vocational education and training
Het leerpotentieel van de werkplek
Dit artikel gaat in op een aantal visies en theorieën over het leren op de werkplek. Hoe en op welke wijze beroepsonderwijs gestalte moet krijgen om bij te dragen aan welvaart, industrie en economie, is een persistent onderwerp in de literatuur naar de betekenis van algemeen vormend en beroepsonderwijs. De rol en betekenis van beroepsonderwijs en een didactiek van het beroepsonderwijs, is altijd geconcentreerd geweest op de vraag hoe “werk”ervaringen en inzichten verbonden konden worden met effectieve principes van leren en kennisoverdracht. In het beroepsonderwijs is er een groot vertrouwen in de werkplek als leerplaats. Een beroep leer je pas in de praktijk en veel leerlingen in het beroepsonderwijs raken pas geëngageerd voor leren in praktische toepassingssituaties. Het is echter de vraag of dit vertrouwen in de werkplek als leerplaats terecht is, zowel in absolute zin als in termen van efficiëntie van leerprocessen. Er zijn wetenschappers die beweren, dat we altijd leren, ook als we slapen. Anderen menen dat we zelfs het grootste deel van wat we kennen en kunnen door ervaringen en informeel leren verworven hebben beweren dat die omvang wel 80% bedraagt. Afgezien van de vraag hoe dat te meten is, is er een persistente opvatting bij velen dat het “echte” leren, of het “authentieke” leren, ook wel het “natuurlijke” leren, plaats vindt in reële contexten. De school wordt soms gezien als een slechte vervanger, hoezeer deze zich ook inspant om die reële context te imiteren. Maar is deze kwalificatie van de school wel terecht in het licht van de resultaten van empirisch onderzoek naar de effecten van het leren op de werkplek
- …