EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices of communities of practice for continuing professional development: A narrative overview
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examined EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices regarding communities of practice for their continuing professional development. The narrative overview approach was employed to delve into related studies on the concerned topic within the fields of education and English language teaching. The results suggested teachers positively perceived communities of practice as a means to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and reflective practice among members. Furthermore, the results highlighted the alignment between the teachers’ practices of their communities of practice and Wenger’s (1998) dimensions of communities of practice. Besides its contribution to the literature, this overview study revealed a research gap in EFL teachers’ perceptions and their practices of communities of practice in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, thereby making it significant to investigate the research problems in this context.
Keywords
Communities of practice, continuing professional development, EFL teachers, English language teaching, perceptions, practices
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
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Ekici, D. İ. (2017). Development of pre-service teachers’ teaching self-efficacy beliefs through an online community of practice. Asia Pacific Education Review, 19(1), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-017-9511-8.
El Masry, T., & Saad, M. R. M. (2018). On the cultivation of their community of practice: A case study of EFL Malaysian pre-service teachers. The Qualitative Report, 23(4), 952–977. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol23/iss4/17/.
Green, B. N., Johnson, C. D., & Adams, A. (2006). Writing narrative literature reviews for peer-reviewed journals: Secrets of the trade. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 5(3), 101–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-3467(07)60142-6.
Ha, T. C. (2013). Community of practice professional development: A study of tertiary EFL teachers in North-Eastern Vietnam. La Trobe University, Australia. Retrieved from https://opal.latrobe.edu.au/articles/thesis/Community_of_practice_professional_development_A_study_of_tertiary_EFL_teachers_in_North-Eastern_Vietnam/21852711?file=38776032.
Jiménez-Silva, M., & Olson, K. (2012). A community of practice in teacher education: Insights and perceptions. The International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(3), 335–348. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1000686.pdf.
Joseph, S., & Mitchell, B. (2018). Teacher educators: Perceptions, self-views and participation in a community of practice. Caribbean Curriculum, 26, 99-130.
Kourkouli, K. (2018). Investigating the impact of Greek EFL teachers’ participation in online communities of practice as a means of professional development. European Journal of Education, 1(1), 56–75. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejed.v1i1.p56-75.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press.
Mai, T. M., Nguyen, L. T., Tran, T. L., & Le, T. V. (2020). EFL teachers’ Facebook groups as online communities of practice: Toward configurations for engagement and sustainability. Computer-Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal, 21(3), 140-158.
Mortier, K. (2018). Communities of practice: A conceptual framework for inclusion of students with significant disabilities. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(3), 329-340. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2018.1461261.
Msimanga, M. R., Mabalane, V., Ramaila, S., & Ramdhany, V. (2021). Postgraduate certificate in education student teachers’ perceptions about communities of practice at schools: Work integrated learning reflections. International Journal of Higher Education, 10(5), 155–165. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v10n5p155.
Murugaiah, P., Thang, S. M., Azman, H., & Nambiar, R. (2013). Is presence of community of practice dimensions sufficient for community-based teacher professional development? International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 8(1), 32-45. https://doi.org/10.4018/jwltt.2013010103.
Ngo, P. L. H., & Nguyen, C. N. B. (2023). Online community of practice on Facebook: A case study of EFL teachers in Vietnam. In D. Tafazoli & M. Picard (Eds.), Handbook of CALL teacher education and professional development: Voices from under-represented contexts (pp. 531-548). Springer.
Nguyen, C. D. (2016). Creating spaces for constructing practice and identity: Innovations of teachers of English language to young learners in Vietnam. Research Papers in Education, 32(1), 56–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2015.1129644.
Putri, F. F. T., & Damayanti, I. L. (2023). EFL teacher learning in online community of practice. EDUKASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran, 4(2), 1055-1064.
Sadek, H. (2020). Teachers’ perceptions of professional identity and communities of practice. The American University in Cairo, Egypt. Retrieved from https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/845.
Shaw, L., Jazayeri, D., Kiegaldie, D., & Morris, M. E. (2022). Implementation of virtual communities of practice in healthcare to improve capability and capacity: A 10-year scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 7994. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137994.
Shields, S., & Murray, M. (2017). Beginning teachers’ perceptions of mentors and access to communities of practice. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 6(4), 317–331. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-06-2017-0043.
Smith, R. M. (2019). A Community of practice for school leaders: Its impact on their perceptions of collaborative practice, levels of trust, self-awareness, and self-efficacy. William & Mary University, The USA. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1563898765/.
Snyder, W. M., Wenger, E., & de Sousa Briggs, X. (2003). Communities of practice in government: Leveraging knowledge for performance. The Public Manager, 32(4), 17-22.
Snyder, W. M., & Wenger, E. (2010). Our world as a learning system: A communities-of-practice approach. In C. Blackmore (Ed.), Social learning systems and communities of practice (pp. 107–124). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-133-2_7.
Tran, D. T., & Nguyen, T. H. (2022). Barriers preventing EFL teachers from participating and constructing communities of practice. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 6(2), 159–180. https://doi.org/10.46827/ejfl.v6i2.4405.
Tran, H. T. D. (2022). A community of practice and its influence on Vietnamese EFL teachers’ professional identities. Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://openaccess.wgtn.ac.nz/articles/thesis/A_Community_Of_Practice_And_Its_Influence_On_Vietnamese_Efl_Teachers_Professional_Identities/21101797?file=37442617.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: Development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
Wenger, E. (2011). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Scholars’ Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11736.
Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. M. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Harvard Business School Press.
Wenger, E., Trayner, B., & de Laat, M. (2011). Promoting and assessing value creation in communities and networks: A conceptual framework. Ruud de Moor Centrum.
Wenger-Trayner, E., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015). Introduction to communities of practice. Wenger-Trayner. https://www.wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice/.
Wilson, A., Wilson, C., & Witthaus, G. (2020). Using a community of practice in higher education: Understanding the demographics of participation and impact on teaching. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 32(1), 39-48.
Xue, S., Hu, X., Chi, X., & Zhang, J. (2021). Building an online community of practice through WeChat for teacher professional learning. Professional Development in Education, 47(4), 613-637. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2019.1689525.
Chaney, M. A. (2021). So you want to write a narrative review article? Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, 35(10), 3045–3049. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jvca.2021.04.002.
Ekici, D. İ. (2017). Development of pre-service teachers’ teaching self-efficacy beliefs through an online community of practice. Asia Pacific Education Review, 19(1), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-017-9511-8.
El Masry, T., & Saad, M. R. M. (2018). On the cultivation of their community of practice: A case study of EFL Malaysian pre-service teachers. The Qualitative Report, 23(4), 952–977. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol23/iss4/17/.
Green, B. N., Johnson, C. D., & Adams, A. (2006). Writing narrative literature reviews for peer-reviewed journals: Secrets of the trade. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 5(3), 101–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-3467(07)60142-6.
Ha, T. C. (2013). Community of practice professional development: A study of tertiary EFL teachers in North-Eastern Vietnam. La Trobe University, Australia. Retrieved from https://opal.latrobe.edu.au/articles/thesis/Community_of_practice_professional_development_A_study_of_tertiary_EFL_teachers_in_North-Eastern_Vietnam/21852711?file=38776032.
Jiménez-Silva, M., & Olson, K. (2012). A community of practice in teacher education: Insights and perceptions. The International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(3), 335–348. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1000686.pdf.
Joseph, S., & Mitchell, B. (2018). Teacher educators: Perceptions, self-views and participation in a community of practice. Caribbean Curriculum, 26, 99-130.
Kourkouli, K. (2018). Investigating the impact of Greek EFL teachers’ participation in online communities of practice as a means of professional development. European Journal of Education, 1(1), 56–75. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejed.v1i1.p56-75.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press.
Mai, T. M., Nguyen, L. T., Tran, T. L., & Le, T. V. (2020). EFL teachers’ Facebook groups as online communities of practice: Toward configurations for engagement and sustainability. Computer-Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal, 21(3), 140-158.
Mortier, K. (2018). Communities of practice: A conceptual framework for inclusion of students with significant disabilities. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(3), 329-340. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2018.1461261.
Msimanga, M. R., Mabalane, V., Ramaila, S., & Ramdhany, V. (2021). Postgraduate certificate in education student teachers’ perceptions about communities of practice at schools: Work integrated learning reflections. International Journal of Higher Education, 10(5), 155–165. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v10n5p155.
Murugaiah, P., Thang, S. M., Azman, H., & Nambiar, R. (2013). Is presence of community of practice dimensions sufficient for community-based teacher professional development? International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 8(1), 32-45. https://doi.org/10.4018/jwltt.2013010103.
Ngo, P. L. H., & Nguyen, C. N. B. (2023). Online community of practice on Facebook: A case study of EFL teachers in Vietnam. In D. Tafazoli & M. Picard (Eds.), Handbook of CALL teacher education and professional development: Voices from under-represented contexts (pp. 531-548). Springer.
Nguyen, C. D. (2016). Creating spaces for constructing practice and identity: Innovations of teachers of English language to young learners in Vietnam. Research Papers in Education, 32(1), 56–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2015.1129644.
Putri, F. F. T., & Damayanti, I. L. (2023). EFL teacher learning in online community of practice. EDUKASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran, 4(2), 1055-1064.
Sadek, H. (2020). Teachers’ perceptions of professional identity and communities of practice. The American University in Cairo, Egypt. Retrieved from https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/845.
Shaw, L., Jazayeri, D., Kiegaldie, D., & Morris, M. E. (2022). Implementation of virtual communities of practice in healthcare to improve capability and capacity: A 10-year scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 7994. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137994.
Shields, S., & Murray, M. (2017). Beginning teachers’ perceptions of mentors and access to communities of practice. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 6(4), 317–331. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-06-2017-0043.
Smith, R. M. (2019). A Community of practice for school leaders: Its impact on their perceptions of collaborative practice, levels of trust, self-awareness, and self-efficacy. William & Mary University, The USA. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1563898765/.
Snyder, W. M., Wenger, E., & de Sousa Briggs, X. (2003). Communities of practice in government: Leveraging knowledge for performance. The Public Manager, 32(4), 17-22.
Snyder, W. M., & Wenger, E. (2010). Our world as a learning system: A communities-of-practice approach. In C. Blackmore (Ed.), Social learning systems and communities of practice (pp. 107–124). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-133-2_7.
Tran, D. T., & Nguyen, T. H. (2022). Barriers preventing EFL teachers from participating and constructing communities of practice. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 6(2), 159–180. https://doi.org/10.46827/ejfl.v6i2.4405.
Tran, H. T. D. (2022). A community of practice and its influence on Vietnamese EFL teachers’ professional identities. Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://openaccess.wgtn.ac.nz/articles/thesis/A_Community_Of_Practice_And_Its_Influence_On_Vietnamese_Efl_Teachers_Professional_Identities/21101797?file=37442617.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: Development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
Wenger, E. (2011). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Scholars’ Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11736.
Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. M. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Harvard Business School Press.
Wenger, E., Trayner, B., & de Laat, M. (2011). Promoting and assessing value creation in communities and networks: A conceptual framework. Ruud de Moor Centrum.
Wenger-Trayner, E., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015). Introduction to communities of practice. Wenger-Trayner. https://www.wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice/.
Wilson, A., Wilson, C., & Witthaus, G. (2020). Using a community of practice in higher education: Understanding the demographics of participation and impact on teaching. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 32(1), 39-48.
Xue, S., Hu, X., Chi, X., & Zhang, J. (2021). Building an online community of practice through WeChat for teacher professional learning. Professional Development in Education, 47(4), 613-637. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2019.1689525.
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