ERIC Number: EJ1302699
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 25
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1941-5257
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Building an Online Community of Practice through WeChat for Teacher Professional Learning
Xue, Sijia; Hu, Xiao; Chi, Xinli; Zhang, Jiangzhi
Professional Development in Education, v47 n4 p613-637 2021
This study explored how a group of higher education teachers in China used WeChat to build an online Community of Practice (OCoP), which supported their professional learning. A qualitative study was designed. Data were collected from multiple sources including online interaction excerpts, teachers' reflections, classroom observation, and interviews. The results showed that the participants were utilizing the teacher group created through WeChat to build an OCoP for professional learning in terms of three dimensions: mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire. Positive perceptions were identified in these participants on joining the teacher group. Moreover, their teaching practices were transformed positively. A framework for using mobile social media to transform OCoPs into knowledge-building communities for teacher professional learning was proposed based on the findings. Guidelines for nurturing and maintaining OCoPs as well as for adopting the framework are developed. Suggestions for future research are provided.
Descriptors: Communities of Practice, Teacher Collaboration, College Faculty, Teacher Attitudes, Faculty Development, Telecommunications, Handheld Devices, Foreign Countries, Social Media, Technology Uses in Education, Program Effectiveness
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
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