What's so improper about fractions? Prescriptivism and language socialization at Math Corps

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEPHEN CHRISOMALIS
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Language Ideology ◽  
Language Socialization ◽  
Linguistic Anthropology ◽  
Social Solidarity ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Anthropological Perspective ◽  
Education Community ◽  
American Students

AbstractMathematical prescriptivism is a language ideology found in school mathematics that uses a discourse of rationality to proscribe language forms perceived as illogical or inefficient. The present study is based on a three-year ethnographic investigation of Math Corps, a community of practice in Detroit, Michigan, in which prescriptive language in the classroom is used both to highlight beneficial algorithms and to build social solidarity. Although motivated by the analogy with English orthographic reform, prescriptivism at Math Corps avoids potentially harmful criticism of community members of the sort often experienced by African American students. A playful linguistic frame, the prescriptive melodrama, highlights valued prescriptions, thereby enculturating students into the locally preferred register, the ‘Math Corps way’, which encompasses social, moral, linguistic, and mathematical practices and norms. A sociolinguistic and anthropological perspective on prescriptivism within communities of practice highlights positive alternatives to the universalizing prescriptions found in other English contexts. (Prescriptivism, language ideology, mathematics education, community of practice, Math Corps, linguistic anthropology, language socialization)*

From waifus to whales: The evolution of discourse in a mobile game-based competitive community of practice

2020 ◽  
pp. 205015792093450
Author(s):  
Brian C. Britt ◽  
Rebecca K. Britt
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Latent Dirichlet Allocation ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Mobile Games ◽  
Group Solidarity ◽  
Mobile Game ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Cooperation And Competition ◽  
Game Mechanics

Online communities devoted to mobile games represent exemplary examples of competitive communities of practice, leveraging the competing forces of cooperation and competition to foster in-group solidarity and motivate members to further engage with the game and community. In this study, latent Dirichlet allocation was used to model conversation topics across over two million posts and comments made during a 3-year period on the r/grandorder subreddit, a competitive community of practice devoted to the mobile game Fate/Grand Order. In total, 20 distinct topics emerged spanning topical foci and emotional tones. The prevalence of certain topics, such as those related to gacha game mechanics, declined as community members mastered the practice and as the practice itself changed. Future studies should compare the structure and evolution of conversations across contexts, and they should likewise examine differences that emerge in discourse due to the relative balance of competitive and cooperative influences.

The ‘indie unions’ and the UK labour movement: Towards a community of practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 0143831X2110099
Author(s):  
Holly Smith
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Labour Movement ◽  
Union Renewal ◽  
The Uk

This article draws on the concept of communities of practice (COP) in order to illuminate the phenomenon of ‘indie unions’ and their contribution to the UK labour movement. These unions are typically regarded as distinct from, and perhaps in opposition to, existing labour movement institutions, and thus exempt from consideration in debates about union renewal. The argument offered here aims to show that by conceptualising the UK labour movement as COP, and the indie unions as community members, they can be considered key actors in union renewal. Through case studies of different union campaigns in the outsourced cleaning sector, this article demonstrates how the indie unions’ strategies are being learned and practised by the established unions, thus situating them as an intrinsic part of a stratified yet solidaristic labour movement with the potential for renewal.

No longer a wacky foreigner

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura C. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Language Socialization ◽  
Legitimate Peripheral Participation ◽  
Host Family ◽  
French And English ◽  
Over Time

Abstract This study focuses on language socialization during study abroad and specifically second language learning in communities of practice. Based on oral interviews in French and English, written journals, and weekly surveys, this study examines one participant’s second language (L2) learning during a semester abroad during which he became a member of two communities of practice: his host family and a local gaming group. The participant negotiated and became more confident in his L2 identity and learning over time and increasingly solidified his membership within these groups. This study analyzes the steps taken by the participant using the framework of legitimate peripheral participation and considers identity and learning that develop within a community of practice.

(Dis)Engagement in Internet Linguistic Practices among Sojourners in China

2014 ◽  
pp. 162-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenhao Diao
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Language Socialization ◽  
Cultural Orientation ◽  
Social Networking Site ◽  
American Students ◽  
Study Abroad Program

This chapter reports on a longitudinal study that investigates two American students' engagement in a local Social-Networking Site (SNS), Weibo, at a study abroad program in China. SNSs are often thought to hold great potential for L2 teaching. However, engagement in SNS activities not only requires cultural orientation towards social media but also knowledge about how to communicate on SNSs. Drawing from language socialization and community of practice frameworks, this chapter examines how two American students participated in networking activities on Weibo and to what extent they engaged in the use of Chinese Internet Language (CIL). The findings show that the incorporation of the local SNS in instruction seemed to help the students become aware of CIL, but their participation in Weibo remained peripheral. In addition, compared to the student who did home stay, the student living in the dorm seemed to have more opportunities to be socialized into CIL.

scholarly journals Churches as Communities of Practice and the Place of Libraries in Information Sharing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lauryn Maria Hedley
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Mission Statement ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Library Service ◽  
Tacit Knowledge Sharing

<p>Research problem: Churches are communities of people who journey together, to grow in knowledge and understanding of their faith. One way churches can support this journey is through a library service. In this project, churches are viewed as a Community of Practice; they are united under a “domain of knowledge” which sets the community apart, their identity as a community, and the pursuit of tacit knowledge- sharing and developing knowledge with each other in order to put knowledge into action. Church libraries were researched to determine the role of libraries in church CoPs, whether libraries are fulfilling their purpose in this role, and to identify best-practice solutions for CoP libraries. Methodology: Seven churches in Wellington City who have libraries were chosen for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from each of the seven churches. Results: Church libraries have a lot of old content, as the majority of stock comes from donations- collection development is influenced largely by donations. Resources are modest or non-existent, which means that any best-practice solutions have to accommodate these resources restrictions. Libraries are used to a moderately satisfactory level, but all could benefit from best-practice suggestions. Implications: Unlike other types of libraries, church libraries are not considered to be essential to the running of the organisation, so there is little input or expectations from management. They are not business-driven entities, nor should they be. CoP libraries are one of many possible ways to share knowledge and information and support their communities. Having said this, there are some practical, economical steps that can be taken to improve the service: formalizing policies, procedures and a mission statement; making collections accessible in a database format; exploring web 2.0, social media and cloud-based technology to promote and/or facilitate libraries; undertaking informal user-needs research by asking community members what others in the community are wanting from a library service.</p>

scholarly journals Churches as Communities of Practice and the Place of Libraries in Information Sharing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lauryn Maria Hedley
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Mission Statement ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Library Service ◽  
Tacit Knowledge Sharing

<p>Research problem: Churches are communities of people who journey together, to grow in knowledge and understanding of their faith. One way churches can support this journey is through a library service. In this project, churches are viewed as a Community of Practice; they are united under a “domain of knowledge” which sets the community apart, their identity as a community, and the pursuit of tacit knowledge- sharing and developing knowledge with each other in order to put knowledge into action. Church libraries were researched to determine the role of libraries in church CoPs, whether libraries are fulfilling their purpose in this role, and to identify best-practice solutions for CoP libraries. Methodology: Seven churches in Wellington City who have libraries were chosen for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from each of the seven churches. Results: Church libraries have a lot of old content, as the majority of stock comes from donations- collection development is influenced largely by donations. Resources are modest or non-existent, which means that any best-practice solutions have to accommodate these resources restrictions. Libraries are used to a moderately satisfactory level, but all could benefit from best-practice suggestions. Implications: Unlike other types of libraries, church libraries are not considered to be essential to the running of the organisation, so there is little input or expectations from management. They are not business-driven entities, nor should they be. CoP libraries are one of many possible ways to share knowledge and information and support their communities. Having said this, there are some practical, economical steps that can be taken to improve the service: formalizing policies, procedures and a mission statement; making collections accessible in a database format; exploring web 2.0, social media and cloud-based technology to promote and/or facilitate libraries; undertaking informal user-needs research by asking community members what others in the community are wanting from a library service.</p>

Community-based? Asian American Students, Parents, and Teachers in the Shifting Chinatowns of New York and Los Angeles

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benji Chang ◽  
Juhyung Lee
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Asian American Students ◽  
Education Experience ◽  
American Students ◽  
Community Organizers ◽  
Holistic Vision

This article examines the experiences of children, parents, and teachers in the New York and Los Angeles Chinatown public schools, as observed by two classroom educators, one based in each city. The authors document trends among the transnational East and Southeast Asian families that comprise the majority in the local Chinatown schools and discuss some of the key intersections of communities and identities within those schools, as well as the pedagogies that try to build upon these intersections in the name of student empowerment and a more holistic vision of student achievement. Ultimately, this article seeks to bring forth the unique perspectives of Chinatown community members and explore how students, families, teachers, school staff and administrators, and community organizers can collaborate to actualize a more transformative public education experience.

scholarly journals Creating an Infrastructure Education Community of Practice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Parker ◽  
Carol Haden ◽  
Steven Hart ◽  
Michael Thompson ◽  
Matthew Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Education Community

scholarly journals A Critical Review of the Use of Wenger's Community of Practice (CoP) Theoretical Framework in Online and Blended Learning Research, 2000-2014

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sedef Uzuner Smith ◽  
Suzanne Hayes ◽  
Peter Shea
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Integrative Research

After presenting a brief overview of the key elements that underpin Etienne Wenger’s communities of practice (CoP) theoretical framework, one of the most widely cited and influential conceptions of social learning, this paper reviews extant empirical work grounded in this framework to investigate online/blended learning in higher education and in professional development. The review is based on integrative research approaches, using quantitative and qualitative analysis, and includes CoP oriented research articles published between 2000 and 2014. Findings are presented under three questions: Which research studies within the online/blended learning literature made central use of the CoP framework? Among those studies identified, which ones established strong linkages between the CoP framework and their findings? Within this last group of identified studies, what do the patterns in their use of the CoP framework suggest as opportunities for future research in online teaching and learning?

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