scholarly journals Communities of practice or communicative rationality? A study of autonomous peer assisted learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 146978742199812
Author(s):  
Chitra Jayathilake ◽  
Mark Huxham
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
State Universities ◽  
Student Identity ◽  
Communicative Rationality ◽  
Peer Tutors ◽  
Peer Assisted Learning ◽  
Student Autonomy

Defined as ‘networks of learning relationships among students and significant others’, peer assisted learning takes a bewildering array of forms in higher education. A useful way to conceptualise these is to draw from ideas of communities of practice and communicative rationality, with the degree of student autonomy a third key element. We illustrate this approach with a study of Kuppi, an example of peer assisted learning initiated and organised entirely by students. We interviewed undergraduate participants from six state universities in Sri Lanka and found strong support for this model of peer assisted learning from student learners and student tutors. These classes are characterised by informality and discussion, flexibility in timing and location and a focus on assessments. Students determine the content and who teaches, whilst tutors give their time without payment, out of fraternity and to improve their own learning and skills. The theory of communicative rationality helped explain much of the attraction of this form of peer assisted learning. There was evidence for a strong community of practice; however apart from peer tutors aspiring to become academics, this involved mostly reinforcement of student identity rather than transformation into emerging roles. The high levels of engagement and student autonomy shown by Kuppi challenge suggestions that peer assisted learning must be organised by tutors if it is to be effective.

scholarly journals Enhancing Learning for Early Years Foundation Degree Students: Empowerment through Heutagogy and Reflecting on the Notion of Knowledgeable Others

2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-44
Author(s):  
Eleonora Teszenyi ◽  
Cristina Devecchi ◽  
Tanya Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Student Autonomy ◽  
Education Community ◽  
Direct Input

AbstractThis paper reports on a small-scale practitioner enquiry undertaken with 17 work-based learners studying on a two-year Early Years Foundation Degree programme in a higher education institution in England. The first aim of the enquiry was to identify the perspectives of a cohort of work-based Early Years Foundation Degree students on teaching strategies they experienced at a higher education institution in the English midlands. The second aim was to identify how the findings could be applied to curricular and andragogic enhancements for future students. Beliefs and attitudes questionnaires were administered to the students half way through their programme. Findings indicate that students valued strategies that included the direct input of the lecturers they regarded as ‘more knowledgeable others’ (Vygotsky, 1978), yet they rated peer support as less effective for their learning. Findings indicate that early years students’ applications of learned theory to work-based practice may need to go beyond a singular notion of ‘communities of practice’ (Lave & Wenger, 1991). Although these students are positioned and position themselves as more knowledgeable others in their own workplace communities, they regard themselves as lacking knowledge in their higher education community. As members of these various communities, they straddle heutagogic and andragogic approaches in their respective communities of practice. In recognition of this, the paper argues that not only should higher education lecturers working with work-based students adopt andragogic strategies but they should also promote heutagogic approaches that increase student autonomy. They should also communicate explicitly to their students the value of such strategies for learning in the field, both in theory and practice.

scholarly journals Creating, Sustaining and Realising the Value of a Faculty-wide Community of Teaching Practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Honey ◽  
Trudi Aspden ◽  
Anuj Bhargava ◽  
Louise Carrucan-Wood ◽  
Angela Tsai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Shared Interest ◽  
Wide Community

Communities of practice are frequently described and discussed in academic literature and within education. They are depicted as groups of people with a shared interest coming together and in a higher education setting this shared interest relates to the practice of teaching and learning. The establishment of a cross-discipline faculty-wide community of practice to support educators in higher education is novel. This paper describes the establishment of a community of practice within one university faculty uniting educators across multiple disciplines within the Faculty. Data spanning thirty months since the inception of a teaching and learning community are presented. The findings illustrate a growing community of practice, along with perceived benefits and future directions. The creation of an interprofessional faculty-wide community of practice illustrates how educators can be drawn together because of their common passion for teaching and learning and a mutual concern of how to maximise student learning.

scholarly journals Emerging Communities of Practice

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha McAlister
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Faculty Development ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Innovative Approach ◽  
Habits Of Mind ◽  
Multiple Perspectives

Communities of practice are emerging as an innovative approach to faculty development. While collaborative learning is becoming popular in the classroom, autonomy and individualism continue to dominate the culture of higher education for faculty. However, as we begin to recognize that old solutions to new problems are no longer effective, there is a growing desire for innovative engagement requiring the embrace of multiple perspectives. This takes the development of new habits of mind and discourse. For my dissertation, I engaged in a qualitative study with my colleagues where we experimented with generative approaches to dialogue in a community of practice. It became apparent that creating supportive, collegial spaces where we can explore beyond the edge of what we currently know can help us bridge across differences, harness the potential within diversity, and step into the emerging future. However, it also became apparent that this quality of dialogue is not easy.

scholarly journals Creating virtual communities of practice for learning technology in higher education: issues and experiences

2004 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Gunn
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Compelling Reason ◽  
Virtual Communities Of Practice ◽  
Technology In Higher Education

Dempster et al .’s paper (2003) describes an example of a community of practice that fits well with the definition given in current literature—one of a few that does not stretch the definition beyond the limits. Some would doubtless argue that communities evolve and cannot be created. This may point to a key element missing from the scenario described, i.e. a compelling reason for users to access the resources and participate in the communities provided for them by learning technologists.DOI: 10.1080/0968776042000211557

scholarly journals TLABs: A Teaching and Learning Community of Practice – What is it, Does It Work and Tips for Doing One of Your Own

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 136-147
Author(s):  
Shelley Beatty ◽  
◽  
Kim Clark ◽  
Jo Lines ◽  
Sally-Anne Doherty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Academic Careers ◽  
Teaching Skills ◽  
Western Australian ◽  
Successful Teaching

Communities of Practice are an increasingly common tool used to support novice academics in higher education settings. Initiated in 2015 at a Western Australian University, TLABs is an acronym for ‘Teaching and Learning for Level A and B’ academic staff and was designed to build a community of practice to mentor junior academics; help them develop their teaching skills; and enhance academic careers. The paper describes the nature of TLABs; how it is experienced from the perspective of participants and provides recommendations for implementing a successful teaching and learning community of practice in a higher education setting.

ACCOUNTING HISTORY AND GOVERNMENTAL INQUIRIES: AN EXPERIMENT IN ADVERSARIAL ROLEPLAY

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. CRAIG ◽  
A. J. GREINKE
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
American History ◽  
Steel Industry ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Ancillary Benefits ◽  
Historical Materials ◽  
Accounting History ◽  
Central Focus ◽  
Accounting Courses ◽  
Accounting Theory

Governmental inquiries where accounting is a central focus are a rich resource for injecting much needed historical content into accounting courses in higher education. An adversarial roleplay recreated a Wage Stabilization Board hearing in Washington, D.C. which, in 1952, led to President Truman's seizure of the American steel industry and ultimately to a constitutional crisis. The roleplay centered on the accounting issues debated by that Board in response to a highly provocative submission by W. A. Paton on behalf of the steel industry. The roleplay revealed strong support for recourse to such historical materials in providing an enjoyable, stimulating and effective way of learning accounting theory. Ancillary benefits were that students gained a better understanding of some important economic, political and constitutional issues in American history.

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