Understanding pre-service teacher education discourses in Communities of Practice: a reflection from an intervention in rural South Africa

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2012
Authors
Islam, Faisal
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Education, University of the Free State
Abstract
Drawing on an evaluation experience of a teacher education preparation project in a rural area of South Africa, this paper attempts to explore the possibility of using Communities of Practice (CoP) in teacher preparation. The paper concludes that the concept of CoP is powerful in providing spaces for self-reflection to pre-service teachers and challenging the dominant urban-based teacher education discourses in relation to rural schools. However, the CoP is also problematic, especially with regard to the issues of social differences among the members of the CoP and the sustainability of the broader influence of a CoP on marginalised rural communities.
Description
Keywords
Pre-service teachers, Teacher preparation, Self-reflection, Rural communities, Communities of practice
Citation
Islam, F. (2012). Understanding pre-service teacher education discourses in communities of practice: A reflection from an intervention in rural South Africa. Perspectives in Education, 30(1), 19-29.