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Exploring Mathematics Teachers’ Experiences in a Community of Practice
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Exploring Mathematics Teachers’ Experiences in a Community of Practice

Osman Kasimu, Carol Murphy, Vesife Hatisaru and Robyn Reaburn
Proceedings STEM 2022
7th International STEM in Education Conference , 7th (Online, 23/11/2022–26/11/2022)
18/11/2022
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Proceedings: STEM 2022View
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Abstract

Community of practice mathematics teachers' experiences pedagogical strategies professional learning
THEME: Teacher education and professional learning in STEM BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Research studies have shown associations between teacher pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and the effectiveness of teaching in individual STEM subjects including mathematics (Beswick, & Fraser, 2019). Studies aiming at professional development have shown that teacher collaboration is effective in enhancing PCK (e.g., Evens et al., 2015). The notion of teachers learning within Communities of Practice (CoP) has seen growing interest in educational research (Jaworski et al, 2017), but less is known about teachers' experiences in a CoP. This study aimed to explore Junior High school mathematics teachers' experiences in a CoP and the impact of these experiences on their professional learning. METHODOLOGY: In this study, we draw on Wenger and colleagues’ social learning theory and CoP framework to understand teachers' experiences in a collaborative environment. Eight junior high school mathematics teachers in Ghana participated in this study and met regularly during six months (once a month) to explore pedagogical strategies intended to support students in solving algebraic word problems. Thematic data analysis was used to analyse teachers' responses to semi-structured interviews on their experiences in the CoP. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Results revealed that the group exhibited the three characteristics of a CoP (domain, community, and practice) as outlined by Wenger (2011). These characteristics showed a mutual relationship between the teachers, allowing them to share their experiences in teaching algebra word problems. The teachers gained new teaching strategies using visual representations which improved students' interest in mathematics. We conclude by offering recommendations to policymakers in education to look through the lens of CoP as a transformative approach to teachers' professional learning.

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