Teacher Learning in a Community of Practice: A Case Study of ...

Teachers were able to describe the new EMS curriculum in more practical ways and
could articulate benefits they had identified. While some degree ofuncertainty still
existed, these uncertainties were not as pronounced as compared to sentiments expressed
at the initial interviews. With regard to teachers' understandings ofthe EMS learning
area, it was evident that teachers had experienced definite albeit varying shifts in their
understandings, ranging from 'very weak' understandings to 'developing understandings'
and 'substantially developed understandings'. This was largely as a result oftheir
participation and involvement in the work ofthe TEMS project, their willingness to try
out ideas that had emerged in the TEMS workshops, and their regular reflections and
sharing ofexperiences.
The next section addresses teachers' learning in terms oftheir changing EMS practice.
6.3 SECTION TWO
AN ANALYSIS OF TEACHER LEARNING USING WENGER'S
CONSTUCT 'PRACTICE': LEARNING AS DOING
6.3.1 Introduction
This component ofteacher learning deals with teachers' changing practice. Wenger's
conception of 'practice' with regard to teacher learning would entail what teachers did so
as to perform their jobs as EMS teachers. It is clear that teachers' work constitutes more
than teaching in the classroom. It entails participation in a range of activities that could
include committee meetings, making presentations, discussions with parents, and so on.
In terms ofThe Norms and Standards for Teacher Education, teachers were expected to
be learning mediators, interpreters and designers oflearning programmes, leaders,
administrators and managers, scholars, researchers and lifelong learners, play a
community, citizen and pastoral role, and be learning area/phase specialists.
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