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

field ofteacher development is to develop programmes that will induct EMS teachers
into the deeper structure ofthe discipline.
2.6 IMPLICATIONS OF THE LITERATURE FOR TIDS STUDY
Implications ofthe different elements ofthe literature review for the present study will
now be briefly addressed. The review ofthe literature afforded a basis for exploring,
illuminating, clarifying and interpreting the various concepts and principles involved in
the present research study on EMS teacher learning and teaching. Emerging from the
literature were several issues relevant to the study. The literature review:
• Revealed the increasing currency ofthe principles ofteacher learning
communities and their potential for teacher development despite the fact that there
is still much to be learnt about this model;
• Informed the conceptualisation / nature ofthe TEMS programme (outlined in
detail in Chapter One),
• Reflected changing trends in classroom research over time,
• Drew attention to the scope and range ofproblems experienced by teachers in
their daily practice by focussing on the key interactionist concepts ofcontext and
strategy, and their implications for teacher development,
• Highlighted the dearth ofresearch in Economics education in particular, and the
complete absence ofresearch into Economic and Management Sciences teaching
and learning,
• Illustrated the nature ofdisciplinary competence and skills demanded ofteachers
who are required to teach the new EMS learning area.
Drawing on the literature in its conceptualisation, the present research study set out to
investigate EMS teachers' learning through participation in a teacher development
project, structured to enhance participation in a learning community. It explored teachers'
biographies and examined how the context in which teachers work influenced their
teaching and learning.
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