Extending impact beyond the community: Protocol for a scoping review of evidence of the impact of communities of practice on teaching and learning in higher education

Abstract

The disruption in higher education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has led to renewed interest in implementing communities of practice (CoPs) as a feasible mechanism for delivering faculty development. The construct of community of practice is cited in the literature among the most important strategies for professional development. However, empirical evidence of the impact of CoPs on teaching and learning is scarce and we still know little about the extent to which faculty participation in CoPs affect their teaching practices and students’ learning and achievement. This scoping review aims to collect, synthesize, and map existing evidence about the impact of CoPs in higher education. The review is guided by a conceptual framework, which incorporates six elements underlying the purpose and expected outcomes of CoPs: resources and the capacity to mobilize them, knowledge management activities and the expansion of knowledge, changes in policy and practice, and impact on higher education outcomes.