Science teaching strategies developed in an online community of practice: a case study

Abstract

Communities of practice CoPs have been presented in the literature as potential promoters of teaching strategies, however, with scarce empirical evidence. This paper's purpose is to present empirical evidence supporting the potential of online CoPs, involving teachers and researchers, for the development of effective science teaching practices. A single case study - the teaching strategies developed by an online CoP - was conducted, under the Portuguese project IPEC. Content analysis of the developed lesson plan and teaching resources was complemented with evidence from online interactions and dissemination papers produced by the CoP. The CoP developed a field trip combining diversified science teaching strategies, such as contextualised learning and questioning, referred in the literature as effective. The results also point to the evolution of the teachers' practices and, hence, they support the claim that online CoPs involving teachers and researchers can help improve science teaching practices.