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

individual participants changed differed. Teachers' biographies, personal epistemologies
and motivations influenced the extent to which their learning 'progressed' in terms ofthe
four elements oflearning as espoused by Wenger. While some teachers were attracted by
the excitement oflearning new commerce content knowledge, others emphasised the
importance ofdeveloping pedagogical content knowledge. For some participants, the
social aspect and networking provided by the TEMS project was particularly appealing.
For others, TEMS provided an opportunity to develop and refine personal identities, a
means for personal growth and advancement.
This chapter provides a detailed narrative vignette ofone research participant, a strategy
gleaned from Graven (2002). The reason for the selection ofone teacher is to provide an
analysis using a 'thick' description (Geertz 1973) so as to illustrate with richness and
fine-grained texture the nature ofthe change that had occurred for this teacher. An
analysis ofthis teacher's learning in terms ofWenger's (1998) four components of
learning is presented. This is summarised and consolidated in tabular form and captures
the key difference in terms ofthese four components oflearning (see Section 5.7, figure
5.2).
Wenger's framework provides a basis for theorizing the frame for the data analysis that
follows in Chapters Six and Seven. Full data sets for all participating teachers were
compiled. These included initial interviews, lesson observations, records ofconversations
and interactions with teachers (made in myjournal) and data from final interviews.
Interviews were recorded, transcribed and returned to teachers for verification (see
Chapter 4).
From the data sets, John's data set was selected to demonstrate the nature, extent and
complexity ofteacher learning that had occurred during the TEMS project. The rationale
for this selection was that John demonstrated the most significant changes with regard to
Wenger's four components ofleaming. A narrative vignette was constructed from
selective transcripts drawn from interviews, informal conversations, classroom
observations and TEMS workshop observations. In qualitative research, selection is
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