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

Cindy's role ofco-ordinator and presenter can be explained using the concept 'brokering'
(Wenger 1998). She was able to draw on experiences in other groups (Languages Group)
to inform the activities ofthe TEMS project. She quoted instances where she used
material from the TEMS project in the languages groups.
Extract from workshop observation report (17 September 2003)
Cindy: In our last LLC meeting, I took out an extract from one of our EMS
booklets. We discussed how EMS could be integrated with the languages. It
was interesting because we used the case studies. It's a good way to
consolidate new concepts...
Cindy was an important member ofthe TEMS project and was respected by the other
TEMS teachers. When individuals move across boundaries, they may take on the role of
'broker', imparting infonnation across communities and creating connections (Wenger
1998). Brokering occurs when participants with 'multi-membership (ofdifferent
communities) transfer elements ofone practice into another. This is a common feature of
the relation ofa community ofpractice with the outside. Brokers make new connections
across communities ofpractice; facilitate co-ordination and open new possibilities for
meaning. It is a complex process oftranslation, co-ordination, and alignment between
different perspectives that requires the ability to link practices by facilitating transactions
between them, and to cause learning by introducing into a practice, elements ofanother.
Brokers use their ability to carefully manage their coexistence ofmembership and non­
membership to present different perspectives on issues. Such individuals would have had
to earn sufficient legitimacy to be taken seriously (Wenger 1998).
In the following representation, we see the brokering relationships between the TEMS
community membership and membership ofother communities.
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