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

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER TWO
This chapter begins with an analysis ofthe literature on teacher learning communities. A
brief outline ofthe relevant research on teachers carried out over the past four decades is
then presented, and an exposition ofthe key concepts associated with the study is
provided. This is followed by a disciplinary focus providing an exposition ofthe work of
key writers in the field ofcommerce education (with special reference to Economics
education). This is intended to locate Economics and Management Sciences in the
broader field ofEconomics education. The chapter concludes with a reflection on the
implications ofthe literature review for this research study. The structure ofthis chapter
is therefore as follows:
• Teacher Learning Communities: An Overview ofthe Literature
• Broad Trends in Classroom Research since the 1960s
• Associated Concepts under study with particular reference to 'teacher
strategies'
• Locating Economic and Management Sciences in the broader field ofEconomics
Education
• Implications ofthe literature review for this study
• Conclusion
2.2 TEACHER LEARNING COMMUNITIES: AN OVERVIEW OF THE
LITERATURE
There have been significant developments in the continuing professional development of
teachers in recent years. Continuing professional development has been influenced by the
emergence ofthe worldwide web and ofe-Iearning which have created previously
unheard of methods, approaches and models with overlapping meanings and complex
definitions. While theory and research extend our understandings ofteacher learning and
30