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

make good sense (see Figure 3.1). The concept 'community ofpractice' is a constitutive
element ofa broader conceptual framework, whose'analytical power' resides in its
ability to integrate the components ofthe model (ibid.:6).
Figure 3.1: The Elements ofWenger's Social Theory of Learning
Learning as
experience
Learning
Meaning
Leaming as
belonging
The usefulness ofWenger's theory oflearning in a community ofpractice lies in its
common sense simplicity which he aptly describes as follows:
'" the concept community ofpractice is neither new nor old. It has both the eye-opening
character ofnovelty and the forgotten familiarity ofobviousness - but perhaps that is the
mark of our most useful insights (ibid.:7).
The focus on participation implies that for individuals, learning is an issue ofengaging in
and contributing to the practices oftheir communities. For communities, it entails
refining their practice and ensuring new generations ofmembers (Wenger 1998). This
implies that learning cannot be a separate activity. " It is not something we do when we
do nothing else or stop doing when we do something else" (ibid.:8) Learning is
something we can 'assume', irrespective ofwhether it is visible or not or whether we
79