FROM ISOLATION TO COLLABORATION: DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN PANDEMIC TIMES

Ferreira, Heidi Jancer; Patton, Kevin; Parker, Melissa

doi:10.22456/1982-8918.127470

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FOCUS • Movimento 28 • 2022 • https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.127470 copy

FROM ISOLATION TO COLLABORATION: DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN PANDEMIC TIMES

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the development of a group of Brazilian Physical Education (PE) teachers, who struggled with remote teaching, into a community of practice (CoP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study focused on factors that supported the CoP cultivation process in an online format. Employing action research methodology, the study involved 15 PE teachers, with one of them acting as a teacher-facilitator, and one critical friend. Data were generated through CoP’s meetings, interviews, critical friend conversations, and reflexive journaling. Thematic analysis resulted in four overarching themes: a) the pandemic as a catalyst for collaboration; b) teachers’ self-organization to enact the community; c) development of collaborative research; and d) dialogue towards a new cycle of collaboration. Noteworthy was that teachers’ self-organization was critical for guiding the CoP throughout stages of development. Further aspects that contributed to CoP’s development in a pandemic scenario are discussed.

Keywords:
Teacher continuing education; Teacher professional development; Communities of practice; Digital technology.

Stage	Questions
Potential	Who cares? Who else is out there? In what ways are their issues similar? Do we share enough to benefit from forming a community?
Coalescing	What can we each gain and contribute? Can we produce something useful? Does forming a community open possibilities no one saw before?
Maturing	What exactly is our domain? Where does it fit or stop? What activities produce the most learning value? What will constitute success?
Evolving	How do we sustain community learning loops? Where are gaps in our performance? What new issues are arising? How should we include newcomers?
Transforming	Is the community in a temporary slump or has it outlived its usefulness? Should it take a new form? What is its legacy?

Initial codes	Codes grouped into potential themes	Final themes
Facing similar problems with remote learning (RL); transition to RL; same context of FI; learning to teach online while doing; lack of support; initiative of forming a group.	A trigger for collaboration	Theme 1: the pandemic as a catalyst for collaboration
Recognizing the importance of the group; negotiating ways to work online; defining topics for conversation; barriers for participation; adapting schedule; teachers’ non-response to tasks; partnership university-school; internal facilitation.	By teachers, for teachers; finding meaning in collaboration; teachers’ self-organization; obstacles in the way; teacher-only community	Theme 2: teachers’ self-organization to enact the community
Examining best teaching practices; doing research as a catalyst; connecting research and practice; registering a project; building resources; learning skills; writing for publication; shaping identity.	Sharing experiences and doing collaborative research; becoming teachers-as-researchers	Theme 3: development of collaborative research
Valuing participation; willingness to continue; identifying new interests.	Dialogue and future actions	Theme 4: dialogue towards a new cycle of collaboration

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Rua Felizardo, 750 Jardim Botânico, CEP: 90690-200, RS - Porto Alegre, (51) 3308 5814 - Porto Alegre - RS - Brazil
E-mail: movimento@ufrgs.br

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[1] CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest in this study.