Original Research
(Re)visiting a Community of Practice Evaluation Framework in a Students’ Speaking Association: The Role of Sociocultural Mediators
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Community of practice (CoP) is often seen as a practical application of sociocultural theory, as it provides a space for individuals to engage in collaborative learning and knowledge creation through social interaction and participation. Alike any other educational entity, it is critical to determine the effectiveness of any CoP program; therefore, providing a model for its evaluation becomes prominent. To do so, this study tries to explore a model by asking the staff involved in running a speaking association (SA) in a language school in Turkey to evaluate its effectiveness as a type of CoP. Hence, two administrators, three teachers, and five facilitators of the SA filled out a narrative frame about the evaluation criteria for the success and effectiveness of an SA. Then individual semi-structured interviews were conducted for closer scrutiny of the criteria and their reasons. Thematic analysis was employed with an eye on the sociocultural mediators to explore the themes of an effective CoP and the emerging themes were classified into three sociocultural mediators’ categories, namely psychological, material, and peer mediators. The findings of the study can inform the policymakers and teachers of learning CoPs to integrate these aspects into their programs to produce more effective results.
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Keywords
Community of Practice; Sociocultural Theory; Sociocultural Mediation
Author(s) Information
Publisher’s Note
The claims, arguments, and counter-arguments made in this article are exclusively those of the contributing authors. Hence, they do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the authors’ affiliated institutions, or EUROKD as the publisher, the editors and the reviewers of the article.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all individuals participating in this study despite their busy schedules.
Funding
This research received no specific grant.
CRediT Authorship Contribution Statement
Jaber Kamali: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Writing - Original Draft
Muhammet Furkan Alpat: Writing - Review & Editing, Supervision
Generative AI Use Disclosure Statement
In preparing this manuscript, AI-assisted tools were used solely to refine the language (e.g., improving clarity, grammar, style, and readability). The AI was not used to generate original ideas, arguments, analyses, results, or interpretations, nor to create data, figures, or references. All scholarly content and final editorial decisions are the authors’ own, and the authors take full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the work.
Ethics Declarations
World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Helsinki–Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants
This study adhered to the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and confidentiality and anonymity were maintained throughout the study.
Competing Interests
There is no conflict to declare.
Data Availability
Data are available and will be shared upon reasonable request.