abstract: ABSTRACT There are currently 82,369 teachers nationwide who are National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs). In Arizona the number of NBCTs is 678. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect cognitive coaching conversations and participation in a community of practice had on National Board candidates' self-efficacy and their understanding of the National Board Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). A mixed methods research approach was used to collect data including: surveys, interviews, researcher observations, and cognitive coaching transcripts. I conducted a case study of five National Board candidates at my school. Drawing on the social cognitive theory, this study was framed by the construct of self-efficacy. Through the use of open-ended questions, cognitive coaching conversations pushed candidates' thinking to a deeper level of understanding. The teachers involved in the National Board certification process represented a community of practice as the expectations and language of the NBPTS standards and portfolio directions also provided a common connection. Findings in this study reveal that cognitive coaching conversations and membership in a community of practice have a positive impact on teachers' self-efficacy during the National Board certification process. In addition, on-going cognitive coaching conversations and participation in a community of practice positively impact National Board candidates' understanding and articulation of the NBPTS standards. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2011

abstract: Rapidly increasing demand for technology support services, and often shrinking budgetary and staff resources, create enormous challenges for information technology (IT) departments in public sector higher education. To address these difficult circumstances, the researcher developed a network of IT professionals from schools in a local community college system and from a research university in the southwest into an interorganizational community of practice (CoP). This collaboration allowed members from participating institutions to share knowledge and ideas relating to shared technical problems. This study examines the extent to which the community developed, the factors that contributed to its development and the value of such an endeavor. The researcher used a mixed methods approach to gather data and insights relative to these research questions. Data were collected through online surveys, meeting notes and transcripts, post-meeting questionnaires, semi-structured interviews with key informants, and web analytics. The results from this research indicate that the group did coalesce into a CoP. The researcher identified two crucial roles that aided this development: community coordinator and technology steward. Furthermore, the IT professionals who participated and the leaders from their organizations reported that developing the community was a worthwhile venture. They also reported that while the technical collaboration component was very valuable, the non-technical topics and interactions were also very beneficial. Indicators also suggest that the community made progress toward self-sustainability and is likely to continue. There is also discussion of a third leadership role that appears important for developing CoPs that span organizational boundaries, that of the community catalyst. Implications from this study suggest that other higher education IT organizations faced with similar circumstances may be able to follow the model presented here and also achieve positive results. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2011

This qualitative study investigated how the organizational culture at a small, non-profit, faith-based organization impacted communities of practice (CoP). The literature reviewed focuses on the following: faith-based, non-profit organizations, communities of practice and organizational culture. The study was situated in a small, non-profit, faith-based organization in Southern Illinois. The methodology of the study was an ethnographic informed design and the follow methods were used: participant observation, interviews, and document analysis. Wenger's (2004) social theory of learning informed this study. The purpose of the study was to describe: (a) how a small, non-profit, faith-based organization's culture fosters or hinders the development and growth of communities of practice (CoPs), (b) how the organizational members identify the existence of CoPs, and (d) what value the organization recognizes as a result of the knowledge shared. This is important not only to add to the literature concerning small, faith-based organizations and CoPs, but to help this organization and similar organizations understand the importance of learning that takes place as a result of organizational member's participation in CoPs. In light of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PWORA) of 1996, or more informally known as Charitable Choice (Thomas, 2009) and now the White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (White House, 2009), the need to help these small, faith-based organizations is relevant. Part of helping the sustain themselves could be by enabling them to recognize the existence of CoPs within their organizations, and in turn helping them understand how to utilize CoPs to their benefit. The results of this study provide discussion around several findings. Findings revealed that there is a CoP in existence. Organizational members do recognize that they share a passion and come together as a group to work toward that passion, yet do not recognize the CoP as it is defined. Further findings provide understanding about how knowledge is shared and what knowledge is shared among organizational members that participate in the CoP. In addition, findings reveal that the organizational culture is aligned with the faith and values of the organization; that the culture does foster growth of CoPs in various ways, but does hinder the growth of CoPs through two barriers. There are several conclusions drawn from this study. First, that the staff is the central hub of communication flow between the internal organizational members Second, that learning is a heart thing, which is a metaphor used to describe the affective learning that takes place within the organization. Third, there is a strong relationship between the culture of the organization and the CoP. Fourth, that sharing, socializing and prayer time are tools used for social interaction among the staff and volunteers. Finally, that the framework of the social theory of learning is embedded with the community of practice identified at The Center. The recommendations include ideas for future research that could expand on the conclusions of this study. Additionally, it is recommended that the results of this study be shared and explained to the organization itself, as well as create ways of sharing the results with similar organizations. Sharing of this study would help such smaller, faith-based, non- profit organizations learn how recognize CoPs, understand how to build a culture within their organization that would foster CoPs, and help them learn how to utilize CoPs in a way that best utilizes their limited resources.

Both researchers and jazz professionals believe the expansion of jazz performance programs in universities over the last several decades warrants a need for critical research into the processes and experiences by which jazz students develop into professionals. Although the number of colleges offering degrees in jazz performance has risen dramatically during this time, instructional approaches remain relatively standardized throughout the schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of five working professional New York City jazz musicians in an attempt to better understand how they learned to improvise and develop their individual voices. These musicians included Joe Lovano, Otis Brown III, Francisco Mela, James Weidman, and Matthew Wilson. In this study I used Wenger's (2008) theory of Communities of Practice as the theoretical framework for an exploration of the meaning, practice, community, and identity of these five professional jazz musicians. Data collected for this case study entailed interviews, observations, and collection of artifacts. The interview data provided by the participants were transcribed and coded for the purpose of identifying emerging themes. The themes were then woven into a narrative based on the participants' responses to a series of open-ended questions. The themes that emerged included auto-biographical recollections of the participants' earliest musical experiences. The musicians spoke openly about their childhoods and various aspects of the context of their learning experiences on the way to becoming jazz professionals. The discussion included the musicians' views on communicating through improvisation, mentoring, and the value of relationships created through involvement in a jazz community on the development of a unique improvisational voice. Two major themes emerged in data analysis. First, Joe Lovano and Us Five experienced university jazz educations but in interviews and observation, the musicians seemed not dependent on, or even utilizing that part of their past. Instead, the musicians strongly emphasized community and community building, professional on-stage experience, and longitudinal exposure and life study that many college jazz majors may never experience. Second, the musicians eschewed certain viewpoints within the music profession, within university music programs, and within the public sector that musicians can simply blend technical prowess with diligent study of a prescribed curriculum to become a professional jazz musician. Here the interviewees uniformly suggested that a unique, individual voice was necessary for acceptance within the field. Finally, I present an example based upon the data from this study of how Wenger's (2008) community of practice could be used to develop a new understanding of the process of jazz improvisation and the development of a unique improvisational voice in an institutional setting.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES; 2016), contingent faculty comprise nearly half of the higher education teaching workforce. I was a contingent faculty member working in a music teacher preparation program at a small college in the Northeast U.S. Using Wenger’s communities of practice (1998) and Lave and Wenger’s legitimate peripheral participation (1991) as a theoretical lens, I conducted a self-study to understand: (a) how our group of two full-time and two part-time contingent faculty negotiated our work, and (b) how my contingent faculty identity was shaped through participating in the group. I analyzed transcriptions of group meetings, email messages sent among the group members, and brief interviews to establish that our community of practice (CoP) was positioned relative to broader enterprises, such as accrediting bodies and the state department of education that regulated teacher licensure. We negotiated our practices in response to their standards and regulations, and we often felt that our practices were constrained. I learned that the members of our CoP had rich histories of membership in other CoPs, and knowledge and identity from those CoPs were constantly reconciled with new understandings and identity. I learned that multimembership can be a hindrance for some, yet it can also be a benefit that helps propel the work of a CoP forward. My identity was shaped through dialogue with other members of the community. I learned that it is common for contingent faculty to feel as I did: autonomous and competent in my teaching practices, yet detached from the department (Kezar & Sam, 2010; Levin & Hernandez, 2014; Shaker, 2008). Learning some of the history of the joint enterprise helped me feel more connected and empowered, and as my dialogue with the full-time tenure-track faculty continued, I was given additional responsibility for developing and subsequently teaching two new courses. Very little research has been conducted from the perspective of contingent faculty in higher education. This self-study was therefore a timely addition to the literature, and it should be replicated, extended to other teacher education faculty, and also to collaborative self-studies between full-time and contingent faculty.

O serviço público passa por um período de reinvenção e mudança em busca dos valores da Nova Gestão pública baseados na aproximação com as demandas da sociedade e incentivo a um ambiente aberto, transparente e inovador. Em consonância, o servidor público se posiciona cada vez mais de maneira ativa e consciente do seu papel, disposto a participar de um desafio aberto, diferente do imposto por um ambiente burocratizado e desumanizado. Nesse contexto, esta pesquisa apoiou-se em um estudo de caso que se utilizou de uma observação participante permeada por um estudo teórico dos saberes necessários para entendela e pesquisá-la, envolvendo os conceitos de: inovação no setor público, intelectual orgânico e comunidades virtuais de prática. Para isso, foram acompanhadas e analisadas durante dois anos as interações da comunidade virtual de prática do Núcleo de Gestão Ambiental Integrada da reitoria do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Sul-rio-grandense que se utilizou do e-mail e do ambiente virtual de aprendizagem Moodle para desenvolver práticas no setor público Nesse contexto, a pesquisa sobre a realidade prática durante o período foi permeada pelo estudo teórico que identificou a postura do servidor público como intelectual orgânico, agente da mudança, aberto para a aprendizagem e inovador que se utiliza das Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação atuando em comunidade virtuais de prática. Ao final, a pesquisa delimitou um quadro teórico para identificar, caracterizar e posteriormente auxiliar na organização, condução e análise de experiências com comunidades virtuais de prática como ambiente de inovação no serviço público visando o desenvolvimento da postura de intelectual orgânico. / The public service is undergoing a period of invention and changes in search of the New Public Management values-based approach to the demands of society, and encourage an open, transparent and innovative environment. Accordingly, the civil servant positions itself increasingly active and conscious of its role, willing to participate in an open challenge, other than imposed by a bureaucratic and dehumanized environment. In this context, this research was based on a case study that was used a participating observation permeated by a theoretical study of knowledge required to understand it and research it, involving the concepts of innovation in the public sector, organic intellectual and virtual communities of practice. For this, they were monitored and analyzed for two years the interactions of virtual community of practice of the Núcleo de Gestão Integrada of the rectory of the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Sul-rio-grandense which used e-mail and virtual learning environment Moodle for to develop practices in the public sector In this context, the research on the practical reality during the period was permeated by theoretical study that identified the attitude of civil servants as organic intellectual, change agent, open to learning and innovator who uses of Information and Communication Technologies when working in virtual communities of practice. At the end, the survey identified a theoretical framework for identifying, characterizing and subsequently assist in the organization, conduct and analysis of experiences with virtual communities of practice and innovation environment in the public service for the development of the organic intellectual’s posture.

The research reported in this thesis investigated staff-student collaboration in advanced undergraduate mathematics course design and delivery at a research-intensive UK university. Staff and students collaborated to redesign and deliver two courses: Vector Spaces and Complex Variables. The collaboration in the design of the two courses involved students who had completed the courses and then who worked as interns together with a small team of academic staff. The collaboration in the delivery of the two courses involved the implementation of a Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme in which third-year students facilitated the learning of second-year students in optional scheduled sessions. The study employed a mixed-methods research strategy involving an ethnographic approach to the study of the course design process and PAL sessions followed by an observational study (a quasi-experimental design) to investigate the impact of PAL attendance on the achievement of PAL participants. This thesis reports findings from a three-phase research design. Phase one explored the nature of the collaborations in course design and its impact on staff teaching practices and on the student collaborators. Phase two investigated the characteristics of the PAL sessions for the advanced undergraduate mathematics courses and the roles played in those sessions. Phase two also explored the impact of PAL in qualitative terms on both PAL participants and PAL leaders. Phase three investigated the impact of PAL in quantitative terms on the achievement of students who participated as PAL participants. The study found that staff-student collaboration in course design and delivery led to emergent Communities of Practice in which staff and students engaged in mathematics practice which led to identity transformation of student collaborators, a deeper understanding of the mathematics on which the students worked and some change in staff teaching and course design practice. The also showed that staff-student collaboration in the delivery of course units via PAL resulted in a learning community in which PAL participants and PAL leaders engaged in mathematics practice which led to increased student achievement and enhanced affective outcomes for both PAL participants and PAL leaders.

In recent years the construction industry has become increasingly aware of the potential of the technical knowledge held by construction professionals and the need to manage it effectively. However, organisations have experienced numerous problems in implementing and sustaining Knowledge Management (KM) initiatives. A key reason for this, which has been cited both within industry and academia, is a lack of understanding of the best-suited KM approaches available and how to adopt them. In particular, the importance of people-orientated KM practices, specifically in the case of construction firms who have a high level of dependence on the tacit knowledge of their employees, has been well documented with many KM authors calling for further research in this area. The research undertaken for this study was initiated in response to the need for further research and an improved understanding of KM (people-orientated KM in particular) best practice. The research was also focussed on establishing an effective KM initiative within Ramboll Whitbybird; the sponsoring organisation. The central aim of the research was therefore to “deliver a framework that facilitates the retention and reuse of knowledge, which will increase Ramboll Whitbybird's potential to drive engineering best practice and respond appropriately to conventional and emerging business opportunities.” To achieve this an action research approach was adopted, facilitated through the use of literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, and other data collection methods, to enable the findings to be implemented within an industrial setting. Through extensive industry involvement the research highlighted the core components necessary for a successful KM initiative, and the actions necessary from those involved in implementing, managing and sustaining KM activities within construction firms. The findings demonstrated that an organisation wishing to realise effective KM needs to establish a clear definition and understanding of KM across the business, which can be achieved through the compilation of a KM strategy (statement) and action plan. It also needs to acknowledge the importance of addressing the critical factors that will determine the success of its KM initiative such as the need for KM champions and a supporting team, a fit with the way people work and an alignment with business objectives. The research also highlighted the importance of people-orientated KM practices, and that construction organisations in particular should identify and prioritise KM activities such as Communities of Practice (CoPs), due to their reliance on tacit knowledge transfer. However, in order to maximise the benefits to individuals and the business, the organisation will need to take a ‘light touch' approach to the management of CoPs. Supporting people-based KM activities with the right technology is an important factor, particularly as organisations expand and become more geographically dispersed. To ensure that this technology is an effective supporter of KM it needs to be tailored to fit with the KM needs of the business, and will need to become de-centralised in its operation. Finally, the research outlined the importance for the organisation to consider the integration of KM within the daily operation of the business by incorporating KM effectively into communication and reporting structures, while also ensuring that it becomes a core aspect of its Quality Assurance (QA) procedures.

Em comunidades de prática, a aprendizagem ocorre por meio da interação e colaboração constante de seus participantes, o caráter social destes ambientes é fundamental para a construção do conhecimento. Por este motivo, esta dissertação busca compreender a forma como os usuários interagem em comunidades de prática e propõe a estruturação destas informações em torno de um perfil dinâmico de usuário. A aplicação de perfis de usuário neste contexto permite entender o indivíduo, seus interesses e necessidades. A partir da representação dos participantes de comunidades de prática é possível desenvolver sistemas de aprendizagem inteligente, sistemas de recomendação, elementos de gamificação e sistemas de acesso e recuperação de informação personalizados. Estes mecanismos procuram estimular o engajamento dos participantes e promover a aprendizagem colaborativa. A representação das informações neste trabalho será apoiada pelo uso de tecnologias da web semântica e de ontologias para a formalização das relações em comunidades de prática. O desenvolvimento de softwares educacionais baseados na web semântica amplia a capacidade de implementação de novos mecanismos de aprendizagem, contribuindo para a análise das interações e a inferências sobre as informações dos usuários. O uso de ontologias permite a formalização das informações e torna possível a elaboração de uma rede de conhecimento que pode ser processada e consumida por agentes de software, contribuindo para a interoperabilidade do sistema. / In communities of practice, learning is built through constant interaction and collaboration of their participants, the social aspect of these environments is crucial for the knowledge construction. For this reason, this work intends to understand how users interact in communities of practice and proposes a dynamic user profile to structure this information. An user profile applied in this context allows us to understand the person, his interests and needs. The representation of participants in communities of practice allow us to develop intelligent learning systems, recommender systems, gamification elements and systems for personalized access and personalized information retrieval. Those mechanisms intend to stimulate participant engagement to promote collaborative learning. In this work, semantic web technologies and ontologies are used to represent this informations. The development of educational software based on the semantic web expands the capacity to implement new learning mechanisms, contributing to the analysis of the interactions and the inferences about user informations. The use of ontologies allows the formalization of information and enables the elaboration of a knowledge network that can be processed and consumed by software agents, contributing to the system interoperability.

abstract: Though National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in Arizona have been identified as leaders on a national level, they do not have comparable opportunities to lead within their local contexts or engage in leadership and collaboration activities that align with Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Standard 10. The purpose of this sequential, mixed-methods study was to explore how the development of a teacher leadership community of practice for NBCTs might influence their perceptions of themselves as leaders. Social constructionism, action research, and communities of practice guided the innovation and a mixed-methods approach was used for data collection and analysis. Data illustrated NBCTs’ dichotomous feelings about leadership on local and national levels. Findings revealed that NBCTs need continued professional learning opportunities, beyond National Board Certification, to resolve feelings of isolation and fully meet all of the leadership and collaboration indicators for InTASC Standard 10. Participating in a teacher leadership community of practice (a) provided a professional learning opportunity for NBCTs, (b) improved NBCTs’ perceptions of teacher leadership and helped them define it as an active process of learning, reflection, and action, and (c) increased NBCTs’ readiness to take action as teacher leaders within their local contexts to evoke positive change. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2016