Communities of Practice in Higher Education

Drawing on research and practice, this key text provides a rich, detailed, and accessible guide to Communities of Practice (CoPs) theory and how to implement it within higher education. It takes a detailed look at how the theory is constructed, the research that it rests on, and the ways that it has been used and can be used in the future. Beginning by introducing CoP theory and the theory of learning that accompanies it, this book provides empirical examples of CoP research to illustrate how CoPs form and work within higher education. It also explores how different CoPs work together and can learn from each other. The key topics explored in the book allow the reader to critically understand how CoP theory can be used in higher education to enhance an understanding of how students, staff, and organisations learn. Ideal reading for those researching higher education practices or undertaking higher education teaching qualifications as well as those currently teaching, this book provides a research-led and critical discussion of the current state of CoP-informed research into learning, teaching, and assessment practices alongside and interleaved with an exploration of how this same approach can be utilised for informing research.