On building a community of practice: reflective narratives of academic learning and growth

Abstract

This paper traces the evolution of an academic community of practice and identifies the individual and collective outcomes of participation for the members. The impetus for the community was the joint development of a learning and teaching project grant application that aimed to improve teacher education in music curriculum, and the subsequent implementation of that project. The paper draws on a range of data sources including individual reflective journals, audio‐records and transcriptions of meetings, email archives and discussion board posts of the project team members. The purpose of the paper is to illuminate and interrogate the processes and enabling conditions that supported the development of this academic community of practice, and consider the implications for academics.

Keywords:

• community of practice
• reflective practice
• higher education
• music education
• collaboration

Acknowledgements

Support for this project has been provided by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (formerly the Carrick Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education), an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.

We thank Ellen Meissner and Susanne Garvis for their work as research assistants in this project.

Notes

1. ‘Bridging Gaps in Music Teacher Education’ (Ballantyne, Harrison, Barrett, & Temmerman, 2006–2008). Grant awarded by the Carrick Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.

2. In Australia, music teacher education occurs in a number of guises. In some institutions, it occurs within general ‘arts’ education courses, and in others, it takes place in a stand‐alone course. The project provided a context by which these diverse approaches could utilise a curriculum resource that encouraged dialogue between academic and student participants (please see Ballantyne et al., 2009, for further information on this project).

3. Subsequent to the submission of this paper two academics have moved from the University of Tasmania and Griffith University respectively to the School of Music at the University of Queensland.