This longitudinal qualitative study investigated the kinds of problems identified by students while they completed their writing assignments as well as the ways in which they handled the problems in the writing component of an EAP program at a Japanese university. It also attempted to analyze the sources of the problems in order to find optimal ways to initiate the students into the new discourse community and give guidance along their writing process. 本研究は、ある日本の大学におけるEAPのライティングコースを受講する学生がライティング過程において何を問題視し、どのようにその問題を解決しているかについて質的リサーチ方法を用い、縦断的に観察した。又、学生の提示する問題の根源を分析し、今後どのように学生を新しいディスコースコミュニティーに導入し、ライティング過程でどのような指導をしていくことが適切か検討した。

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The current study is a self-reflective autoethnographic research study, which aims to explore how two in-service English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in Japan built a collaborative and mutually supportive community of practice, and how they shared and reconstructed their expertise through interacting with each other. Prior to the study, both of the participating teachers from different teaching contexts shared a similar struggle: a lack of collegiality and a quest for creativity. An online journal forum was created where they recorded their thoughts, difficulties and challenges in their everyday teaching practice for one year. They also gave comments and feedback to each other online. As a result, participation in an online collaborative community of practice enabled them to reflect on and adjust their teaching practices. In particular, the role of collegiality in sharing teaching strategies impacted the teaching of English as a foreign language in diverse contexts, both public and private schools. It also had an impact on teaching different language skills (oral communication for one participant and reading and translation for the other) and the use of students' native language as assistance. By taking on the role of a diagonal mentor, they also found a way to make their professional voices heard.

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The current study employed the qualitative approach and explored pre-service teachers' experiences through initial teacher education and perspectives on becoming an English-as-a-foreign-language teacher. In particular, it examined the influence of both participation in a community of practice and group discussions on their early professional development. An online journal forum was created where eight pre-service teachers from two universities recorded and shared their thoughts, difficulties, and challenges in their initial teacher education over two semesters. They also gave comments and feedbacks to one another online. Participation in an online collaborative community of practice enabled them to negotiate their membership in the community through shared inquiries across grades and beyond universities. While the membership negotiation of some members was still ongoing at the end of the project, others learned to become more responsible and full members in their own respective ways. Over the course of the study, the online community also became a space of safety and trust; a legitimate space for like-minded individuals was provided to discuss teaching and develop their expertise.