Communities of Practice

Abstract

The field of early intervention continues to experience challenges in connecting theory and practice, reducing professional isolation, and translating principles into action. An examination of the way we perceive and enact professional roles reveals their limited scope in addressing these challenges. This article introduces the concept of expanding roles to include collaborative reflective inquiry within communities of practice as one way to reform professional practices. We suggest that reflection within communities of practice not only extends our own understanding, insight, and command of the situations in which we work, but also holds the potential to advance the field as a whole.

Child Communication Research and Practice: Collaborative Roles for Behavior Analysts and Speech-Language Pathologists

“…The third set of questions to answer are “How are we teaching?” and “How do we ensure we are ultimately promoting generalization?” Instruction should also involve professionals using research- (limited number of studies with support in specific contexts and with specific populations; e.g., one rigorous and high-quality study that may have applicability with identical children in identical settings) and evidence-based (well established intervention across research sites, participants, and contexts; multiple replications of rigorous and high-quality studies) strategies and interventions with children (Ledford & Gast, 2018), and necessary adaptations that may be needed for initial non-responders to treatment (Wesley & Buysse, 2001; Winton et al, 2013). NLI's combination of systematic intervention strategies embedded in meaningful activities, such as play or mealtime, and responsiveness to child interest and communication mitigates criticisms of BCBAs being too structured and SLPs being too eclectic (i.e., non-systematic) in treatment.…”

Successful instillation of professionalism in our future doctors

“…Practitioners experiences and observations have long been recognized as important in developing professionalism ( Wesley and Buysse, 2001 ), with some studies suggesting that it is the actions and attitudes students see in role-models that most affect their own professional behaviours ( Inui, 2003 ; Levenson, Atkinson and Shepherd, 2010 ). What students pick up fastest from role-models are the behaviours and attitudes that seem to them successful considering their own goals and experiences so that role-modeling is influenced by what students want to learn ( Bandura, 1986 ).…”

“…Promoted by Peter Senge ( Senge, 1990 ), a learning organisation is a means to enhance an organisation through individual self-development, learning and reflection ( Starkey, 1996 ). As such individual experiences and thoughts are directed upwards in the organisation hierarchy to be disseminated downwards again essentially via Standard Operating Procedures and, whilst professional behaviour is a requirement, its purpose is to facilitate the system, not promote a professional attitude in the conduct of practice ( Wesley and Buysse, 2001 ).…”

The Influence of Interactive Learning Materials on Self-Regulated Learning and Learning Satisfaction of Primary School Teachers in Mongolia

“…This concept can be applied to in-service teacher training, where Fullan views professional development for teachers to be both ongoing and dynamic [21]. Multiple studies report that teachers are often called upon to restructure their professional practices, across community and institutional, formal and informal, and all levels of education [22,23]. On one hand, teachers are asked to revise practices to match shifts in societal structure, values, or resources, for example, to integrate emerging technologies into classrooms [24].…”