(Re)visiting a community of practice evaluation framework in a students’ speaking association: The role of sociocultural mediators

Abstract

Community of practice (CoP) is often seen as a practical application of sociocultural theory, as it provides a space for individuals to engage in collaborative learning and knowledge creation through social interaction and participation. Alike any other educational entity, it is critical to determine the effectiveness of any CoP program; therefore, providing a model for its evaluation becomes prominent. To do so, this study tries to explore a model by asking the staff involved in running a speaking association (SA) in a language school in Turkey to evaluate its effectiveness as a type of CoP. Hence, two administrators, three teachers, and five facilitators of the SA filled out a narrative frame about the evaluation criteria for the success and effectiveness of an SA. Then individual semi-structured interviews were conducted for closer scrutiny of the criteria and their reasons. Thematic analysis was employed with an eye on the sociocultural mediators to explore the themes of an effective CoP and the emerging themes were classified into three sociocultural mediators’ categories, namely psychological, material, and peer mediators. The findings of the study can inform the policymakers and teachers of learning CoPs to integrate these aspects into their programs to produce more effective results.