Secondary Schools and Communities of Practice for Democratic Civic Education: Challenges of Authority and Authenticity
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Edward J. Brantmeier [2] ; Bradley A.U. Levinson [1]
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[1] Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University
Estados Unidos
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[2] Indiana University
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- Localización: Theory and research in social education, ISSN 0093-3104, Vol. 34, Nº 3, 2006, págs. 324-346
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
This article reviews and critiques the concept of “community of practice” (CoP), and analyzes its relevance for democratic citizenship education in secondary social studies. The authors discuss the origins of the CoP concept in the work of Lave and Wenger (1991), trace its usage in recent educational scholarship, and outline its conceptual contributions. The authors call for the adoption of the CoP concept (“mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire”) to guide powerful, meaningful democratic civic education at the secondary level, yet they also identify the special challenges of authority and authenticity presented by most existing school structures. Even as they recognize the need for broader structural reforms to make CoPs possible, in closing the authors suggest school-based practices (connective, simulative, cooperative, and exemplary) that, under current conditions, can foster democratic citizenship formation.
