Teaching and learning communities of practice in economics

Among existing infrastructures to disseminate innovative teaching methods and to build collaborative networks, the authors situate a community of practice (CoP). They explain what a CoP is and compare it with teaching-focused economics journals and conferences, and other infrastructures such as institutional teaching centers. Since 2016, the Economics Department at the University of Toronto has used a variety of CoPs, which serve as an instructive case study. The authors document substantial positive impacts, and they discuss guiding principles, give practical advice, and confront challenges to facilitate adoption elsewhere.