A Qualitative Meta-Analysis on Teacher Learning Communities as Communities of Practice

This study aimed to identify the factors that constitute teacher learning communities as communities of practice and to examine how teachers' identities are shaped through participation in these communities. Based on the theory of communities of practice, a qualitative meta-analysis was conducted, synthesizing and analyzing qualitative case studies related to teacher learning communities, and the findings were presented. Teacher learning communities are structured as communities of practice, consisting of the elements of domain, community, and practice. Through participation in these communities of practice, members form their identities. The domain of teacher learning communities includes educational policies, teaching, curriculum, and student guidance. The community consists of a sense of solidarity, trust, comfort, enjoyment, efficacy, and satisfaction. The practice includes activities such as sharing materials, discussions and debates, class observations, lectures, and writing. Members form their identities through participation in teacher learning communities, and this identity formation is manifested in peripheral trajectories, inbound trajectories, insider trajectories, boundary trajectories, and outbound trajectories. Teacher learning communities exhibit characteristics of communities of practice, which are supported by the elements demonstrated by members during the community-building process and through identity formation. Through this study, theoretical implications that span across multiple teacher learning communities were derived, which will serve as a foundation for systematically understanding the phenomena observed in teacher learning communities.