Fields (Jul 2023)

Over to you: Lonely professionals and the Thinking Environment

  • Amber Taylor Frankland

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5920/fields.1293
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1

Abstract

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This study focuses on the application of the Thinking Environment in a virtual community of practice that offers a space for educators to share their experiences and thinking. It aims to give ownership of practice to the members. It argues for communities of practice to draw upon the Thinking Environment as a means of navigating third spaces and boosting group cohesion. This study adopts a phenomenological approach with semi-structured interviews as experience collection method. Utilising thematic analysis, it finds that the notion of equality connects lonely professionals, creating a third space for them to think critically. The application of the Thinking Environment leads to high instances of group-serving behaviours. It makes recommendations for subject specific communities of practice, along with continued research into the field.

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