TY - JOUR
T1 - A study of non-native discourse in an online community of practice (CoP) for teacher education
AU - Tang, Eunice
AU - Chung, Edsoulla
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2016/3/1
Y1 - 2016/3/1
N2 - This empirical study attempted to investigate the online discourse functions of non-native speakers of English in a community of practice (CoP) which comprises student-teachers, frontline practitioners, and faculty staff members. Discourse functions were identified through an analysis of the naturally occurring interlocutory moves among the participant groups in discussing the postings on teaching during a period of 5-week teaching practicum. Six posts with the highest number of interlocutory moves were selected for in-depth analysis. They included 107 comments and 57 responses. A total of 15 discourse functions were identified from the interlocutory moves. A frequency count of the discourse functions has revealed significant discourse features of online communication in a CoP context among non-native speakers of English. Discourse features which involve memberships, roles, cultural phenomenon and use of a second language were exemplified and discussed. The study may provide direct evidence of communication characteristics in an online CoP and indirect evidence of discourse management of non-native speakers in an online CoP for knowledge construction and professional development.
AB - This empirical study attempted to investigate the online discourse functions of non-native speakers of English in a community of practice (CoP) which comprises student-teachers, frontline practitioners, and faculty staff members. Discourse functions were identified through an analysis of the naturally occurring interlocutory moves among the participant groups in discussing the postings on teaching during a period of 5-week teaching practicum. Six posts with the highest number of interlocutory moves were selected for in-depth analysis. They included 107 comments and 57 responses. A total of 15 discourse functions were identified from the interlocutory moves. A frequency count of the discourse functions has revealed significant discourse features of online communication in a CoP context among non-native speakers of English. Discourse features which involve memberships, roles, cultural phenomenon and use of a second language were exemplified and discussed. The study may provide direct evidence of communication characteristics in an online CoP and indirect evidence of discourse management of non-native speakers in an online CoP for knowledge construction and professional development.
KW - Community of practice (CoP)
KW - Discourse functions
KW - Interlocutory moves
KW - Non-native discourse
KW - Online communication
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84960336163&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.lcsi.2015.12.002
DO - 10.1016/j.lcsi.2015.12.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84960336163
SN - 2210-6561
VL - 8
SP - 48
EP - 60
JO - Learning, Culture and Social Interaction
JF - Learning, Culture and Social Interaction
IS - 1
ER -