How can teachers have a voice to be heard in a discourse community?

     Are teachers’ experiences meaningful sources for knowledge generating? Peripheral participation is closely connected with the notion of discourse community and their implications seem to have a salient role in academic contexts (Leve & Wenger, 1991; cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to explain the concepts of discourse community and peripheral participation and how they are related. 

     Peripheral participation is a concept used to refer to the less equal opportunity new members of a discourse community hold to legitimize their knowledge within the community (Leve & Wenger, 1991; cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010). Whereas the term discourse community refers to a group of people that gathers together to share views, experiences, and use specific language conventions related to a particular field of knowledge (Bizzel, 1992; Harris, 1989; as cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010).

     According to Wenzlaff and Weiseman (2004), group work and cohort-based programs can provide instances for teachers to be part of their own learning process and have their voices to be heard. Teachers believe themselves empowered to generate knowledge, following academia requirements, by having authentic experiences and reflecting upon their teaching practices. Therefore, empowering teachers with opportunities to have a voice not only provides them with opportunities to sense community membership but also to define discourse within the community (Clark, 1994; cited in Kelly-Kleese, 2004).

     All in all, promoting self-reflection not only would it help teachers to grow professionally but also it would provide an opportunity to legitimate knowledge, and thus a right to be heard within a community (Hoffman-Kipp, Artiles & Lopez-Torres, 2003; Kelly-Kleese, 2001). To sum up, the implication of the notions of discourse community and peripheral participation is inherently related to foster knowledge making in academic settings.

Reference

Hoffman-Kipp, P., Artiles, A. J., & Lopez Torres, L. (2003). Beyond reflection: teacher learning as praxis. Theory into Practice. Retrieved September 2010, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NQM/is_3_42/ai_108442653

Kelly-Kleese, C. (2001). Editor’s Choice: An Open Memo to Community College Faculty and Administrators. Community College Review. Retrieved September 2010, from

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HCZ/is_1_29/ai_77481463

Kelly-Kleese, C. (2004). UCLA community college review: community college scholarship and discourse. Community College Review. Retrieved September 2010, from

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HCZ/is_1_32/ai_n6361541

Pintos, V., Crimi, Y. (2010). Unit 1: Building up a community of teachers and prospective researchers. Universidad CAECE: Buenos Aires, Argentina. Retrieved September 2010, from http://caece.campusuniversidad.com.ar/mod/resource/view.php?id=6856

Wenzlanff, T. L., & Wieseman, K. C. (2004). Teachers need teachers to grow. Teacher Education Quarterly. Retrieved September 2010, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3960/is_200404/ai_n934940 5