STRATEGIES FOR CULTIVATING COMMUNITIES OF COOPERATIVE TEACHERS: A 2-YEAR PROJECT FOR TEACHER TRAINING IN THE EDUCATIONAL USE OF LMS PLATFORM

Neuza Pedro, Madalena Santos and João Filipe Matos, Centre for Research in Education, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Portugal

This article aims to present and reflect upon the process of supporting communities of cooperative teachers in training initiatives on the educational use of LMS platform. The results of our analysis and reflection take as empirical data 7 field workshops developed with nearly 150 Portuguese teachers, ran during two school-years. The identification of restrictive factors and enabling strategies for supporting teachers’ cooperative practices are also reported. The rationale for this analysis draws on the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, particularly on the notion of ‘learning as participation in communities of practice’, as well as Vygotsky’s socio-cultural development theory and `expansive learning’ as viewed by Activity Theory.