Educational Terminology

Professionalism in discourse communities

Since a discourse community is a knowledge community where its members share certain values, aims and expectations, it is possible to suggest that these people are hold together through the use of socially constructed language practices (Bizzel, 1986, 1992; Candlin, 1997; Gunnarson, 1997; Herzberg, 1986; Ivanic, 1998; Reid, 1993; Swales, 1990; cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010). On top of that, characteristics, which are based on Swales’ (1990) core criteria for this knowledge organization, could be identified in the field of education. According to Swales’ (1990) requirements, this kind of community should present patterns of common goals, participatory mechanisms, information exchanges, community-specific genres, highly specialized terminology and high level of expertise (cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010).

Both experts and apprentices, who make use of particular systems of speech and writing as well as accomplishing Swales’ (1990) basic criteria requirements, could be part of an academic community. Regarding the author’s (1990) notion of discourse community and his principles for testing and checking people’s membership, varied examples have been found in teaching learning as praxis “describing how a group makes use of discourse to organize different activities” (as cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010, p.13). As an example, situated learning discourse community for teacher reflection provides insights on how teachers and colleagues interact and exchange ideas in goal-directed communicative activities (cited in Hoffman-Kipp, Artiles & Lopez-Torres, 2003).

Belonging to any disciplinary knowledge organization implies not only the use of specific lexicon, practices, beliefs or goals, but also professionalism, which encompasses certain qualities required to perform demanding tasks in a society. Banfi (1997) describes professionals as those individuals who make use of their intellectual skills which have been acquired after a period of specialized learning in order to be able to provide a social service (cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010). In addition, McLaughlin and Talbert (1993) assert that “teachers need opportunities to participate in professional communities that discuss learning theories and various teacher materials and pedagogy” (as cited in Wenzlaff & Wieseman, 2004, para.5). As a consequence, it is possible to believe that teachers should promote and achieve professionalism, so as to extend knowledge in order to better perform in discourse organizations in the field of education.

References

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

Pintos, V., & Crimi, Y. (2010). Unit 1: Building up a community of teachers and prospective researchers. Universidad CAECE, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Retrieved October 2010, from

http://caece.campusuniversidad.com.ar/mod/resource/view.php?id=6856

Wenzlaff, T. L., & Wieseman, K. C. (2004). Teachers need teachers to grow. Teacher Education Quarterly, Spring, 2004. Retrieved October 2010, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3960/is_200404/ai_n9349405