Quantitative Assessment of Education Service Districts’ Communities of Practice

• In Event: Structures, People, and Programs for Improving Schools and Systems

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to describe the current state of
cross-district collaborative groups facilitated by Oregon Education Service Districts (ESDs).
Using a standardized instrument, respondents reported perceptions of the presence of the three
community of practice domains for their groups, as well as their own individual learning.
Communities of Practice (CoPs) was the theoretical framework used to understand cross-district
collaboration within this study (Lave & Wenger, 1991). Findings included a description of ESD-
facilitated cross-district groups for district instructional leaders, including the presence of CoP
dimensions. A positive relationship (p < .05) was found between CoP dimensions and
participants’ individual learning. Statistically significant differences in perception were noted by
demographic groups.

Author

• Angela Hubbs, University of Portland