Engaging science teachers virtually in dialogical collaborative action research to improve science teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic teachers were suddenly required to teach online with little time to prepare and little training in how to do so. This case study investigated an intervention to support science teachers as they sought to engage students online in inquiry, discussion, and argumentation through their participation in a virtual community of practice (CoP). The purpose was to uncover new knowledge about facilitation of the group, and how the 10 high school science teachers participated in it. Data sources included the authors’ meeting notes and reflective conversations, audio recordings of the group meetings, and teachers’ products. Findings included uncovering aspects of the facilitation process that led to a successful online CoP, factors related to developing trust among its members, and methods to deal with tensions within the group. The tensions arose from evolving differences about the group's goals, the need for clarity about implicit power structures, and the separation between teachers’ workplaces and the university. The study also demonstrated how in an online CoP, all its members can take on roles of experts, novices, and learners. Although the study was conducted during the pandemic, the findings are relevant to facilitating online or face-to-face teacher meetings.