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Virtual Learning Communities: A Contribution to the Pre-Service Teachers’ Learning

Abstract

This paper presents the pre-service teachers’ learning of didactics and language teaching methodologies during their participation in a virtual learning community. Three main concepts were defined: Virtual Learning Communities (VLCs), reflective practice, and learning from a sociocultural perspective. 25 pre-service teachers from a bachelor’s degree in language teaching participated in the VLC. A focus group and the pre-service teacher’s reflection in the VLC were used to collect information. The results show pre- service learned to reflect on and use effective teaching materials; to select, adapt and combine language teaching methodologies, and to criticize themselves, their lessons plan, and their performance in order to improve their teaching practice.

Keywords

Learning, reflective practice, virtual learning communities

PDF (Español)

Author Biography

Catalina Herrera Mateus

Magister in Education, Academic Coordinator, Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios

Brenda Julieth Herrera Varela

Bachelor Degree in Language Teaching, Academic Coordinator, Passport Language Center

John Jairo García Arjona

Bachelor Degree in Language teaching, Language teacher, Corporación Universitaria Minuto de
Dios


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