Abstract:
The changes in academic identity a teacher may undergo, as they modify their teaching practice, will vary depending on their experiences and the support they receive. In this paper, we describe the shifts in academic identity of two lecturers, a mathematician and a mathematics educator, as they both made changes to their teaching practice by implementing new questioning techniques in a large undergraduate mathematics course. Both the lecturers were members of the research group, which became their community of practice. Our findings recommend that lecturers endeavouring to step out and try changes to their teaching practice, particularly with large groups of students, belong to a community of practice. The community of practice provides a place for shared reflection, new learning, and opportunities to negotiate new identities.
