Socio‐cultural theory and its place in the development of the teacher education program at the Higher Colleges of Technology

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the meanings and implications of communities of practice; to discuss how socio‐cultural theories and social learning improve pre‐service teachers' understanding of their profession; and to begin a dialogue on how teachers in training can benefit from having a community of practitioners guiding them. The aim here is also to provide a critical re‐evaluation of the state of teacher training in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by looking particularly at social and experiential learning. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, the author reports on a one‐year study case study designed to inform how communities of practice can shape the professional formation of pre‐service teachers enrolled in a teacher training program in the UAE. Findings – Results indicated that the process of establishing communities of practice around the teachers improves their professional development, however, the danger of emulating poor pedagogical practices modeled by mentor teachers was also found to be a factor for these novice teachers. Research limitations/implications – This study was confined to the Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE. The findings of this study need to be confirmed in a wider context. Originality/value – The study draws attention to the relevance of the community of practice concept and socio‐cultural theory to teacher education.