During the Covid-19 pandemic, the need to move instruction online highlighted the importance of effective teaching practices and the reflection upon them. During this period of time, the demand for adaptation and innovation in teaching became even more urgent, especially for language teachers who faced significant challenges in effectively using digital tools and maintaining student engagement (Hodges, et al., 2020). These challenges lead to the creation of an informal community of practice (CoP) of Spanish as Foreign Language (SFL) teachers in Portugal. As stated by Wenger, Trayner, and de Laat (2011), CoP offer a way to conceptualise and explore learning as a social phenomenon, and their success lies in the ability of participants to create shared meaning and understanding through their interactions
Focusing on the social path of this CoP, the aim of this paper is to present a case study, with a qualitative-descriptive approach (Yin, 2005), to analyse the specific phenomenon of professional development in an emergency context. Data were collected through digital questionnaires, containing open and closed questions about the participants’ socio-professional characterisation, their knowledge and use of digital platforms, and their perceptions of the training quality. Additionally, participant observation was conducted by the trainers, providing an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of cooperation and learning.
The results obtained allowed us to verify that a collaborative path of professional development was promoted, in which teachers were able to share experiences, resources and strategies. Therefore, the CoP acted as a professional development cluster that equipped teachers for upcoming challenges.

Authors:
Isabel Cabo, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal
Cátia Valéria, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Portugal
Mário Cruz, Polytechnic University of Porto, Portugal

About the Presenter(s)
Mário Cruz (PhD) is a Professor at Porto Polytechnic Institute, teaching Spanish, Hispano-American Literature and Language Didactics. He directs the Pedagogical Innovation Center, an MA in Primary English Teachin, and leads research projects at inED.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdominguescruz/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mario-Cruz-11

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