This study aimed to explore how teachers cooperate with each other, and solve problems
through SNS-based teacher communities. With this aim, the study selected the case of the
Facebook group of the central leading teachers of smart education in which about 200
teachers participated, and studied its characteristics. Then, the study observed the process in
which teachers carry out situated learning by the practice community in the group. This
study collected data through participatory observation, interviews, and an analysis of
relevant documents utilizing a case study method. As a result of the research, SNS-based
teacher communities had a similar pattern to those of existing on-line teacher communities
in terms of the posting of data, discussions over problems, and emotional support; however,
they showed very different patterns in characteristics.
In SNS-based teacher communities, there were articles related to emotional support and
discussions about problem solving rather than the posting of data in absolutely most cases.
Also, these communities demonstrated mostly the sharing of success and failure cases rather
than showing unconditional support to articles which were posted, and the exchanges of
realistic opinions which may appear during the practice of smart education. Negotiations of
meaning regarding what smart education was made among teachers while teachers exchange
opinions constantly, and teachers were discovering the identity of the practice community
based on mutually reciprocal involvement and the common tasks.
Also, the study was able to observe new teachers who newly joined in 2013 have become
full participants through legitimate peripheral participation. In this regard, SNS-based teacher
communities have a new meaning in light of social practice through which teachers seek
practice, community, identity, and meaning through experiences in ordinary lives as well as
participation in the practice community.