Virtual communities of practice as responses to the turbulence of 2020: developing equity and justice leadership

Abstract

PurposeVirtual communities of practice (VCoPs) supported educators during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resurgent movement for racial justice that arose in 2020. Four VCoPs offered a venue for practitioners and researchers to develop social capital in the face of pandemic and persistent institutional racism.Design/methodology/approachResearchers conducted semi-structured interviews with organizers of four VCoPs and collected supporting documentation from those organizers.FindingsVCoP organizers created opportunities to develop bridging and bonding capital of equity- and justice-focused educators.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis points toward the affordances of VCoPs in crisis response and equity leadership.Originality/valueThis original analysis extends work on communities of practice, generally, virtual communities of practice, and equity leadership development.