Browsing by Author "Kouri, Elina"

The goal of the research was to examine how a beginner learns when he/she joins a new community. As theoretical context I used Jean Lave's and Etienne Wenger's theory about Communities of Practice, according which learning will occur when a beginner gradually turns into a full member of the community. The research problems were: how and what team members talk about, how they build and maintain culture in the community and what kind of a significance it has for a beginner's ability to learn. I collected the research material through observing and recording speech during practice and games of a women's floorball team in autumn of 2013. In addition I interviewed three players. Two of whom were beginners and one that had played floorball for several years. The material was analyzed by using methods of discourse analysis. The research material shows that the players' views about learning process of a beginner and what influences it is similar to Lave's and Wenger's ideas. It was seen as very important for learning for the beginner to be able to observe and gradually attend activities in the community of practice. For this to be possible the beginner has to be committed to the community and on the other hand the community has to give the beginner justification to attend all common activities. According to results the community which was in the focus of my research should give a beginner more space and opportunities to attend conversations between team members to be able to create the best possible circumstances for the beginner to learn. The results of the research are adaptable to any kind of community of practice.