INTERACT: building a virtual community of practice to enhance teachers’ intercultural professional development

This project focuses on the design and implementation of an online professional development platform tailored to teachers’ needs to improve and promote their intercultural knowledge. Drawing upon the framework of virtual communities of practice, the project escapes from traditional professional development programmes. Although a total of 103 teachers participated in the project, in the implementation phase we carried out observations and interviews with a sub-sample of 40 teachers. Research findings indicate the generation of new knowledge regarding new pedagogical practices with respect to intercultural education as well as an increased collaboration among all involved stakeholders. Through the active involvement in the INTERACT platform, teachers became reflective practitioners by having opportunities to raise their voice and share views on their intercultural practices.