Establishing communities of practice in undergraduate science classrooms

There has been a shift in higher educational practices from instructionalism to project-based active learning. However, the implementation of student-centered learning methods such as peer-led teaching and learning designs has shown various degrees of effectiveness. Here, we describe the implementation of peer-led teaching and learning strategies in a new course offering at two distinct undergraduate institutions. The design of these courses is based on the formation of communities of practice and the application of the common principles of this framework. Despite differences in demographics and educational backgrounds, this course design successfully created communities of practice and led to the same degree of self-reported positive student outcomes at both institutions.