Herrington, Anthony, and Jan Herrington. "University to work transition: Implications for the evaluation and design of online communities of practice." ASCILITE 2004 Conference. 2004.

This paper addresses the challenges faced by beginning teachers during the transition from university training to professional work, arguing that the separation of training and school placement contributes to high attrition rates. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from the apprenticeship system, including cognitive apprenticeships and legitimate peripheral participation, the authors explore the potential of online communities of practice to support beginning teachers and alleviate professional isolation. In-progress research on the internet's capability to provide professional support, along with examples of successful online communities of practice, is presented to illustrate the potential benefits for teacher induction programs.