Adult education as a Community of Practice – Foreign-born students navigating participation in education at a Swedish Folk High School

Authors: Therese Uppman, Cecilia Bjursell and Joel Hedegaard
Jönköping University, Sweden

Edition: Volume 66, Number 1, April 2026

Introduction: This study explores how migrant students navigate participation in educational settings at a Swedish Folk High School. Drawing on the theory of Communities of Practice (CoP), the research examines how learners engage with the three modes of belonging—mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire—and how these modes influence their participation in a learning community. Using ethnographic methods, including shadowing of four students, and interviews with four students and five teachers, the study reveals that participation is not only about acquiring academic knowledge but also about negotiating legitimacy, identity, and access to shared practices. While some students align with the expectations of the learning community, they also engage in more fluid, quasi-community dynamics, where roles and expertise are negotiated rather than fixed. Language barriers, differing educational expectations, and cultural norms present both opportunities and challenges for inclusion. The findings underscore the need for inclusive pedagogical practices that recognise diverse learner trajectories and support participation. Understanding migrant students’ challenges requires teachers to reflect on how their own norms shape educational expectations and interactions.

Keywords: adult education, community of practice, foreign-born students, folk high school

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 66:1 The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.