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The construction of knowledge and in particular, the ability of students to engage in higher order thinking is at the heart of educational practices and is a concern for educators. In an effort to promote higher order thinking and move beyond traditional boundaries of education, much attention has recently been given to the notion of Communities of Practice (CoPs) and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) within educational environments. While many examples of a community of practice can be readily found in professional areas such as medicine and business, it is only recently that emphasis has been placed on fostering these environments within education. With the increasingly large selection of ICT that are emerging, these communities of practice can be further developed and sustained to form what is known as an online or virtual community. This chapter discusses these communities of practice within education by drawing upon specific case studies and current research. Additionally, it discusses how the combination of ICT with specific pedagogical approaches that employ argument, have been beneficial in promoting higher order thinking skills. The potential to extend education beyond the instrumental epistemological boundaries of constructivism can be achieved through the use of ICT and pedagogical approaches that focus on the development of argument. These communities are knowledge building communities that are creative, challenging and thought provoking in nature.
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