Professional Development Through Social Network Communities (original) (raw)
Related papers
International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 2011
In this case study, results demonstrate that an individualâ??s use of social media as professional learning spans understanding, networking, professional identity development, and transformative learning. Specifically, virtual online communities facilitated through social media provide professional networks, social relationships and learning beyond the scope of the individualâ??s usual experience. Case study method reveals strategies, extent, and impact of learning providing insight into this phenomenon. The significance of the research includes purposefully facilitating professional learning through informal learning contexts, including social media and online communities beyond technology-centric fields. Discussion and recommendations include using social media and virtual communities as instructional strategies for graduate studies and continued learning beyond formal education.
Social networks as spaces for the professional development of teachers
2011
The study presented in this paper integrates a research project whose main goal is to explore new approaches to teacher education and professional development that emerge from the Web 2.0 paradigm. In this paper we present three different experiences on the use of social networks for the creation of a virtual community whose main goal is the professional development of teachers. The first experience is a Portuguese project named dajaneladomeujardim – (http://janelajardim.ning.com/). The second example is a north american project created and managed by Steve Hargadon and called Classroom 2.0 (http://www.classroom20.com/). The third project cames from Brasil and is called Eadamazon – Portal de EAD e e-learning da Amazonia (www.eadamazon.com). Lessons learned from the analysis of those projects will be presented and discussed.
79-Social Networks as Spaces for the Professional Development of Teachers
2011
The study presented in this paper integrates a research project whose main goal is to explore new approaches to teacher education and professional development that emerge from the Web 2.0 paradigm. In this paper we present three different experiences on the use of social networks for the creation of a virtual community whose main goal is the professional development of teachers. The first experience is a Portuguese project named dajaneladomeujardim – (http://janelajardim.ning.com/). The second example is a north american project created and managed by Steve Hargadon and called Classroom 2.0 (http://www.classroom20.com/). The third project cames from Brasil and is called Eadamazon – Portal de EAD e e-learning da Amazónia (www.eadamazon.com). Lessons learned from the analysis of those projects will be presented and discussed.
Transformative Professional Development in Unlikely Places: Twitter as a Virtual Learning Community
2011
This case study reveals new dimensions of transformative learning occurring through informal learning opportunities. The research results demonstrate that the individual’s learning spans understanding, networking, professional identity development, and transformative learning. Specifically, virtual online communities facilitated through social media provide professional networks and social relationships beyond the scope of the individual’s usual interactions and experience. Discussion and recommendations include using social media and virtual communities as instructional strategies for graduate studies and continued learning beyond formal education. The educational significance includes facilitating transformative learning in informal learning contexts, and using social media and online communities for professional learning.
Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research
As teachers' informal professional development is visible in social media, this study probes teachers' participation in self-organized Facebook groups in mathematics or Swedish-language education. In total, 553 posts from six Facebook groups were categorized using Shulman's knowledge-base framework, and analysed using systemic functional grammar. Teachers use "questions" and "offers" most frequently (88%). Within these speech functions, pedagogical content knowledge dominates (63%), indicating that these groups constitute professional learning communities that teachers use as a professional development resource, focusing the interaction on pedagogical content knowledge. This study finds a largely similar practice in Facebook groups across the two subjects.
The Role of Social Networks in the Development of Skills of Professional Communication
International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 2022
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of social networks in the formation of professional communication skills. With this aim in view, a number of training approaches initially used in class were adapted to the online format and re-oriented towards developing professional communication skills using social networks. The specially created training course focused on developing professional communication skills included the following tasks: come up with a meme on a given topic, invent a short story, create antinomies, make up compliments, create an online event on social network and count how many people from the group are interested in it. These tasks’ fulfillment was proved to facilitate professional communication skills among students, which testifies to their validity and effectiveness. Consequently, they can be suggested for inclusion in educational institutions’ academic programs to raise their students’ communicative competence.
Teachers’ professional development in online social networking sites
Social media and social networking sites are progressively gaining attention also in relation to professional development and life-long learning for school and academic teachers and staff. In particular, social media and social networking sites are emerging as places in which to cultivate different forms of social capital, bridging and bonding, that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit, as well as exchange of resources, personal and professional relationships and implications for psychological well-being. The paper presents some conceptual reflections about the value of these tools for school and academic teachers’ professional development. Moreover, two examples related to some Facebook groups for teachers and to the adoption of social networking sites for personal and professional use by Italian university scholars will be presented. The paper concludes with some considerations about the current limited adoption among extensive audiences and envisages future research directions.
Managing and Cultivating Professional Online Learning Communities
Three cohorts of preservice teachers, about 300 altogether, studying at an Australian tertiary institution, engaged in various community-based learning activities for 70 hours over a ten-month period. During this time, they reflected on and shared their experiences with peers via asynchronous online discussions. The three lecturers linked to these cohorts reflected on their managerial styles and inspected the nature of participants' postings for evidence of the development of professional learning communities. They found that preservice teachers in all three cohorts developed attributes of professional learning communities as they shared their experiences. Many acted as guides, mentors, and companions for each other. The tool and approaches used to guide preservice teachers' reflections were helpful, yet suggestions are offered to extend practices in the future.
Form@re : Open Journal per la Formazione in Rete, 2019
This paper presents an overview of reviews of the literature on the opportunities and constraints of social media use for professional development. The objective is to map the studies in the field to identify possible research gaps and, in tandem, to indicate future directions for effective and safe use of social platforms for lifelong learning. The study is based on Ebsco, WoS, Scopus and Google Scholar search, and on the adoption of explicit criteria for the selection of relevant studies, i.e. literature reviews published in English in peer-reviewed journals from 2009 to 2019 with a specific focus on social media for professional development. Thirteen pertinent studies were identified that were analysed with respect to the theme and nature of the reviews. The results of the selected studies were also coded in terms of benefits and constraints. Lo sviluppo professionale nell’era digitale. Vantaggi e criticita dei social media per l’apprendimento permanente Il contributo presenta un...