Professional learning (PL) for inclusion is a key policy focus internationally, arising from a growing commitment to the goal of a rights-based approach to education for all. Transformative teacher ...PL for inclusion is paramount to this goal but it is a complex endeavour, as evidenced in the persistent knowledge-practice gap relating to inclusive practice. Models of collaborative inquiry hold promise for affecting teacher change, yet there is limited research on how such models can support quality teacher PL for inclusion. This qualitative cross-case analysis focuses on two models of collaborative inquiry in different contexts in the Republic of Ireland (RoI): a professional learning community (PLC) for inclusive practice in a primary school and an online learning community (OLC) that supported preservice teacher learning during school placement. Parallel findings across the two case studies demonstrated changes in participants' beliefs, efficacy and practice, arising from collaborative inquiry that was characterised by critical dialogue and public sharing of work. External facilitation of the learning communities supported the creation of a 'safe space' which was paramount to transforming PL contexts. We proffer design principles for sustainable collaborative PL approaches across teacher education contexts that support teachers to navigate the complexity of enacting inclusive practice.
In recent years, many educators have turned to professional learning networks (PLNs) to grow in their craft with peers who are more accessible online because of reduced temporal and spatial ...constraints. While educators have cultivated PLNs, there is a dearth of research about the effects of PLNs. This manuscript reports the findings of a qualitative study that investigated PLN experiences through the analysis of survey data from 732 P-12 teachers. Data analysis suggests that the anytime, anywhere availability of expansive PLNs, and their capacity to respond to educators’ diverse interests and needs, appear to offer possibilities for supporting the professional growth of whole teachers. These findings have implications for defining the present and future of teacher learning in a digital age.
•Ninety percent of respondents defined PLNs as multifaceted systems.•PLNs support affective, social, cognitive, and identity aspects of teacher growth.•Almost all participants reported modifying teaching practices as a result of PLNs.•Quarter of respondents credited PLNs as changing thinking about teaching.•Respondents described PLNs’ positive impact on student learning.
The purpose of this study was to explore the structural relationships between knowledge sharing behaviors (KSB), academic self-efficacy (ASE) and sense of community (SoC) of university students in ...e-learning community. The study was carried out with students who joined Facebook learning community that was created for the Computing I course which was taught with blended learning method. Data were collected from 316 university students by utilizing three self-report instruments: KSB scale, ASE scale (sub-scales: ‘social status’, ‘cognitive applications’ and ‘technical skills’) and classroom community (CC) scale (sub-scales: ‘connectedness’ and ‘learning’). The path analyses with structural equation modeling (SEM) further verified that students’ KSB were related to their ASE and SoC in e-learning community. The results of the study revealed that the ASE and SoC of the students positively affect their KSB. And in terms of sub-scales, the connectedness to the community, learning perception in the community, the self-efficacy of the students on the cognitive applications in the courses and their social status in the community positively affect KSB. However, students’ self-efficacy perceptions on their technical skills affect KSB positively but its affect size was smaller compared to other sub-scales. Further research studies and implications are presented and discussed.
•ASE and SoC has an important role on KSB.•Connectedness to the community, sense of learning positively affect on KSB.•Self-efficacy of the students on cognitive applications positively affect on KSB.•Social status of the students in the community positively affect on KSB.•Technical skills of the students have a positive yet small affect on KSB.
While e-learning is increasingly being adopted, the issue of e-learning continuous usage has been an important task both in practice and in academia. Grounded in social exchange theory, this study ...aims to understand how interactions influence students' sense of community and continuous use intention of e-learning platform. A total of 643 students participated in this study. The results indicate that student-instructor interaction and student-student interaction significantly strengthen students' sense of membership and influence, in turn, promoting their stickiness with the e-learning platform. In addition, student-content interaction moderates the relationship between interactions among members and their sense of community. For online learning institutions, the results suggest that managers may need to provide relevant mechanisms to encourage interactions in e-learning platform for driving students' continuous usage.
•Interactions positively influence students' sense of community.•Students' sense of community is important catalyst for their continuous usage.•Student-content interaction mediates the influence of interactions among members on sense of community.
Parents and guardians can be a powerful resource for teachers, but it takes skill and confidence to build partnerships, or parentships, and proactively engage in a positive way. Kyle Palmer draws ...from his experience as both a principal of a Model PLC at Work® school and a parent to offer practical strategies for including parents or guardians as part of your collaborative culture focused on student learning. PreK-12 teachers, counselors, social workers, and principals will: (1) Understand the basics of PLCs and parentships; (2) Learn how parentships can integrate into and enhance the PLC process; (3) Create mission and vision statements for parentships in a PLC; (4) Use specific strategies to enhance your parentship and engage effectively with parents; and (5) Maintain an effective parentship into the future.
Explore a new and better approach to group work that fosters true collective learning, supports positive classroom culture, and enables continuous academic and social-emotional growth.
This paper explores issues surrounding children's participation in research relating to digital childhoods, with an emphasis on the process of obtaining ethics approvals and other necessary approvals ...from Australian education authorities (e.g. Departments of Education), along with associated issues and tensions. It will report on the patterns apparent in existing literature in terms of how much research is being undertaken in independent, government, or Catholic schools, as well as researchers’ experiences working across Australian states and territories. In addition to presenting experiential data, the paper will raise tension points and provocations relating to the challenges faced by researchers and the implications of these for conducting research with children, as well as for children's rights, agency, and voice.
Principal Labs Kortlandt, Megan; Stone, Carly; Keesling, Samantha
ASCD,
2021, 2021-08-00
eBook, Book
Learn how to build your own principal lab, a model for collaborative professional learning that helps K-12 principals be successful leaders for instructional improvement.
Online gaming is becoming increasingly social and interconnected. Millions of players learn from each other in game-related communities on platforms like Reddit and Twitch.tv. However, few studies ...have been conducted to examine socially constructed learning in such environments. The purpose of this study was to explore learning in game-related communities using the Game Community of Inquiry Scale (GCoIS). GCoIS is a validated instrument inspired by the community of inquiry framework and developed for measuring constructed learning in these outlets. Over 1000 participants completed an online questionnaire that included the GCoIS and additional variables (e.g. demographics, gaming habits, and gaming metacognition) for measuring possible associations. Results pointed to gender, age, online participation, and metacognition about gaming as significant predictors of GCoIS. Findings suggest that gaming communities can serve as opportunities for meaningful learning when novice members are welcomed and assisted by experts and support is given to older and female gamers.
Maker activities are drawing increasing attention in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Researchers have developed various assessments for maker ...activities to examine students' learning outcomes. However, a systematic review of research on such assessments is lacking. To fill this gap, we reviewed empirical studies on maker-based assessments in education. We systematically examined 60 studies regarding the overall features of the maker activities, the learning outcomes that were measured, the assessment formats, and the psychometric evidence of the assessments. Our review results indicate that more than 20 types of maker platforms have been employed in the activities, with e-textiles and LilyPad Arduino being the most popular. Five types of assessment tools have been used prevalently to examine students' diverse learning outcomes, specifically artifact assessments, tests, surveys, interviews, and observations. Most assessments are used in STEM-related maker activities, especially technology-centric activities, to measure STEM-related learning outcomes. Only 15% of the studies provide psychometric evidence of reliability and validity for the assessments. Based on the findings, we provide suggestions for future research which include developing more low-tech maker activities for students in lower-grades and with lower technology proficiency. In addition, future studies should improve rubrics for artifact assessment and explore more assessment tools for non-STEM subjects.
•More than 20 types of maker platforms have been employed in the maker activities.•Five types of assessment tools are prevalently used to examine students' diverse learning outcomes.•Most assessments were used in STEM-related maker activities to measure STEM-related learning outcomes.•Future studies should explore more assessment tools to measure all kinds of learning outcomes in maker activities.
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