Connecting, Collaborating, Continuing to Learn

Penuel, W. R., & Riel, M. (2007). The ‘New’ Science of Networks and the Challenge of School Change. The Phi Delta Kappan, 88(8), 611-615. Penuel and Riel utilize social network analysis to take a hard look at school leadership and teacher communities of practice.  They also discuss the way information moves about and within a [...]

Hur, J., & Brush, T. (2009). Teacher Participation in Online Communities: Why Do Teachers Want to Participate in Self-generated Online Communities of K-12 Teachers? Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 41(3), 279.  The purpose of this study was to examine teacher participation in online communities.  The findings resulted in five categories: sharing emotions, utilizing [...]

Barab, S. A., MaKinster James G, Moore, J. A., & Cunningham, D. J. (2001). Designing and building an on-line community: The struggle to support sociability in the Inquiry Learning Forum. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 49(4), 71. Teachers need to have ownership in a community in order for it to be successful.  Wenger (1998) describes [...]

Hur, J., & Hara, N. (2007). Factors Cultivating Sustainable Online Communities for K-12 Teacher Professional Development. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 36(3), 245-268. doi: 10.2190/37H8-7GU7-5704-K470 In this study of online teacher community called INDISCHOOL in Korea, the researchers examined online postings from the community and conducted interviews.  12 factors were identified as a resulte of [...]

Borko, H., Whitcomb, J., & Liston, D. (2009). Wicked Problems and Other Thoughts on Issues of Technology and Teacher Learning. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(1), 3-7. doi: 10.1177/0022487108328488 Editorial: Journal of Teacher Education, theme issue: Innovative Uses of Technology for Teacher Learning Wicked Problem: problem that include a large number of complex variables. The fast [...]

Schlager, M. S., Farooq, U., Fusco, J., Schank, P., & Dwyer, N. (2009). Analyzing Online Teacher Networks: Cyber Networks Require Cyber Research Tools. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(1), 86-100. doi: 10.1177/0022487108328487 Just about a decade into the 21st century and we are increasingly utilizing the web for more and more of our daily activities.  The [...]

William R Penuel, & Margaret Riel. (2007). The ‘New’ Science of Networks and The Challenge of School Change. Phi Delta Kappan, 88(8), 611.  Sociologists often analyze social networks using mathematical models.  As an aspect of positive leadership within schools, social network analysis is a good way to get a feel for what is happening in [...]

Lieberman, A., & Pointer-Mace, D. (2009). Making Practice Public: Teacher Learning in the 21st Century. Journal of Teacher Education, 0022487109347319. doi: 10.1177/0022487109347319 Lieberman and Pointer-Mace continue to redefine the field of professional development and teacher learning.  As the ability to collaborate and connect via the web affords teachers with new opportunities, Liberman and Pointer-Mace frame [...]

Annotations from: Hew, K. F., & Hara, N. (2007). Empirical study of motivators and barriers of teacher online knowledge sharing.    Educational Technology Research and Development, 55(6), 573-595. doi: 10.1007/s11423-007-9049-2 Khe Foon Hew from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Noriko Hara of Indiana University Bloomington, engaged in an empirical study of the flow of knowledge [...]

I have spent the last two weeks deeply immersed in conversation centered around digital literacy.  As a member of the National Writing Project and the technology liaison for the Chippewa River Writing Project, I was fortunate to have been invited to attend a new event this year held as a precursor to the annual meeting.  [...]