SLU Graduate Symposium

EDUCATORS’ PERCEPTIONS AND REPORTED BEHAVIORS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATION IN

INFORMAL, ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORKS

Debbie Fucoloro, Ph.D.19th Annual Graduate Research Symposium

Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MOApril 26, 2013

Computers are not being utilized as education tools as expected.

Bauer and Kenton (2005), Toward Technology Integration in the Schools: Why It Isn’t Happening

Overriding sentiment: “It’s been 30 years since the advent of the personal computer and we’re still struggling to get teachers

and administrators to integrate digital technologies into their daily work in ways that are

substantive and meaningful.” ~ Scott McLeod (2011)

Purpose

Investigate educators who use social media for informal professional learning.

What motivates them: • to seek out and connect with other educators• to advance their professional learning• on their own time

Importance of the Research

filling the gap in literaturehttp://globaltoynews.typepad.com/.a/6a0133ec87bd6d970b014e86e58ea8970d-500wi

Foundation of Conceptual Framework

• Paulo Freire – learning is a social act and dialogue is the heart of education

Foundation of Conceptual Framework

Literature Review• Adult Learning Theory• Professional Development• Personal Learning Network

“Friends educating each other” Basil Yeaxlee, 1925CoPs = adults learning with and from each other

Wenger

Adult Learning Theories

Adult LearningConnectivism focuses on theamplification of learning, knowledge, and understanding through the extension of a personal network via social media

Professional Development

self-directed, ongoing and job

embedded—not an eventGuskey

Personal Learning Networks

PLN = connections to people and resources, both

offline and online, who enrich our learning

Richardson & Mancabelli

PLN = “friends educating each other” revived

Typical Teacher Networkby Alec Couros

The Networked Teacher

Socially Networked Teacher

New Paradigm Suggested

• Self-directed• Differentiated• Ongoing• Job embedded• Flexible• Encourages self-analysis and personal

reflection

New Paradigm

• PLNs should be validated as a powerful professional development component

• Not: Traditional vs Informal

• But a mix of: traditional & emerging, formal & informal

Research Questions

Q1 What are educators’ perceptions and reported behaviors associated with participation in informal, online professional development networks?

Research Sub-Questions

Q1a motivationQ1b typesQ1c specific

Q2 Do educator’s perceptions and reported behaviors differ based on:• current assignment• years in education• age

Research Questions

Methodology

“Unless researchers first generate an accurate description of an educational phenomenon as it

exists, they lack a firm basis for explaining or changing it.”

~ Gall, Gall & Borg

Respondent Demographics

Average Age43 years-old

Key Descriptive Findings

FindingsFavorite social media application to use for informal professional development:

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Open-ended Themes - Why Twitter? Community & Convenience

“It is the modern equivalent of the 18th century coffeehouse—a place teaming with ideas, opinions, research, discussion, collaboration, and bold vision.”

http://blog.songcastmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/twitter-community-600.jpg

Open-ended Themes – Why Twitter? Informal Learning & Sharing

“I have created a PLN that I feel meets my needs by providing resources, ideas, and challenges to improve learning for my students.”

http://images.wisegeek.com/people-independently-working-in-a-cafe.jpg

Open-ended Themes – Why Twitter? Professional Improvement

“I have developed more as a professional since participating in #edchat than I did in the last five years.”

http://appliedsimplicity.org/files/u2/group_3w.jpg

Open-ended Themes – Why Twitter? Isolation Reduction*

“The largest difference is that I no longer feel alone in the classroom. I think it is hard for those outside of education to realize how isolated teachers were before social media.”

Findings

• Educators (99%) believed they should take personal responsibility for continued professional growth and improvement.

Findings

How well did each of the following prepare you to make effective use of technology for instruction?

Key Comparative Findings

Administrators vs Classroom Teachers

http://leadershipfreak.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/disagreeement.jpg

Current Assignment - Position• Administrators perceived that employers used

more methods to support technology integration than classroom teachers.

• Administrators had a more positive view of the effectiveness of PD in educational technology provided by school, district, or campus than classroom teachers.

Yes

No

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As age increased:

• confidence using technology decreased

• PD activities made respondents feel more prepared

• use of social media decreased

Other Relevant Findings

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Key Recommendations & Implications

• Researchers• Educational leaders• Teachers

Key Recommendations to Future Researchers

1. Examine successful programs currently supporting the use of, and giving credit to and recognizing educators for participation in informal, online professional development networks.

Key Recommendations to Future Researchers

2. Is there a correlation between participation in informal, online professional development and:- Improved practice- Increased student learning- Increased technology integration- Increased confidence in tech integration and lesson

planning- Increased feeling of belongingness—less isolation- Increased satisfaction with personal professional

development

Key Implications forEducation Leaders

1. Make technology integration a priority. Focus on sound pedagogy and lesson planning rather than just tools and application use.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kjarrett/4138613146/

Key Implications forEducation Leaders

2. Allow educators input regarding professional development:- differentiated- self-directed- example – unconference and edcamp models

Key Implications forEducation Leaders

3. Provide professional development that is ongoing and job embedded.

4. Encourage (don’t demand) participation in informal professional development networks and support development of PLNs.

Key Implications forEducation Leaders

5. Explore ways that would support, honor, and give credit for time spent in informal, online professional development.

6. Administrators need to lead by example by modeling effective use of technology—for example, in communicating with students, parents, and staff.

Implications forEducators

1. Participate in informal, online professional development by starting your own PLN built on your needs and passions—start small, find mentors, be patient.

2. Take responsibility for your own professional growth and improvement.

Implications forEducators

3. Advocate for the legitimacy and recognition of time spent participating in informal, online professional development networks.

4. Advocate for professional development that is self-directed, differentiated, ongoing, and job embedded.

Implications forEducators

5. Be bold and share what you learn in these environments and encourage others to join in the conversation.

6. Model lifelong learning by staying as up to date as possible regarding technology integration.

The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.

~ C. S. Lewis

The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are. ~ C. S. Lewis

http://sociability.ca/blog/thanks-21st-century/

Find me at:Twitter: @debbiefucoBlog: The Educators’ CaféEmail: debbie.fucoloro@gmail.com