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Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online: Implications for teacher professional development programme design Michael Moroney University of Brunei [email protected] 1

Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online: Implications for teacher professional development programme design

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Presented in one of the parallel sessions during the 15th International Conference on Education 2010 at Universiti Brunei Darussalam.Presenter/courtesy of Michael Moroney, Lecturer, Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

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Page 1: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online: Implications for teacher professional development

programme designMichael Moroney

University of [email protected]

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Page 2: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Itinerary1. Define face-to-face evidence-based professional learning conversations

2. Describe reasons for putting conversations online

3. Present theoretical perspectives that may shed light on evidence-based professional learning conversations can be developed and sustained.

4. Outline a research project designed to add to understanding of how geographically separated teachers might develop online evidence-based professional learning conversations.

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Page 3: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Evidence-based professional learning conversations Teachers work together in teams (community of practice)

Follow conversation protocols, procedures and rules of engagement to achieve knowledge acquisition goals

Solve problems of interest to all in their learning community

Work closely with evidence

(see Earl & Timperley (2009) Professional learning conversations: Challenges in using evidence for improvement. Springer Science + Business Media: New York.)

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Page 4: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Reasons for conducting conversations

… real benefits can accrue from “getting to know” data as part of an ongoing process of educational change using it locally to investigate real issues in particular schools, as a way of deciding what to do next.

(from Earl & Timperley (2009) Professional learning conversations: Challenges in using evidence for improvement. Springer Science + Business Media: New York.)

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Page 5: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

PD driven by teacher needsEarl (2009) also argued that evidence-informed,

professional learning conversations are conducted by teachers in their own schools and that professional learning conversations are used to inform decisions about how to improve instructional practices that conversation participants can themselves use.

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Page 6: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

In a typical conversation…“Differences between theories about the current situation and how to

improve it are expected and accepted. If the theories and and their explanations are restricted to personal views and beliefs, however, the discussion may result in mutual understanding and a sense of goodwill, but they may still reflect individual impressions. To achieve deeper understanding about an issue, the agreement must be based on evidence that can be examined and tested.”

Timperley & Earl (2009) p.5

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Page 7: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

A typical question a community might consider…

Why are slow-progress students not achieving and how can we teach them more effectively?

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Page 8: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Conditions for evidence-based professional learning conversations1. An inquiry habit of mind

2. Using relevant data

3. Relationships of respect and challenge

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Page 9: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

An inquiry habit of mindA willingness to want to inquire and learn

A disposition to be open to a range of interpretations

A personal quality

Although this is a personal quality, it is the commitment of a group to engage in inquiry that develops this disposition

“seeking meaning in dynamic feedback loops”

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Page 10: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Using relevant data A highly interpretive process needing multiple conversations about:

What counts as data What counts as evidence Possibilities for use

Substance of inquiry is to search for meaning or the implications for teaching

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Page 11: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Relationships of respect and challenge

Development of interpersonal dynamics Shared responsibility for the work of teaching Belief that community contributions required to succeed in own work Confidence in each others commitment and competence

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Page 12: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Online Evidence-based professional learning conversations

Reasons to connect online

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Page 13: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

School – University conversation transcript“… As requested, you wanted to have a list of syntax that the teachers can

use and look for in the case of teachers wanting to use the Latex for doing the mathematics equation.

I have compiled for you several documents for the teachers use and a few website links for them to use in the case of need. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further assistance… ”

…online conversation April 2010

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Page 14: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Understanding Online evidence-based conversations

Three theoretical perspectives

1. Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT)(Engestrom, 1999; Wertsch, 1985)

2. Community of Practice theory (CoP)(Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998; Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder, 2002),

3. Computer supported collaborative learning theory (CSCL) (Hoppe, Ogata, & Soller, 2007; Stahl, 2004; Strijbos, Kirschner, & Martens, 2004)

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Page 15: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Cultural historical activity theory

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Page 16: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

A way of modeling the structure and dynamic relationships in an activity system.

The structure of human activity in Engestrom’s (1987) Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) framework

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Page 17: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

The structure and relationships of an evidence-based professional learning conversation

Explanatory framework

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Page 18: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Four layers of tension1. The first layer lies within

each of the six nodes. 2. The second layer is one in

which any two nodes are inconsistent.

3. A third layer is one in which traditional procedures for completing tasks conflict with new approaches.

4. A fourth tension is that between different activity systems.

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Page 19: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Community of practice theoretical perspective

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Page 20: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

What are the triggers that

catalyze evolution?

Community of practice theoretical perspective

Wenger, E., McDermot, R., Snyder, W. (2002). A guide to managing knowledge: Cultivating communities of practice. Harvard Business School Press: Boston (see page 68)

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Page 21: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Triggers that catalyze evolution1. Moves on when it can combine a good understanding of what already

exists with a vision of where it can go.

2. Communities thrive when members find value in participating. Need genuine trust, sharing knowledge that is truly useful, belief that the community has enough value that it will survive.

3. Clarifying community focus, roles and boundaries.

4. Shift from sharing information to organizing community knowledge and taking stewardship seriously.

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Page 22: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Distributed communities of practice Distance makes it more difficult to remember the community exists

Distributed groups have more issues and less opportunity to discuss them

People may have different agendas – more difficult to settle on a common way forward

Less contact and so harder to build trust and online relationships

(Wenger, McDermott & Snyder)

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Page 23: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

CSCL“…In this approach, learning is conceptualized as a collective and participatory social process in which a series of multistranded interpersonal transactions mediate the exchange of knowledge”

(Cole and Engestro¨m 1993).

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Page 24: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

A CSCL perspective Wegerif (2006) argued that mastery of dialogic practices formed the basis

for the development of individual thinking skills.

"To understand phenomena related to learning, one must study the ways in which people interact with one another”

It is widely recognised as necessary (though not sufficient) that teachers engaged in professional development work in groups. When professional development is online the need for the group to adopt effective social practices is both necessary and more complicated.

Stahl, G., & Hesse, F. (2006). Social practices of computer-supported collaborative learning. International journal of computer supported collaborative learning, 1, 409-412.

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Page 25: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

continued “Supporting group learning activities requires an understanding of the process

of collaborative learning”

Soller, A., & Lesgold, A. (2007). Modeling the process of collaborative learning. In H. Ulrich Hoppe, H. Ogata & A. Soller (Eds.), Computer-supported collaborative learning: Studies in technology enhanced collaborative learning New York: Springer Science + Business Media.

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Page 26: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Combining 3 theoretical perspectives CHAT provides a way of examining a complex activity systems such as

evidence-based professional learning conversations.

CoP theory highlights the need for the learning community to develop over time, and the challenges of distributed communities.

CSCL theory stresses the importance of mastery of dialogic skills and the need for new communication skills for online discussions.

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Page 27: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

A research project

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Page 28: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Online professional learning - COINSET Research Focus

The overall objective of this research is to contribute to current knowledge of teacher professional development theory; specifically, how online evidence based professional learning conversations can be created and sustained to help teachers gain professional knowledge.

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Page 29: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Participants & PD programme 50 teachers from different schools in Brunei

Teachers form professional learning teams of 5 – called “professional friends communities”

Teachers learn how to work in an online learning community and follow a protocol for completing online evidence-based professional conversations

The programme runs for 7 months. Each month groups come together to share their professional learning conversation experiences and to discuss how conversations may be more effective.

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Page 30: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Research methodology Phase 1. Multiple case study research

Phase 2. In-depth case studies of 2 purposely selected online learning communities

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Analysis of data Content analysis of online conversation transcripts

Document analysis of online community artifacts

Social network analysis of tie strength

Web analytics

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Possible limitations 7 “snapshots” may not capture the dynamics of how groups change over

time.

Limited to 50 teachers in this first programme

Coding of transcripts may be subject to bias as English is not the home language of many participants.

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Page 33: Taking evidence-based professional learning conversations online:  Implications for teacher professional development programme design

Thank you for your time

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