Transcript Issues and Trends Concerning Electronic Networking

Improving the preparation of
teachers through the use of emerging
technologies
Michael Barnett
Boston College
Structure of the talk
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Introduction
What is known about electronic PD: A review
The Inquiry Learning Forum
ILF Research
Introduction: The challenge of PD
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Calls for reform of teacher professional development
programs
 Even the most exemplary TPD programs struggle to
maintain support over time (Carey & Frechtling, 1997)
 Traditional PD Underused by teachers or insufficient
time
 Lack of mechanism that facilitate sustained sharing
and access to distributed expertise
 On-going, during the school year that take into
account the contextual needs of teachers (DarlingHammond & McLauglin, 1995)
Introduction cont...
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New models of TPD are emerging that
leverage electronic networking technologies
(Dede, 2006, Barab, et al., 2001; Marx, et al., 1998)
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What are the weaknesses and challenges of
leveraging electronic networks for teacher
professional development?
What have we learned about the design and
implementation of TPD programs that
leverage electronic networking technologies?
Structure of the talk
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Introduction
What is known about electronic PD: A
review
The Inquiry Learning Forum
ILF Research
What is known about Electronic PD?
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Studies were then examined searching for
general themes
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Networking technologies can reduce teacher
isolation and support sharing
Networking technologies can foster reflection on
practice
Networking technologies influence teaching
practice
Networking technologies support the formation of
communities of practice
Theme #1: Reduction in teacher isolation
and sharing
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Electronic networking technologies appear to
create favorable conditions for collaboration
and sharing
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Rural teachers and teachers in isolated situations
Teachers who participate in such programs have
more favorable perceptions concerning the use of
networking technologies for their students
Used mainly for moral support
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Some for collaborative curriculum development and
sharing of teaching strategies
Theme #2: Reflection on Practice
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Research is mixed concerning the power of
electronic networks to support reflection
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Significant use focused on moral and emotional
support (Gunn, 1995; Roddy, 1999)
Pre-service settings messages content influenced
by receiver rather than being reflective (Thomas,
Clift, Sagurmoto, 1996)
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Reflective exchanges occur between faculty and students not
between students
Studies have shown that reflective thought more
common than in face-face setting (Hawkes, 2001)
Theme #3: Influence on Teaching Practice
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Administrative support critical (Sunal & Sunal,
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1992)
Surveys (self-reported) reveal that teachers who
participate do feel they are more innovative (Lehman,
Campbell, & Campbell, 1992)
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On-line mentors support deepening understanding
of how to implement innovative teaching strategies
(Bliss & Mazur, 1996)
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Generally, electronic networks have been useful in
helping teachers to think about their practice, but
impact on actual practice has yet to be examined in
any great detail
Theme #4: Communities of Practice
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Few projects are investigating how to
developing on-line communities of practice
TAPPED-IN (Schlager, Fusco, & Schank, in press)
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Need a critical mass
Need discussions about actual classroom practice
Long and time consuming process
SENCo (Special Needs Coordinators forum)
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On-line forums used primarily for emphatic
exchange rather than the formation of community
Conclusions: What we have learned
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Electronic networks have shown great
potential, some guidelines are emerging
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Ability to locate mentors or others with similar
interests
Work in collaborative small and diverse groups
Collaborative sharing (not one-way)
Encouragement of sustained and focused
discussions
Reflection on actual practice
Development of trust and sense of continuity and
community
Conclusions: What we have learned
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Have convenient access to computers and be
comfortable in using the networking technology
Believe that the discussion has immediate relevancy
to their teaching and their students’ learning
The on-line discussions be focused so that teachers
feel that their time is being well spent (this is
particularly important for time-strapped in-service
teachers)
The electronic network has social supports in place
that encourage newcomers as well as experienced
users of the network to not only engage in but also
sustain longitudinal discussions
Implications: Needed Research
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How and in what does participation in an online professional development program
influence teaching practice?
When teachers use an electronic network
what do they hope to gain from participation?
Design research is needed on how to design
tools that promote reflection
What constitutes the formation of an on-line
community?
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How to maintain such a community?
Structure of the talk
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Introduction
What is known about electronic PD: A review
The Inquiry Learning Forum
ILF Research
Examples of on-line PD
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http://ilf.crlt.indiana.edu/
What is the ILF?
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National Science Foundation funded
project for math and science teachers
A web-based professional
development system designed to
support a community
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in-service and pre-service mathematics
and science teachers
share their beliefs about inquiry and their
experiences in implementing reform-based
practices
ILF centers around the vision of a
community
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teachers can virtually visit each other's
classrooms by viewing streaming video
vignettes of other teachers’ actual
classroom teaching (Barab, Makinster, Moore, et
al, 2001)
Theoretical Underpinnings
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Research on learning from anthropological frameworks has pointed out the
critical role of the community within which learning occurs (Lave, 1988; Lave
& Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998).
Lave and Wenger (1991) used the term “communities of practice” to
illuminate the importance of activity in binding individuals to communities,
and in communities to legitimize and support the development of individual
skills and practices
Over the past decade, many teacher educators have grown dissatisfied with
the traditional individualistic approach to teacher education and professional
development.
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sparked a number of efforts to transform existing teacher professional
development programs into communities of learners (Barab, Barnett, & Squire, in
press; Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999; Thomas, Wineburg, Grossman, & Myhre,
1998).
Theoretical Underpinnings
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One-time workshop, class, or seminar is unlikely to result in significant,
long-term change in teachers’ practice and belief systems (Richardson,
2001).
Teacher change requires multiple opportunities to learn, to practice, and to
interact with other teachers and educators reflecting on and inquiring into
their own practice and beliefs (Gess-Newsome, 2001).
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Our research and instructional design efforts have revolved around the
need
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opportunities to reflect not only during the summer but throughout the year
(Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin, 1995)
to create a web-supported professional development system that would
support extended and long-lasting relationships and interactions.
support both pre- and in-service teachers in learning how to implement
inquiry instruction in their respective contexts.
Our perspective is that TPD experience is more likely to be effective and
long lasting if the teachers are supported in building vital relationships with
each other, education faculty, faculty in the sciences, and have a voice in
their own professional development (Ingvarson, 1998; Keys & Bryan,
2001).
ILF Design Commitments
Building on these theoretical foundations
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Foster Ownership and Participation
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Focus on Inquiry
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Inquiry pedagogy and practice
Visit the Classroom
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A varied community of professionals
Video-streaming of real-world classrooms
Support Communities of Purpose
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Bring together groups of teachers organized common
and shared experiences
Participant Structures
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Support and encourage on-line dialogue and
collaboration
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ILF classrooms
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K-12 math and science classrooms
Watch video vignettes of classroom teachers
Supporting materials including
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Teacher reflections
Student work
Links to standards
Participant structures: Classroom(s)
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6-8 video clips
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Other resources
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Reflections
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Student work
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Standards
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Resources
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Discussion
forum(s)
Participant structures: Collaboratory
Virtual space
where groups
of teachers
can come
together
around some
collective
experience or
interest
Participant structures: Forums
Asychronous
Discussion
forums for
sharing and
reflecting on
inquiry-based
teaching
practices and
strategies
Participant Structures: Others
Library
Lounge
Some Research on the ILF
Structure of the talk
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Introduction
What is known about electronic PD: A review
The Inquiry Learning Forum
ILF Research
Background: Science Teaching...
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Pre-service teachers need the opportunity to reflect on and
observe inquiry-based teaching during their methods courses (NRC,
1996)
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Field experiences
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Lack of inquiry-teaching occurring in elementary classrooms
Lack of comfort with science (64% of teachers not familiar with the
NSES) (Horizon, 2002)
Can be mis-educative (Calderhead, 1988, Feinman-Nemser & Buchman,
1985)
Student teaching experience may not alter beliefs about teaching (Munby &
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Russell, 1992)
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Electronic networks (Thomas, Clift, & Sugimoto, 1996)
Teleapprenticeships (Levin & Waugh 1998)
Web-supported Professional Development (Schlager & Schank, 1997)
Digital media videos to support reflection (Abell, et al., 1996; Flake, 2002)
Study Context
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Pilot Study
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A collaboration between
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Use of the ILF
Use of data gathering instruments (ITB)
1 class of elementary science methods students
27 female, 1 male
Dual certification elementary and special needs
11 in-service teachers
The pedagogical foundation of our collaboration was to
facilitate discussion
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about inquiry-based teaching strategies
examine teacher practice
reflect on pedagogical beliefs
provide our students with the experience of viewing
teachers implementing inquiry-based instruction
Instructional Activities
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Students watched two specific ILF elementary science
classrooms
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Discussions on special topics
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Two-weeks +
Scaffolding questions
Interactions with participating teachers
How children learn science?
What is inquiry?
Teach a lesson in their placement that was inquiryoriented
This study: The Questions
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What are pre-service teachers beliefs
regarding inquiry-based instruction?
How do in-service and pre-service
teachers perception of inquiry change
as a result of collaboration with preservice teachers and teacher
educators?
What were teachers’ perception of the
ILF in helping them learn how to teach
through inquiry?
This Study: Methods
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Used various methods:
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Pre-post interviews (pre and in-service)
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Derived from Horizon’s instruments (2001)
Inquiry Teaching Belief instrument
Classroom observations of pre-service teachers
Examination of on-line discussion posts
e-mail exchanges
Semi-quantitative interview data
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Card sorting activity using 14 cards
Distance of item from “Classroom” represents
relative importance to inquiry teaching
Results: Value Added?
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I really enjoyed getting to see her lesson because it
allows students like us who want to be teachers to go
over what she is teaching and look at how things went.
It is almost as if we are in there observing her and it is
nice because we can watch her while at home. I
thought the students were using inquiry because she
was prompting them to give out information and open
ended questions allowed students to reply. I really like
watching the examples.
Results from Pre-course Interview
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Subjects view of inquiry teaching uncertain
and broad
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Aggregate data show all items important to at
least one student
Only using textbooks and worksheets viewed as
unimportant by majority
Six items viewed as important by majority
Results: ITB
ITEM
Normed
Pre
raw pre
Normed
post
raw post
Students evaluating evidence (a)
7.7
0.52
0.29
5.6
Students following procedures (b)
5.75
0.39
0.93
17.8
Students listening to teacher lecture (c)
6.7
0.45
0.83
15.8
Students reading textbooks (d)
8.1
0.55
0.83
15.8
10.7
0.72
1.00
19.1
Students working quietly in seats (f)
5.5
0.37
0.52
9.9
Students reflecting on their work (g)
7.9
0.53
0.25
4.7
Students working together (h)
7.2
0.49
0.15
2.8
Students taking tests to measure learning (i)
12.4
0.84
0.41
7.9
Students being continuously assessed (j)
14.8
1.00
0.35
6.7
4
0.27
0.31
5.9
9.5
0.64
0.30
5.8
7.45
0.50
0.30
5.7
7.2
0.49
0.21
4.0
Students filling out worksheets (e)
Students collecting data (k)
Students responding to teacher questions (l)
Students communicating findings (m)
Students formulating questions (n)
Results from Post-course Interview
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Subjects have greater clarity and confidence in their
understanding of inquiry teaching
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Articulate a wide variety of teaching strategies that
constitute inquiry
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Five items predominate as important
Five items predominate as unimportant or unsupportive of
inquiry teaching
Hands-on, questioning, problem-solving
Had a dichotomous view of science teaching
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Either inquiry-oriented or not
Results: In-service Teachers
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Do my duty initially, one-way sharing
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It was not that long ago that I was a student, and I
remember thinking that I would love to had the
opportunity to talk with teachers before I got to
teach. I wish I would have the opportunity that is
being provided to your students
Time commitment
Results: In-service teachers
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I had many questions about what it means to
teach through inquiry. I responded as best I
could to their postings and questions, but not
sure how helpful I have been. This
experience has helped to better understand
that what I though was inquiry-based
teaching may not have been…
Conclusions
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This study suggest that pre-service & in-service
teachers need and want opportunities to observe,
visit, interact, and collaboratively reflect with
teachers attempting to implement reform-based
teaching strategies
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Develop confidence
Aware of what an inquiry-based lesson looks like
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Influence their beliefs of how inquiry-lessons play out
Students still struggled with an inquiry dichotomy
Educational Implications
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ILF system provides an outlet for pre-service
teachers to formally articulate their beliefs in
relation to classroom practice
Provide a variety of field and virtual
experiences with various levels of inquirybased teaching
Connecting pre and in-service through
emerging technologies can be a powerful
tool to support in-service teacher reflection
on their own practice