Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of Professional Learning Networks on Teaching and Learning

• In Event: Roundtable Session 54
  In Roundtable Session: Impacts of Professional Learning Communities on In-Service Teachers

Abstract

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. There is, however, limited research about the impact of PLNs on teacher practices and student learning. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study that investigated PLN experiences through the analysis of survey data from 732 P-12 teachers. Results suggest that the anytime, anywhere availability of expansive PLNs, and their capacity to respond to educators’ diverse interests and needs, appear to offer possibilities for changing teaching behaviors and student learning. These findings have implications for defining the present and future of teacher learning in a digital age.

Authors

• Jeffrey Paul Carpenter, Elon University

• Torrey Trust, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Daniel G Krutka, Texas Woman's University