Nonusers, Lurkers, and Posters: Profiles of Participation and Engagement in a Large-Scale Online Teacher Community

• In Event: Understanding and Using Learner Data in Technology Environments

Abstract

This mixed-method study examines teacher participation and engagement in the online AP Teacher Communities (APTC) in response to the redesigned AP Biology, Chemistry, and Physics exams and curricula. Prior analyses indicate that APTC participation has positive, direct associations towards teacher practice and students’ scores, motivating further explorations of APTC participation. This analysis suggests that there are significant differences in teacher, teaching, and school characteristics that predict whether a teacher is using or not using the APTC. However, there are no substantive differences in most characteristics between the type of engagement between lurkers and posters. Insights about teacher learning from this study may generalize to other national shifts in curriculum and assessment, such as the NGSS or Common Core Standards.

Authors

• Kim Frumin, Harvard University

• Christian Fischer, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Christopher J. Dede, Harvard University

• Barry J. Fishman, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Arthur Eisenkraft, University of Massachusetts

• Abigail Jurist Levy, Education Development Center, Inc.

• Ayana Milele McCoy, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Frances P. Lawrenz, University of Minnesota

• Yueming Jia, Education Development Center, Inc.