Sustaining and Nurturing Online Professional Teacher Communities in Mathematics Education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Nurturing Professional Development in New Environments

Abstract

This research examines the mechanisms by which online Professional Teacher Communities (PTC) can be sustained in mathematics education. We focus on one set of activities in the EnCOMPASS project in which project staff engage participating teachers: the online short courses offered to participating teachers (via Blackboard Learn). We also draw from teacher blogs to learn how teachers self-identify with the PTC and the short courses. Results point to the short courses as valuable spaces for expanding teacher content, reinforcing PTC norms and discourse. The courses provide a “safe” location for teachers to try on new ideas. Blogs also provide safe spaces for teachers to describe taking risks in their classrooms and along with their students, being vulnerable to critique.

Authors

• Carol B. Brandt, Temple University

• MacKenzie Mocini Lovell, Temple University

• Danielle Morris Sutherland, Temple University