Cultivating an Online Teacher Community of Practice: A Social Network Analysis

• In Event: 67.068 - MTCC Roundtable Session 32
  In Roundtable Session: 67.068-4 - Examining the Impact of Digital Learning Environments on Teacher Professional Development

Abstract

This mixed methods study explores the formation, development, and evolution of an online teacher community of practice (CoP). The online CoP supports 382 teachers as they implement the Instructional Conversation pedagogy. In the first phase, a social network analysis (SNA) was used to identify network attributes, node centrality measures, and homophily trends (Scott, 2013). Then, in-depth interviews with two core contributors, two brokers, and two peripheral observers were conducted and coded using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The SNA revealed the structure of the network, patterns of engagement, and helped identify members of interest for interviews. Mixed evidence for homophily was found after triangulation. Participants reported positive attitudes towards the CoP and increased opportunities for reflection, collaboration, and mentorship.

Authors

• Diego Boada Beltran, University of Georgia - Athens

• Pedro R. Portes, University of Georgia

• Paula Jean Mellom, University of Georgia

• Jodi Weber, University of Georgia

• Rebecca K. Hixon, University of Georgia