Modeling Social Participation: Design Implications From Analysis of Online Teacher Professional Development Workshops

• In Event: 66.033 - Rich Approaches to Assess and Promote Technology Integration

Abstract

Online teacher professional development (PD) programs often take an approach similar to traditional teacher PD where programs are primarily driven by experts and teachers are passive receivers of knowledge. This study is part of the design-based study that examined a series of five online workshops conducted to support the development of a teacher community of practice (CoP) where teachers actively participate, interact with one another, and construct shared knowledge. Analyzing video recordings, observational notes, interviews, and pre- and post-surveys, this study investigated the type of online breakout interactions that contribute to the development of CoP and the factors that might have contributed to it. The results indicated that design that models social participation may foster social participation that supports online CoPs.

Authors

• Yumiko Murai, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Neil Patch, Harvard University

• Elizabeth Choe, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Katherine McConachie, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Philipp Schmidt, Massachusetts Institute of Technology