Communities of Inquiry in Asynchronous, Online Professional Development: Fostering Teaching Presence Through Embedded Facilitation

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Two
  In Roundtable Session: Virtual Professional Development and Expanding Teachers' Learning (Table 8)

Abstract

Effective, high-quality professional development (PD) reaches only a small percentage of mathematics teachers, particularly those serving marginalized populations. If the field is to overcome common barriers to face-to-face PD participation such as time, cost, geographical distance, and access to expert providers, innovative strategies are needed. Our paper discusses the design and impact of a flexible, asynchronous, online PD intervention designed to be implemented with or without facilitator involvement. We share how learning activities, technology, and framing tools were carefully sequenced to foster teaching presence and create communities of inquiry. Findings indicate that embedding key facilitation moves can create a sense of teaching presence in both facilitated and independent cohorts, which supports PD learning goals around Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT).

Authors

• Angela Knotts, WestEd
  Presenting Author

• Nanette M. Seago, WestEd
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jill Neumayer-DePiper, University of Maryland
  Non-Presenting Author