Emergent Teacher Leadership Through Professional Learning Networks

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 3:05 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers as Education Change Makers: What Empowers and/or Enervates Them (Table 8)

Abstract

To investigate rural/remote teachers’leadership development we conducted a qualitative case study of 16 teacher leaders within a PLN. Analysis of data suggested that the PLN created a forum to share experiences, identify barriers and challenges, and problem-solve together. Of note, the supportive nature of the PLN helped educators to persevere and sustain their innovations. This normalized how challenging educational change can be while illuminating how professional and personal growth can emerge from discomfort. Teachers began to self-identify as leaders within their local sites of innovative, noting how their collaborative efforts led to influencing additional educators to join, thus widening local circles of educator participation beyond the original PLN membership.

Authors

• Leyton Schnellert, University of British Columbia

• Donna Lynn Kozak, University of British Columbia - Okanagan

• Mehjabeen Datoo, Richmond School District

• Miriam Miller, University of British Columbia