Technology-Mediated Professional Learning is Associated with Evolving Rural Science Teacher Networks

• In Event: Teacher Isolation in the Post-Digital Era: Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Teacher Networks Today

Abstract

Overview & Perspectives
Rural science teachers face professional isolation due to geographic distance and limited subject-specific colleagues (Biddle & Azano, 2016; Burton et al., 2013). Effective professional development requires ongoing collaboration and collective participation (Desimone, 2009), with powerful learning occurring through sustained conversations and joint problem-solving (Horn & Kane, 2015; Grossman et al., 2001). Technology-Mediated Lesson Study (TMLS) addresses these challenges by enabling collaborative planning, video-based observation, and structured reflection across distance (Authors, 2024). This relational approach, guided by situated learning theory (Lave & Wenger, 1991), creates conditions for meaningful professional connections that can reduce isolation and support instructional growth.

Methods & Data Sources
This study used social network analysis to examine how participation in Technology-Mediated Lesson Study (TMLS) was associated with rural science teachers' professional networks over two years (2023-2024). We conducted a whole-network study of 195 middle and high school science teachers across 27 districts in a western US state, with 20 TMLS participants and 175 nonparticipants.
Teachers completed annual surveys identifying colleagues for collaboration, advice-seeking, and friendship ties. We analyzed network evolution using descriptive statistics, examined homophily using E-I Index and Modularity metrics (Krackhardt and Stern, 1988; McPherson et al., 2001), and conducted ego network churn analysis comparing participants and nonparticipants via permutation-based t-tests.
For cross-sectional analysis, we estimated Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) for 2024 networks using structural terms and attribute effects for homophily, TMLS participation, and geographic distance interactions (Hunter et al., 2008). For longitudinal analysis, we used Separable Temporal ERGMs (STERGMs) to model tie formation and persistence processes. Goodness-of-fit diagnostics with 2,000 simulated networks were used to evaluate all models.

Results
All three networks (collaboration, advice-seeking, friendship) became more interconnected from 2023 to 2024, with increased density and reciprocity. Homophily patterns showed weak gender clustering but strong regional clustering, though regional homophily decreased over time. TMLS participants consistently reported significantly more ties and more new ties than nonparticipants across all networks. Sociograms revealed TMLS participants became more central, bridging regional boundaries and creating larger interconnected clusters.
ERGMs revealed that TMLS participation was significantly associated with tie formation in collaboration and friendship networks (2024), with geographic distance serving as a strong negative predictor across all networks. However, significant TMLS × distance interaction effects indicated that participants overcame spatial barriers more effectively than nonparticipants. Longitudinal analysis using STERGMs showed the same pattern of results.
Descriptively, newly formed ties between TMLS participants spanned greater average distances (115.5-134.8 miles) compared to nonparticipant ties (45.2-54.7 miles).

Scholarly Significance
This study demonstrates how technology-mediated professional development can help transform isolated rural teachers' networks, addressing a critical challenge in rural education (Carlsen & Monk, 1992). Using STERGMs to analyze network evolution provides methodological advances for understanding the impacts of professional development. The new ties formed by TMLS participants offer empirical evidence for technology-mediated, scalable interventions to reduce rural teacher isolation.

Authors

• Rebecca Sansom, Texas A&M University

• Syahrul Amin, Texas A&M University