Sustaining Innovation in a Networked Classroom: The Contribution of Preservice Students

• In Event: Understanding and Supporting Preservice and In-Service Teachers' Technology Integration Efforts

Abstract

This paper examines pre-service teachers’ contribution to a school-within-a-school professional community in the context of a university-school partnership. While doing student teaching in one-to-one laptop classrooms of a secondary school, they engaged in collaborative reflective practice using a digital platform. Applying Wenger’s community of practice framework, artifacts of their shared repertoire (2002-2015), were analyzed. Available documentation regarding the school program and its context were revisited with an eye to identify its constituents. Our study reveals the key environmental features that oriented, nurtured and sustained the contribution that these “legitimate peripheral participants” made to the practice of teaching in a networked classroom. Moreover, its demonstrates that, under specific circumstances, pre-service teachers bring a valuable contribution to a school-based professional community.

Authors

• Therese Laferriere, Laval University

• Stephane Allaire, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi

• Christine Hamel, Université Laval

• Marie-Desneiges Hamel, Université Laval

• Christian Perreault, Université Laval