EducationPlaza - Teachers' Professional Development

摘要

New skills and literacies are needed in education to meet the challenges of rapid technological change. Existing models of in-service training for teachers do not provide an adequate means of re-skilling teachers in a timely enough manner to address these challenges. In this study we explore the professional development of teachers working in communities of practice that make extensive use of social media and digital habitats to create dynamic learning environments. As online habitats for communities of practice have grown in popularity, facilitators and "stewards" are faced with the complicated task of choosing appropriate tools and methods to support formal and informal learning objectives. Of particular concern is how to appropriately implement and use available technologies to support learning and promote community-wide participation and engagement. Although several previous studies have addressed these and related issues, there is a need for a continuous effort due to the constantly changing nature of technology and its possible uses for supporting lifelong learning and professional development.