ERIC Number: EJ1135382
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1475-939X
EISSN: N/A
Teachers' Self-Initiated Professional Learning through Personal Learning Networks
Tour, Ekaterina
Technology, Pedagogy and Education, v26 n2 p179-192 2017
It is widely acknowledged that to be able to teach language and literacy with digital technologies, teachers need to engage in relevant professional learning. Existing formal models of professional learning are often criticised for being ineffective. In contrast, informal and self-initiated forms of learning have been recently recognised as meaningful and relevant but little is known about these authentic learning experiences for professional purposes. This article investigates three teachers' self-initiated professional learning about digital technologies through their Personal Learning Networks. The analysis identified that the participants' everyday digital literacy practices provided opportunities for a range of professional practices that supported learning about digital technologies: information retrieval and resources aggregation, cooperation, collaboration, reflections and socialising. It also revealed that the teachers considered this form of learning as valuable. The article concludes by discussing how knowledge about self-initiated professional learning might be used to draw out some implications for teachers' professional development.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Case Studies, Learning Activities, Social Networks, Technology Uses in Education, Access to Information, Educational Technology, Information Retrieval, Observation, Faculty Development, Teachers
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A