ERIC Number: EJ1254862
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Apr
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2202-9478
EISSN: N/A
"Facebook Me": The Potential of Student Teachers' Online Communities of Practice in Learning to Teach
Zimmerman, Belinda S.; Kruse, Sharon D.; Niesz, Tricia; Kist, William; Kidder-Brown, Melanie K.; Nikbakht, Elham
International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, v8 n2 p62-70 Apr 2020
This study examined the ways in which early childhood pre-service student teachers (PSTs) used an online community for discussions related to teaching. Using the lenses of communities of practice, our goal was to understand what happens when the PSTs begin to share new learnings about teaching through ongoing practice in online communities. We investigated characteristics of the conversations of PSTs and their professors when using Facebook. This study was based on the postings of seven early childhood PSTs and five university faculty members. PSTs were interviewed at the conclusion of the semester to share their experiences from posting on Facebook. Two categories from the data include PSTs' views of the viability of Facebook and the kinds of talk that surfaced within the Facebook group conversations. Findings suggested that Facebook has the potential to sustain informal dialogues. However, PSTs require strong faculty support to solve issues related to complexities of practice.
Descriptors: Student Teachers, Early Childhood Teachers, Computer Mediated Communication, Communities of Practice, Social Media, Methods Courses, Group Discussion, Situated Learning
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A