Collaborative Learning Community Research Articles

Exploring childcare teachers’experiences in implementing nature experience activities: Focusing on a collaborative mentoring-based teacher learning community

Exploring childcare teachers’experiences in implementing nature experience activities: Focusing on a collaborative mentoring-based teacher learning community

Exploring the Impact of School Leadership on Professional Development in Panabo City Division, Philippines: A Mixed-Method Explanatory Research Study

This study investigates the relationship between school leadership and professional development in the educational setting of Panabo City Division, Philippines. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data were collected through surveys of teachers and school leaders, while qualitative insights were garnered through focus groups and interviews. The data show that school leaders are widely regarded positively, with high mean scores indicating effective participation, supportive behaviors, and clear communication. Similarly, professional development efforts received excellent marks for continual learning, reflective practice, collaborative networking, and creative teaching methods. Statistical research shows a substantial positive association (r = 0.90, p < 0.05) between school leadership and professional development, highlighting the importance of leadership in creating a supportive atmosphere for teacher development. Qualitative findings reveal how supportive leadership behaviors such as resource allocation, collaborative learning communities, and appreciation of teachers' contributions improve professional development outcomes. These findings have practical significance for educational policymakers and school leaders looking to improve leadership practices and maximize professional development programs, which enhances teaching effectiveness.

Creating Teachers for the Next Generation in India: A Holistic Approach in Alignment with NEP 2020

This paper explores the imperative of creating a new generation of teachers in India equipped to meet the evolving needs of education in the 21st century. With a particular focus on aligning teacher preparation with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, this paper visualises the essential competencies, values, and skills required to nurture educators who can effectively guide and inspire the next generation of learners. In addition to academic knowledge, the paper also gives importance on holistic approach places a strong emphasis on the development of socio emotional intelligence, cultural competence, and other critical 21st-century abilities. This approach recognizes that pupils have a variety of learning requirements and promotes customized and flexible teaching strategies that address each learner's unique strengths and problems. Furthermore, it emphasizes how crucial it is for teacher education to use technology in order to give educators the tools they need to use digital pedagogy and virtual learning environments. The abstract also discusses the value of lifetime learning and on-going professional development for educators in order to promote an innovative and flexible culture. The significance of mentorship, collaborative learning communities, and hands-on experience in augmenting the pragmatic comprehension of pedagogical approaches is emphasized. In conclusion, this abstract makes the argument that developing a cadre of educators who can successfully navigate the complexity of India's modern educational landscape depends on the efficient implementation of a comprehensive teacher preparation program that is in line with NEP 2020. By combining theoretical knowledge, real-world experience, and a dedication to continuous professional development, these educators are expected to significantly contribute to the intellectual, social, and emotional growth of the following generation of students.

Evaluating 21st-Century Skills in English Language Teaching (ELT) in Surigao Del Norte, Philippines: A Needs Assessment for Teachers Development

This study examined the 21st-century teaching skills of English language teachers (ELTs, n=117) and the observations of school heads (n=26) in the Surigao del Norte division (Philippines) for the 2023-2024 school year. Teachers' profiles and their self-perceptions in critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, creativity, digital literacy, and global awareness were assessed through surveys. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were employed to analyze the data and compare perceptions between ELTs and school heads. While the findings revealed a generally strong foundation in 21st-century skills among ELTs, a specific need for targeted support in digital literacy was identified. Additionally, discrepancies were found between teachers' self-reported skills and how school heads observed them being applied in the classroom. These findings highlight the importance of triangulation in evaluating teaching effectiveness. The study proposes recommendations that focus on professional development, resource allocation, collaborative learning communities, and feedback mechanisms to create an environment that empowers ELTs to effectively integrate 21st-century skills into their classrooms, ultimately preparing students for success in today's world.

It takes a village

Digital textbooks now incorporate various technological enhancements, and offer many opportunities for learning and teaching in higher education. Despite some enthusiasm for this medium, lecturers tend not to integrate the extra activities into their courses preferring instead to simply have them available as optional extra activities for students. One reason for this barrier to use is the time and effort required to integrate technology into the curriculum in a meaningful way, and lecturers may feel they lack the necessary knowledge to do this effectively. Despite the existence of institutional support to assist educators with technology enhanced learning, the services don’t always align with what faculty want or need. As a result, there have been calls to improve staff training and professional development. This paper presents a theorised inquiry into educators’ reflections on the integration of digital textbooks using Mishra & Koehler’s TPACK framework as an underpinning theory. The findings suggest the need for training and support that is individualised to instructors’ specific needs, and allows for increased collaboration between various stakeholders. It is concluded that professional development that focusses on the development of TPACK, and operates within a collaborative and context-specific learning community could support the increased uptake of digital textbooks in higher education.

Which practice is best to manage the Hidden curriculum for the best use of mobile devices in clinical practice? A systematic review.REVIEW

Objective: To evaluate the literature regarding the practices to manage the hidden curriculum for the best use of mobile devices in clinical practice. Study Design: Systematic Review. Setting: Articles selected for review from Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Ireland and Saudi Arabia. Period: July to Dec 2023. Methods: Following databases were searched: PubMed (12,579), the Cochrane Library (348), scopus (84), PsycInfo (21), CINAHL (220), Google Scholar (1,414). Primary variable (Evaluation of the development of clinical skills made possible by mobile devices) and secondary variable (to determine how satisfied students are with their mobile learning experience). The quality of study was critically appraised according the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) scale. Results: The research findings indicate that using mobile devices into medical education has a variety of effects. Positive instructor perspectives, more student involvement, and higher learning outcomes were frequently reported by participants. Medical students' growth of technological competency and readiness for the changing healthcare landscape have been found to be accelerated by mobile devices. The integration of virtual simulations and applications that are interactive has had a positive impact on the development of clinical abilities. Positive effects included themes of individualization, collaborative learning communities, and a better understanding of patient-centered care. On the other hand, issues including the digital divide, diversions, and security threats were recognized as obstacles that called for a careful strategy to reduce any negative effects. When everything is considered, the findings confirm the revolutionary potential of mobile device incorporation in medical education and highlight how it helps to create a dynamic, technologically advanced learning environment for prospective medical professionals. Conclusion: This study provides insight on how adding mobile devices into medical education has a revolutionary effect. The research indicates enhanced learning outcomes, increased student involvement, and altering faculty perspectives through insightful stories and compelling arguments.

Do in-service teachers accept artificial intelligence-driven technology? The mediating role of school support and resources

This study investigates the acceptance and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) among in-service teachers in Lesotho, focusing on the mediating role of school support and resources (SSR). In Lesotho's educational landscape, which is characterized by a growing interest in technology integration, this study fills an essential gap in the existing literature by exploring in-service teachers' perspectives on AI adoption and the mediating influence of SSR. Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as the theoretical framework, the study adopts a cross-sectional design, collecting data from a sample of 315 in-service teachers through online surveys. The data was analyzed using maximum likelihood estimation. The results reveal a substantial positive relationship between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and a positive attitude towards AI, with SSR playing a pivotal role as a complementary mediator in these connections. However, the study identifies a non-significant relationship between technical proficiency and behavioral intention, suggesting a need for further investigation into the technical skills essential for effective AI integration. The results highlight the critical role of SSR in shaping in-service teachers' intentions to use AI in their teaching practices. As a result, the study recommends tailored continuous professional development programs and collaborative learning communities to enhance teachers' skills. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of advocating for policies that support AI integration in education and underscores the ethical considerations related to AI use. We discuss the implications of our results concerning integrating AI into teachers' teaching practices in schools and outline future directions.

Literature Study on Problems of Office Management Vocational School Teachers in Implementing Learning Technology

This systematic literature review investigates the challenges faced by vocational school teachers in implementing educational technology. Adopting the PICOC framework, it synthesizes findings from 10 articles published between 2014-2024, selected from Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest databases. The review explores factors influencing teachers' readiness and effectiveness in integrating technology, such as digital competence, infrastructure, and leadership support. Key challenges identified include time constraints, inadequate training, and limited technical support. Strategies to enhance readiness involve continuous professional development, ICT expert support, diverse training programs, and collaborative learning communities. The findings contribute to developing effective policies and initiatives to support vocational teachers in successfully leveraging technology, ultimately improving education quality and preparing students for the digital era.

Uncovering the role of principals in enhancing teacher professional learning in a centralized education system

PurposeCurrent school leadership research has primarily utilized quantitative methods to explore the relationship between leadership and teacher learning. However, there is a notable gap in understanding how principals facilitate professional learning, especially in centralized educational settings. This study aims to address this gap by examining the role of school leadership in enhancing teacher professional learning within a highly centralized education system.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative case study delves into the lived experiences of 15 teachers and eight school leaders in eight primary schools in Mashhad, Iran. Through semistructured interviews, researchers employed open and axial coding to systematically explore and categorize qualitative data. The study focuses on understanding the role of principal leadership in facilitating teacher professional learning by connecting themes and sub-themes across transcripts.FindingsEffective principals worked on the cultivation of a culture that champions perpetual personal growth and development, the nurturing of a collaborative learning community, and the provision of essential resources and support. Findings showed the pivotal role of principals in promoting teachers' self-development, facilitating idea exchange and acknowledging their efforts. Principals appeared as key to encouraging information sharing, fostering collective learning, promoting professional development, overseeing teaching practices and ensuring the availability of resources to cultivate a supportive climate in a centralized education context.Originality/valueWe concluded that in centralized education, leadership practices for promoting teacher learning share similarities and differences with decentralized settings. The findings offer guidance for principals in centralized systems, supporting them in facilitating teacher professional learning in their schools.

Teacher learning in Hong Kong: primary English language teachers’ cognitions about online teaching to survive or thrive during COVID-19

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore ESL teachers’ perceptions of online teaching during the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong. A qualitative multiple-case study approach was employed, focusing on the online teaching experiences of three teachers in primary school contexts. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, rich data were collected and analysed. The findings revealed five prominent challenges faced by the teachers, including inadequate infrastructure, limited technical support and training, classroom management issues, teachers’ limited technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) in ELT, students’ unreadiness and lack of parental support. The study also identified three opportunities arising from online teaching, such as changes in teachers’ attitudes and beliefs in technology, opportunities for teacher learning and experimenting with online teaching practice for pedagogical innovations. Despite the significant challenges encountered, the teachers perceived the online teaching experiences as opportunities to enhance their teaching competence with technology. This study has substantial implications, calling for strategic governmental measures to improve online learning in schools, highlighting the need to integrate technology-focused pedagogies into teacher education, revising outdated school curriculums to enhance students’ digital literacy, providing financial support for disadvantaged students, encouraging parental involvement in online learning and fostering collaborative professional learning communities to enhance English teachers’ TPACK.

A roadmap for virtual professional learning: Bringing inquiry science practices to life through teacher professional community

AbstractAccording to the Next Generation Science Standards, three‐dimensional teaching challenges educators to adopt an inquiry approach through science and engineering practices aligned with disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts. Few teachers today feel confident in their ability to orchestrate such lessons. Teaching inquiry science takes time and hard work. It also requires collaborative professional learning communities that support teachers in overcoming typical classroom challenges. This article describes an effective approach for facilitating professional learning that supports inquiry science teaching. Since the COVID pandemic, more teachers are familiar with videoconferencing and may even have initiated or expanded their use of asynchronous text based discussion. A hybrid combination of these platforms provides an effective, two‐fold strategy for facilitating a teacher professional learning community (PLC) that engages teachers in deepened reflection and sustained collaboration with colleagues. To illustrate how this approach can be successfully adopted, I draw from a recent example of the InquirySpace PLC that unfolded during the final year of a National Science Foundation‐funded educational research project. Key to the success of this PLC was a combination of responsiveness to teachers’ support requests, a warm and encouraging tone, orchestrating interactive engagement, and the showcasing of PLC member voices.

Collaborative Learning Communities: Enhancing Student Engagement And Academic Achievement

Collaborative learning communities are a research field that involves co-elaboration of meaning and knowledge through shared representations of problems to be solved. It is a systematic and shared process consisting of efforts, ideas, and activities aiming at achieving synergy, with mutual and deep learning being a crucial factor. It promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills through encouraging members to question assumptions, challenge various perspectives, and explore alternative viewpoints. A child's identity, social cohesiveness, and general well-being are all shaped by their learning communities, which are essential to their development. cooperative education. The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature on collaborative learning communities and their impact on learning outcomes.

영유아교사의 놀이중심 과학교육에 대한 인식과 어려움

This research aims to analyze the perceptions and challenges faced by early childhood teachers regarding play-based science education and seeks to explore implications and strategies for enhancing science education. To achieve these goals, the study conducted a collaborative learning community with 11 teachers (5 for toddlers and 6 for kindergartners) working in 4 childcare centers in A City. The researchers collected scientific activity videos, educational materials, childcare records, teachers’ journals, and other data from the participating teachers. Using a thematic coding analysis method, the study categorized the perceptions of early childhood teachers regarding science education into three main themes: 'Understanding play-based science education,' 'Science education with the goal of knowledge transmission,' and 'Challenges and difficulties in science education.' Furthermore, in the field of early childhood education, teachers were found to recognize difficulties in implementing play-based science education. These difficulties included challenges related to "Finding and supporting science within play," "Psychological and physical challenges faced by teachers," and "Challenges with principals, other teachers, and parents." The significance of this study lies in its potential to serve as foundational material for understanding teachers' perceptions of science education and addressing the challenges they face in teaching science.

In Service of Others – Connected Leadership in a Post-Secondary Context

In this article, three associate deans, who each lead one of three Academic Support Offices in a School of Education at a Canadian research-intensive university, feature their reflections, leadership approaches, found synergies, and collaborations to cultivate and advance connected leadership and resilience. The Offices of Research, Teaching and Learning, and Internationalization are located in a common physical space. Each associate dean manages their own portfolio in addition to collaborating with one another on identified points of intersection and joint initiatives. These three Offices were formed to support faculty members and students in the two programs areas in the School—Undergraduate Programs in Education and Graduate Programs in Education. The work of the Academic Support Offices is supported by two administrative support individuals and two facilitators who work across all three Offices.
 Over the past 23 months, this team of seven transitioned to remote and virtual work in response to COVID-19. Opportunities and challenges pertaining to communications, collaborations and how leadership and resilience is lived amongst the three associate deans, in particular, are discussed. Authors apply the lenses of relationality and connectivism to make meaning of and reimagine their leadership through reflections on foundations of learning, such as autonomy, connectedness, diversity and openness, and how these essences contribute to collective and collaborative leadership and resilience. Authors assert that building on the relational and connectivity to support collaborative and generative work and learning communities that thrive is essential, moving forward.

Empowering Rural Science Teachers as Reflective and Action-Oriented Practitioners

Teachers are aware of the presence, nature, and extent of classroom problem that they experience in daily teaching but they are not empowered enough to solve them as they aim to address learning losses. Thus, this paper described the profile of rural secondary science teachers; identified their problems encountered in daily teaching; and formulated policy recommendations that could empower them to be a reflective and action-oriented practitioner. Using qualitative case research design, eleven science teachers were purposively chosen as informants and data gathered were analyzed thematically. Three of them specializes in Biology, General Science, and Physics while the other two specializes in Chemistry; four of them were teaching Science in two or more grade levels; majority of science teachers were females; are Teachers I; and teaching experience of 0-5 years. Their problems meet was students’ poor performance, unfavorable behavior in class and teachers’ perceived difficulty. With these findings, the researcher recommends empowering teachers by developing their skills as reflective teachers and as classroom action researchers which could be strengthen by involving them in planning and designing professional development program, extending its implementation and evaluation in classrooms and by being part of a collaborative learning community.

Learning Analytics in Education: A Social Network-Based Approach for Analyzing the Interaction and Influence of Collaborative Learning Communities

Collaborative learning is viewed as an increasingly important learning mode in higher vocational education these days. In this mode, students are no longer passive receivers of knowledge, but take the roles of creators and sharers, and figuring out the interactive and collaborative relationships between students is particularly important for understanding the pattern and structure of student interaction. With the help of social network analysis methods, this study investigated the social network features of collaborative learning communities, measured the parameters of these network features, analyzed the accessibility of community members, and revealed the influence of members in the community based on the Lead index. The findings of this paper give deeper understandings and new insights into the collaborative learning mode and provide useful evidences for the optimization of collaborative learning strategies.

3D open educational resources and emergent pedagogy in university training in health sciences. The affordances and pedagogies of creativity

Introduction: UNESCO defines Open Educational Resources (OER) as freely accessible and adaptable educational materials, whose integration in education, especially in post-pandemic times and in the digital era, has been limited, despite the efforts of institutions such as the Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza to promote their use in hybrid and flexible teaching modalities. This study analyzes the transformation of higher education in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the integration and impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Methods: A literature review and analysis of current educational practices in universities was conducted, with special attention to the adoption of OER and the use of hybrid and digital teaching methodologies. Results: The results indicate that, despite the accessibility and adaptability of OER, their adoption in university education has not been extensive, mainly attributed to lack of knowledge about their use and potential. The pandemic has accelerated the need to adapt pedagogical strategies, highlighting the importance of interaction and collaboration in learning. Maker pedagogy and 3D printing are identified as valuable tools to improve understanding and practical skills, especially in the health sciences. Conclusion: The study concludes that post-pandemic education requires an adaptive, interactive and technologically integrated approach, promoting continuous learning and adaptation to changing cultural and cognitive practices. It underscores the need to democratize design and manufacturing technologies and to foster collaborative and participatory learning communities through OER.

Enhancing Teacher Professional Development: Insight from Teacher Professional Learning Activities

This study employs a qualitative approach to investigate the influence of professional learning activities on teacher professional development. The study examines a range of learning activities, including workshops, seminars, and collaborative learning communities, and explores their impact on teacher practices, student engagement, and student outcomes. The researcher combined surveys and interviews to gather data from a sample of 20 EFL teachers at a participating school. The questionnaire, adapted from TALIS (Teaching and Learning International Survey), collected data on teachers’ demographics, teaching experience, and participation in professional development activities.. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 10 teachers to explore their experiences with professional development, their perceptions of teacher professional learning activities, and the impact of professional development on their teaching practice. The study finds that these learning activities have a significant positive impact on teacher professional development, leading to improved teaching practices, increased student engagement, and better student outcomes. These insights have important implications for improving the quality of education and can inform the development of effective policies and programs to support teacher professional development.

Developing Language Assessment Literacy of Teachers: needs, effective factors, and constraints

In recent years, developing language assessment literacy (LAL) has become crucial for teachers in enhancing their teaching practices and improving students’ learning outcomes. Empirical research reported that there was a training need for formal education and professional development programs in assessment (Berry et al., 2017; Vogt & Tsagari, 2014). Therefore, this paper reports a systematic review of teachers’ language assessment literacy development: training needs, training effective factors, and language assessment practice constraints. The purpose of the review is to provide an updated overview of the empirical research on language assessment development. I utilized systematic review for social studies using the following steps: forming research questions, choosing the appropriate search terms and strategy, starting the literature search, developing inclusion criteria, determining relevant studies, and extracting data (Petticrew & Roberts, 2006). The search was limited to the 12 years’ publications because there was an increase attention on developing teacher’s language assessment literacy in these years. The selected studies were analyzed using the content analysis approach. The results suggested that teachers needed in-service training in different LAL content areas that varied according to the educational context needs in their countries. The results also revealed that teachers' experience and self-reflection needed to be considered in development programs and teachers should be involved in collaborative learning communities. The collaborative learning communities provided the needed professional support and give the chance for teachers to share their experience. Furthermore, the reality and constraints needed to be recognized as they influenced teachers' assessment practices. Finally, research implications and future research directions on teachers’ language assessment literacy are discussed.

Social network analysis in virtual educational environments: Implications for collaborative learning and academic community development

This paper investigates the impact of Social Network Analysis (SNA) in optimizing virtual education, focusing on enhancing collaborative learning, strengthening virtual academic communities, and identifying challenges for educational innovation. Through SNA, patterns of interaction and collaboration are uncovered that inform the design of inclusive and dynamic educational practices. A theoretical review combining the benefits of bibliometric studies and documentary analysis was conducted. It highlights how ARS facilitates the identification of effective collaborative patterns and barriers to equal participation, promoting strategies for more meaningful collaboration. In addition, the role of ARS in consolidating academic communities by promoting cohesion, mutual support, and active engagement, crucial for student success and well-being, is discussed. Challenges such as forming subgroups and dependence on certain information nodes are analyzed, viewing them as opportunities to innovate in educational design and promote more equitable participation and knowledge construction. This analysis underscores the importance of ARS for developing more effective, equitable, and collaborative virtual learning environments aligned with the values of our digital society.