Professional Development Community Research Articles

Becoming a (green) identity entrepreneur: Learning to negotiate situated identities to nurture community environmental practice

This paper explores the relationship between ‘green’ identity and community environmental practice. It focuses on the ways in which professional community development facilitators and lead members of community groups attempt to actively shape how environmental projects are locally received. Drawing principally on identity, social sustainability and social practice theory scholarship, it reviews the often very personal and place-specific ways in which appeals to green identity are variously understood and applied, or are actively avoided, by community group leaders. Individuals who have become skilful in negotiating and influencing the presentation of environmental projects to the local community are understood here as (green) identity entrepreneurs. Arguably, it is the situated entrepreneurial skilfulness of lead individuals in negotiating the multiple and evolving (green) identities circulating through any one project, which plays a significant part in determining its subsequent impact and longevity. In understanding the contribution of (green) identity entrepreneurship, however, its relational association with everyday practices, routines and meanings of community and place is brought to the fore. The paper also considers how divergent external interpretations of what constitutes legitimate environmental practice at a local level further shape project identity. The discussion is informed by evidence drawn from a qualitative study of 17 community groups and 7 professional environmental support officers participating in a Welsh Government led programme aimed at facilitating ‘community action on climate change’.

Prompting meaningful analysis from pre-service teachers using elementary mathematics video vignettes

Learning from video is a theoretically grounded and popular professional development activity. In online professional development communities, however, responses to video are often shallow and lack meaningful commentary about issues that surround teaching and learning mathematics. By altering the framing conditions that accompany video clips posted to the Everyday Mathematics Virtual Learning Community, this study examined whether more deeply analytical comments could be elicited from pre-service teachers. Findings highlight the malleability of pre-service teachers' commentary, as their levels of analysis varied in relation to manipulations of perceived audience (expert or peer) and focus requested (on students, the teacher, or unspecified).

Supporting Teachers of English Language Learners at a Turnaround School

This article summarizes findings from surveys and interviews with five teachers at an elementary school in the Salt Lake City School District that is participating in the federally funded School Improvement Grant program to raise the achievement of all students. The qualitative data analysis focuses on two major themes: (1) the current attitudes, perceptions, and practices in place for meeting the needs of the large population of English language learners (ELLs) currently enrolled at the school and (2) the current collaborative efforts and support for teachers regarding meeting the needs of ELLs. These data are then compared to recent literature to determine the needs of this specific school. The authors offer recommendations for creating a schoolwide focus for meeting the needs of ELLs in the context of professional development and professional learning community initiatives while utilizing both the literature and suggestions from the participants. They conclude by addressing the implications of these recommendations.

Community of practice or affinity space: A case study of a professional development MOOC

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have brought about new questions regarding the construction of virtual learning environments and course delivery systems. One such question that researchers and instructors alike are considering is the role of community in learning spaces. This paper uses a professional development (PD) MOOC as a case study to investigate whether students identified as a community and identify characteristics that encourage students to believe this is so. Furthermore, the authors question if “community,” specifically “communities of practice,” is actually the appropriate way to describe such learning spaces, or if the concept of affinity spaces is more useful. The findings reveal important implications for designing course spaces for community experiences and the conceptual approach to professional development communities in large-scale courses.

Examining a one‐hour synchronous chat in a microblogging‐based professional development community

AbstractResearch on microblogging in education has suggested its potential to promote community building and collaborative learning, but little is known about the nature of interaction in such microblogging communities. More research is needed to understand how online learning communities can be designed in a way that supports effective learning. The purpose of the study is to explore how people interact in a popular microblogging‐based learning community by examining a one‐hour synchronous chat event and analyzing its network structure, levels of participation, major topics generated and types of interaction. The findings suggested that the levels of participation in the synchronous chat were largely uneven. During the chat, participants were engaged in many types of interaction and discussed a variety of issues related to the topic. Interestingly, people who were different in their levels of participation also varied on the types of topics generated, but not on the types of interaction.

Participatory media for teacher professional development: toward a self-sustainable and democratic community of practice

Financial and political pressures on the compulsory education teacher corps in the United States, as well as US higher education, demands a new approach to teacher professional development that shifts the focus away from repeated short-term university-based teacher professional development programmes and toward the nurturing of self-organized and self-sustaining teacher professional development communities of practice. The authors draw on six years of experience providing area studies teacher professional development to multiple cohorts of in-service and pre-service teachers in a hybrid environment to demonstrate a replicable approach to assisting teachers in building an evolving network of professionals in a self-sustaining, democratic community that can assist in the development of voice, agency, and capital for the participants.

Personal professional trajectories of novice and experienced teacher educators in a professional development community

Experience in the workforce influences teacher educators’ responses to professional development efforts for adapting new practices. This study examines trajectories of novices and experienced teacher educators in a three-year longitudinal professional development community focused on infusing thinking into college teaching. A four-stage trajectory model for development was used to track changes in practice among the teacher educators. The authors’ analysis identified three distinct patterns of professional development among teacher educators: one characterizing novice teacher educators and two distinct patterns for the experienced group. While novices exhibited openness toward learning, the experienced teacher educators were divided into one group that revealed an inquiry stance examining their practice and a second group that claimed expertise and was less willing to consider changing instructional practice. This initial differentiation at the first trajectory stage led to distinctions in development at later stages, resulting in a reclassification of the educators into three groups: novices, experienced experts, and experienced non-experts. These findings emphasize the importance of teacher educators’ years of experience, attitude towards inquiry, and self-perception of expertise as critical determinants of successful educational reform.

Abstract A49: From community-based participatory research to community-based participatory education: The implementation of community participation in cancer disparities curriculum development

Abstract Background: The Chicago South Side Cancer Disparities Initiative is a partnership between the University of Chicago and Chicago State University with the primary aim of developing a multi-faceted approach to cancer disparities education, training, and outreach. The current literature on direct community participation in curriculum development is minimal. Therefore, we developed a community-based participatory education (CPBE) model to provide community appropriate solutions to reduce local cancer disparities. In this study, CBPE was applied to develop a cancer-related health disparities curriculum for medical and public health students. Objective: To use CBPE to develop a community-oriented cancer disparities curriculum that is specifically designed to assess the following content areas: 1) Are local communities interested in participating in curriculum design? 2) What should we teach students about disparities in their community? 3) How should community members be involved in the design and implementation of the curriculum? 4) What topics do community members think we should address? Methods: A community town hall format was used to seek answers to the four content areas. Eighty-six community members from 19 different zip code areas of Chicago attended the town hall meeting. Participants were 14% men, 86% women with an average age of 51.7 years. An electronic Audience Response System (ARS) was used for the anonymous rapid collection of community response data. Using a mixed method approach, 4 quantitative and 3 qualitative survey questions were analyzed. Results: 80% of community members heard of health disparities, 93% thought community members should be involved in cancer disparities curriculum development, 85% want to be involved in designing a cancer disparities curriculum and 81% reported an interest in taking the cancer disparities course. Categorical themes were derived from the analysis of open-ended survey responses to potential curricular skills, knowledge and content. General questions followed by categorical themes are listed below: 1) What should students know to successfully interact with your community? a) Importance of Community Empowerment b) Root Causes and Solutions of Disparities c) Knowledge specific to local community needs 2) How should community members be involved in curriculum design? a) Student experiences in community engagement b) Community perspectives on experience with disparities 3) What are the topics the disparities curriculum should address? a) Root cause of Cancer Disparities b) Solutions-“Prescription for Change” c) Development of diverse relationships and interactions Conclusion: The goal of Community Based Participatory Education (CBPE) is to directly involve community in health professional curriculum development. In this study, we outline the active role of the local community in creating an integrated cancer disparities curriculum for both health professionals and the community. The multiple themes identified will be used to prioritize and develop the curriculum. CBPE will provide the infrastructure for community appropriate solutions to reduce the number of health disparities plaguing the south-side Chicago community. Citation Format: Cassandra D.L Fritz, Keith Naylor, Yashika Watkins, Thomas Britt, Lisa Hinton, Jennifer Jones, Gina Curry, Helen Lam, Karen Kim. From community-based participatory research to community-based participatory education: The implementation of community participation in cancer disparities curriculum development. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A49. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-A49

Ethical Reasoning of U.S. High School Seniors Exploring Just Versus Unjust Laws

Because a pluralistic democracy is inherently conflictual, public deliberation of issues holds the potential to expand the thinking of participants by revealing new insights, perspectives, information, or logics into the participants’ consideration. These are ethical questions that ask citizens to decide whether policies, actions, and decisions are “right” or “wrong.” The Persistent Issues in History (PIH) Network (www.pihnet.org) is a decade-long professional development community of practice encouraging, modeling, and supporting teachers in increasing inquiry-based social studies teaching. For this qualitative study, we created a professional community of practice including 4 U.S. government teachers, a university researcher, and a political science professor. This team created lessons enabling high school seniors to dissect and apply Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail to 3 specific scenarios to explore the students’ moral reasoning on just versus unjust laws.

Exploring Informal Music Learning in a Professional Development Community of Music Teachers

Abstract The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore the perceptions and practices of four music teachers as they participated in a professional development community (PDC) to discuss and implement informal music learning practices. Participants met bimonthly as a PDC to discuss research articles on informal music learning, share student work, socialize with peers, and develop ideas to use in their classrooms. Data included video recordings of PDC meetings, audio recordings of semistructured interviews, in-school observations of informal music learning activities, field notes, and written artifacts; these were coded and analyzed for emerging themes. Three themes that emerged from the data included experiments and modifications, pedagogical practices, and finding value. The participants implemented a variety of activities using informal processes, which they developed by modifying ideas presented in research articles they read and lessons they taught previously. They used many pedagogical practices during informal activities, which fell on a continuum of teacher and student control and a continuum of teacher scaffolding. The participants found value in informal music learning because it provided a new avenue for them to help students develop independent musicianship. Exploring informal music learning in the PDC helped participants feel validated in using this new pedagogical approach. Implications for the use of informal music learning with younger students and suggestions for professional development are also discussed.

Chapter 4 Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Characteristics of Trained Teachers

As public health concerns about physical inactivity and childhood obesity continue to rise, researchers are calling for interventions that comprehensively lead to more opportunities to participate in physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics and attitudes of trained physical education teachers during the implementation of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program at the elementary level. Using a collective case study design, interviews, observations, field notes, open-ended survey questions, and an online forum monitoring guided the interpretation of teacher perceptions and development of emergent themes. Qualitative data analysis was conducted for each individual teacher and then across the ten teachers which produced four major themes: (a) Leading the Charge: Ready, Set, Go!, (b) Adoption versus Adaptation: Implementation Varies, (c) Social Media’s Place in the Professional Development (PD) Community, and (d) Keys to Successful Implementation. It can be concluded that, based on these findings, elementary physical education teachers are ready and willing to implement CSPAP. Key factors that may influence this implementation are discussed.

How teachers learn: the roles of formal, informal, and independent learning

A qualitative study of math and science teachers at two middle schools identifies how their system for learning to integrate technology into their teaching goes beyond what school leaders typically consider when planning for teachers’ learning. In addition to (a) the district-initiated, or formal, system of professional development (PD) and professional learning communities (PLCs), it includes (b) teacher-initiated, or informal, learning with colleagues as well as (c) teachers’ independent learning activities. Analysis of why and how they form their system highlights how by only supporting the formal PD activities and PLCs, the district not only loses the valuable collective knowledge of the districts’ teachers derived from their informal and independent learning activities, but also diminishes the learning teachers derive from the formal PD activities since informal collaborations and independent work after formal PD activities often helps to bring the learning from the training room to the classroom. We present teachers’ insights and then discuss implications for the design of a holistic approach to facilitate teachers’ formal, informal, and independent learning that is tied together and supported by technology. While research on formal, informal and independent teacher learning exists, with technology frequently mentioned as a potential support for each of these three modes, these approaches have not been considered together as interdependent parts of the same holistic system for teacher learning nor has the way technology might knit these modes of teacher learning together been imagined as a part of that system.

Becoming music teacher educators: Learning from and with each other in a professional development community

During this heuristic phenomenological inquiry, we examined our lived experiences as five women (three doctoral students, two early career faculty) in the process of becoming music teacher educators participating in a year-long, online, group-facilitated professional development community (PDC). Data included recorded meetings via Skype, journal entries via a private Facebook blog, and written introductory and final reflection statements. The three core themes that emerged from the data were as follows: (a) self-doubt and fear of failure as researchers; (b) struggle to establish balance; and (c) the PDC as a safe place. The essence of our lived experience in the group was developing our identities as music teacher educators through interactions in our PDC, which was a safe place for us to discuss our thoughts, concerns, and insecurities. We offer suggestions for PDCs, including future research and participation, as well as international sharing, collaboration, and community.

Research on Construction Strategy of Seven Layers Model Based on the Combination of Hardware and Software and Information Technology

With the introduction of frequent curriculum reform and information technology, it has changed the nature of foreign language teaching work to a certain extent. Foreign language teachers are shaken and overturned by the original teachers identity. Now foreign language teachers identity research has become the current hot topic in new era. This paper uses seven-layers model of educational service to analyze the current situation of foreign language teachers identity, then uses hardware and software to research on the training courses and teachers professional development community and other resources. Finally, the teaching method, school and district levels service facilities will be integrated into efficient teaching, in order to improve teaching quality. This method can solve the identity of the foreign language teachers professional development. At the same time, it also provides a certain degree of reference on other subjects teachers identity.

Topics in Teacher Education Research

In previous editorials, we have described how criticism of the rigor and relevance of teacher education has influenced our vision for the journal. As a result, we have shared our criteria for determining the quality of manuscripts submitted to Journal of Teacher Education (JTE) and described how certain published articles exemplified these criteria (see Issues 63:1 and 64:2). However, our examples have primarily focused on improving methodology, creating the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that enable readers to see linkages in findings within and across studies, and providing explanations of how the findings from a study add to the existing knowledge base. Recently, in discussions at conferences and through email exchanges, potential authors have asked about specific topics of interest to the editorial team and to readers of the journal. In other words, what do we publish? Given the diversity of our readership, as well as our editorial team, the range of topics is broad and diverse. Nevertheless, we tend to see some topics as more relevant given identified needs of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. Many of these preferences appear as themed calls for proposals or as special issues and include the following: research on features of teacher education programs as opposed to pathways (Issue 63:3), diversity and disability in teacher education (Issue 63:4), assessment and accountability in teacher education (Issue 63:5), inservice and preservice professional development related to the Common Core and other standards (Issue 64:3), interdisciplinary teacher education collaboration (Issue 64:5), professional development and practices of teacher educators (Issue 65:4), and implications of preservice and inservice teacher performance assessment for teacher education (Issue 65:5). As the ultimate intent of the themed calls is to advance research and discussion in these specific areas, the themes remain topics of special interest long past the particular target issue. Other important topics, although not specified as themes, emerge in editorial team discussions and through communication with reviewers and readers. Topics of interest include uses and impacts of technology in preservice and inservice professional development, diversity and multicultural teacher education, issues of teacher quality and retention related to teacher education, practice-based teacher education, professional development communities of practice, coaching and mentoring in both preservice and inservice contexts, processes and outcomes in various cognitive and affective areas (e.g., pedagogical content knowledge, professional identity, self-efficacy), and teacher education within specific content areas. This list is not in any particular order and is not exhaustive. Often we receive manuscripts on topics not on the list whose authors make a compelling case for relevance and importance to teacher educators (e.g., body pedagogy, bullying, community-based placements) and are published in JTE as a result. The argument for the relevance and importance of the topic, coupled with how the particular study advances our understanding and knowledge in the area, influences reviewers' and editors' decisions about inclusion. The articles that comprise this issue provide good examples of the diversity of topics included in JTE and the rationales for importance and relevance that influenced reviewers and editors. The topics include exploration of race and multicultural teacher education, professional development using collaborative web technologies, teacher recruitment and preparation in relation to various outcomes, teacher preparation and induction support in relation to career intentions and decisions, and alignment of teacher education assessment course curricula with standards and policies. One of the five articles is a theoretical/conceptual discussion while the remaining four represent both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. …

‘It's more than stick and rudder skills’: an aviation professional development community of practice

In Australian higher education institutions, benchmarks have been directed at developing key competencies and attributes to facilitate students' transition into the workforce. However, for those students whose degree has a specific vocational focus, it is also necessary for them to commence their professional development whilst undergraduates. Familiarising students with the norms and culture of their chosen profession often does not occur through passive observation of subject content. At Griffith University in an undergraduate aviation degree, a community of practice has been established by the school, which develops student's generic skills and their identity as novice professionals. Our research examines the ways in which Mentoring Aviators Through Educational Support (MATES) provides students with the opportunity to develop their professional competence and experience through connecting with other undergraduates and industry professionals.

Empowering families : the early intervention in natural environments professional development community of practice project in Ohio

This paper describes a model of professional development for Early Intervention based on an ongoing project taking place in a Midwestern state in the United States of America. The Project framework is presented as a model for high-quality professional development in Early Intervention by combining a) content including evidencebased practices and recommended practices from national professional organizations; b) university-community-family partnerships, an invaluable component without which the Project would not be possible; and c) tools for effective communication, collaboration, and coaching to support adult learning. As the Project is ongoing, research and program evaluation data are not reported in this paper. However, implications for young children and families, early intervention practitioners and stakeholders, and professional development in both the authors’ local context and the wider global context are discussed.

Bringing science education in and out of school closer together - (Symposium) SBBq Brazil

Throughout the world, and for many decades, science-rich cultural institutions, such as zoos, aquaria, museums, and others, have collaborated with schools to provide students, teachers and families with opportunities to expand their experiences and understanding of science. Programmes include supplementary classroom experiences; integrated core academic curricula; student science learning communities located in afterschool, summer, and weekend programmes; teacher professional development opportunities and communities; and even district infrastructure efforts around issues such as standards and assessment development or teacher preparation. Throughout the world, thesecollaborations have allowed students, and also teachers, to explore, understand, and care about a wide range of natural settings, phenomena, and cultural and historical objects. They have helped students to notice, consider, and investigate relationships between human social behavior and environmental consequences. They have provided contexts, materials, rationales, and support for students and teachers to engage deeply in scientific inquiry processes of learning. These experiences—with an array of real-life settings, plants, animals, professional science communities, objects, scientific instrumentation, and current research and data—have been shown to spark curiosity, generate questions, and lead to a depth of understanding andcommitment in ways that are often less possible when the same material is encountered in books or on screens. This paper draws on theoretical perspectives as well as practical examples, focusing on inquiry-based science education, to show that formal-informal collaborations fall within the core activities of both schools and organisations working in informal contexts including museums, youth programmes, and libraries. The paper argues that what is needed are more intentional and strategic deployments of resources, leading to collaborations that build on the particular affordances and strengths of different institutional types to meet shared goals of making science learning more accessible and compelling to young people in our communities.

Building Professional Learning Communities to Enhance Continuing Professional Development in South African Schools

As part of a developing country South African teachers need to be appropriately developed to meet the growing social and economic needs of the country. The National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development and the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa are two initiatives to fulfil the dire need for quality teachers. Since little research has been done on aspects that are important for effective collaboration among teachers, this article attempts to answer the following research problem: How can professional learning communities in schools be implemented effectively to enhance the continuing professional development of teachers in South African schools? A dynamic model of professional learning communities is presented, showing how individual learning, professional development communities, a conducive school environment and networking lead to transformational change in teachers.

Complementary expertise in a zoo educator professional development event contributes to the construction of understandings of affective transformation

Cultural Historical Activity Theory served as the analytical framework for the study of a professional development event for a zoo’s education department, specifically designed to build understandings of “Affective Transformation,” an element pertinent to the organization’s strategic plan. Three key products—an Affective Transformation model, scaffolding schematic, and definition, “providing emotional experiences for visitors which increase caring for animals and nature that may lead to zoo-related nature-protective behaviors”—emerged as a result of ongoing deliberation among professional development community members over two days. Participants, including both management- and non-management-level staff, as well as an expert facilitator, contributed complementary expertise to the process. The discussions, therefore, crossed both vertical and horizontal layers of authority. Moreover, leadership was distributed across these levels in the development of these products. Members used pre-existing resources, as well as tools created in the course of the professional development event. Interactions among participants and resources were instrumental in Affective Transformation product development. Examination of one zoo’s construction of understanding of affective goals, therefore, may offer insights to other organizations with similar aspirations.