Stronger links to learning communities

Introduction Sustained and ongoing communication Variety of PD Connections between mentors and teachers Links to learning communities

Organizing teachers into learning communities or learning teams can be one of the most successful forms of professional learning according to the NSDC Standards for Staff Development. Finding time and resources to maintain these communities can be a challenge for many districts. Teachers in geographically dispersed areas have an additional logistical barrier to being part of a community of learners.

Online technologies can provide alternate and additional forums beyond face-to-face meetings to foster learning communities. Many of these tools span distance and time, and can be more cost effective. All of these tools can be used alone or in combinations.

Tools and Strategies

Individual email or moderated email list
Discussion board - an electronic message center that allows you to asynchronously read and respond to messages posted by others. These can be either open or password protected areas. Often discussion boards (sometimes called Forums) are moderated by a facilitator who not only helps to move the discussion forward, but also monitors for inappropriate messages.
Teleconferencing - high speed network connections allow users to have audio or video conferences where groups can share computer applications and work collaboratively on a whiteboard or document.
Synchronous Online Communications - applications such as instant messaging or chat rooms where groups can meet in real time and exchange text-based communication.
Blog/WIKI - blog or weblog is a personal, online journal that is updated frequently, open for public consumption, and is usually carries the personality of the author. A WIKI is similar to a blog in format, but it a collaborative space where multiple authors can add, edit, or delete content to a page.
Webcast - a workshop, lecture, or presentation that is broadcast over the web either in real time or pre-recorded
Webinar or Web-based Seminar is a workshop, lecture, or presentation delivered over the web that incorporates some interactivity between the presenter and the participant
MUVES (Multi-User Virtual Environments)/MUDs (Multi-user Dimension)/MOOS (Multi-user Object Oriented System) - a collaborative learning community where users can interact synchronously and asynchronously. These environments have a spatial organization and users simulate "real life" actions like speaking, picking objects up, or exploring.

Successful Practices

Tapped In
http://ti2.sri.com/tappedin/
Tapped In is an online learning community for teachers, students, and school staff and administrators. Registering gives users their own work space, including chat, discussion, and file sharing.
Teaching Community LiveJournal
http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=teaching
This is an informal but monitored online bulletin board where teachers of all kinds can ask questions, get support, and engage in discussion about the teaching profession.
The Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
http://www.wasdinet.org/lc.htm
This program offers year-long participation in either a math or science online learning community that is moderated by a highly qualified facilitator.