This document summarizes a study on the use of social networking sites to cultivate online professional communities of teachers. The study involved surveying and interviewing 10 managers of these communities. Key findings include that most managers are over 40 years old and use Facebook and other social media tools daily. The communities have hundreds to thousands of members from educational backgrounds and are used to share resources and foster discussion around topics of interest. Managers cite benefits like increased sharing, visibility, and networking and work to cultivate discussions and resolve conflicts within the communities. The researchers identify areas for further investigation such as mobile social networking practices and mechanisms for establishing personal credibility online.

1. Cultivating professional communities of teachers and practitioners through Social Networking Sites Maria Ranieri*, Stefania Manca**, Antonio Fini* *University of Florence , Florence ** Institute of Educational Technology - CNR, Genoa Italy

7. Findings SN manager profile: quantitative data Fig. 1 – Social media uses

11. Findings SN groups profile: quantitative data Fig. 2 – Number of SN groups’ members Fig. 3 – SN groups’ members profile

12. Findings SN groups profile: quantitative data Fig. 4 – SN groups’ aims and purposes

14. Findings SN groups profile: quantitative data Fig. 5 – Participation levels

18. Findings SN groups and manager profiles: qualitative data We celebrated some significant moments for the group or for single participants: subscriber #1000, a dyslexic child passing to next class, a colleague's project winning a contest. We shared also the frustration for losing a job, the sadness of newly retired, and lots of laughter in telling jokes and gags. Sharing emotions…

22. Thanks!  Maria Ranieri*, Stefania Manca**, Antonio Fini* *University of Florence , Florence ** Institute of Educational Technology, Genoa Italy