Slides from a presentation delivered at the BIBB's "Erwachsenenbildung digital: Professionalisieren. Vernetzen. Gestalten", Berlin, Sept. 2015

1. Education Plaza
Supporting teachers’ continuing professional
development in online communities
Tryggvi Thayer
Project Manager
University of Iceland
Birgir U. Ásgeirsson
Project Manager
University of Iceland

2. Context
• Focus on teachers’ continuing professional
development
– Use of ICT in teaching & learning
– Novel teaching methods & classroom practice
– Issues relating to specific school subjects
– New technologies

3. How can we use social media to construct
dynamic online environments that support
purposeful professional development?
• Dynamic learning environment:
– Adapts to learners’ needs
– Adapts to change in the environment
– Grows with the learning community
• Purposeful professional development:
– Is structured
– Is intentional
– Is based on specific learning outcomes

4. How I will address this question
• The Education Plaza way:
– Partnerships with key stakeholders
– Communities of practice (CoPs)
– Digital habitats
• Samspil 2015 („Jamming 2015”):
– Knowledge building initiative: ICTs in education
– Theory to practice
• The take-away: Lessons learned

5. Education Plaza
• Launched January, 2013 as a stakeholder partnership:
• Purpose:
– Support communities of practice in education
– Strengthen ties between scholarly and practitioner communities
• Projects:
– Facilitating dynamic flows of information
– Fostering critical and creative dialogue about issues affecting education
– Encourage innovative practice in education
University of Iceland – School of
Education
Association of Local Authorities
Akureyri University – School of
Humanities & Social Sciences
The Icelandic Teachers’ Union
Ministry of Education, Science &
Culture
City of Reykjavík – Dept. of Education &
Youth

6. Education Plaza

7. Theoretical Foundations:
Communities of Practice
“Communities of practice are groups of people who share
a concern or a passion for something they do and learn
how to do it better as they interact regularly” (Wenger,
1998)
– Theory systematically describes what has repeatedly
been observed
– Provides a theoretical roadmap for targeted action

8. Communities of Practice

9. Digital Habitats:
Supporting CoPs online

10. Putting the theory to practice
• Samspil 2015 (“Jamming 2015”)
– Learning initiative on ICT in education for teachers and
school leaders.
– Teachers at preschool, primary & secondary/upper-
secondary levels
– Teachers all over Iceland
– Low cost/high impact
What can we do within a CoP framework?

11. Framing learning needs & goals
• Rapid technological and social change raises questions
about learning needs.
– How does change affect T&L?
– How do educational systems react to change?
– How do teachers and school leaders react to change?
• Goals:
– Develop capacity in educational community to be proactive in
regards to change.
– Foster values and attitudes that promote proactive, forward-
looking knowledge development within communities.

12. Structure of Samspil 2015:
Monthly themes
Samspil Learning Initiative
Introductory
face-to-face course
Webinars
Short instructional videos
Online communities
Leadership seminars
Selection of elective training for individual institutions

13. Sample of one month
Webinars Self-directed learning Social media Other
Week 1 Webinar 1 Brief video Reading Reflective learning
Week 2 Discussion Reflecting on
practice
Week 3 Webinar 2 Brief video Sharing Working with
students
Week 4 Brief video
Hrs/mont
h
3 hours 1 hour 1-4 hours 1-4 hours
Shared dialogue, shared practice, shared outcomes

14. Challenges
• Reaching the appropriate audience:
Adapted from Linda McKeown

15. Challenges
• Defining the appropriate subject:
1995
2000 2005
2007
2010
2014
20??

16. • Keeping learners engaged
Challenges

17. How I will address this question
• Identify communities
– Identify community leaders
– Be sensitive to communities’ needs
– Reach out to communities where they emerge
• Choose the right tool for the right job
– Using existing tools allows communities to build on prior
knowledge/experience
• Nurture online identity
• Prompt for dialogue
– Focus on timely subject matter
– Ensure constructive and positive feedback
• Instructors are active and equal participants in the community
How can we use social media to construct dynamic
online environments that support purposeful
professional development?

18. Thank you!
We look forward to discussing online
communities with you further.
Tryggvi Thayer
tbt@hi.is
Birgir U. Ásgeirsson
birgira@hi.is
Education Plaza
http://www.menntamidja.is