ABSTRACT The trend towards collaborative social software and technology in education appears to be exponential. The notion of ‘Web 2.0’ seems almost traditional in the face of aggregation tools and multi-platform spaces, intertwined by a proliferation of social networking tools. With the roll-out of ultrafast broadband and the development of the N4L managed network in New Zealand, it is timely to consider the extent to which online social networks present both challenge and opportunity for educators’ professional learning. This paper, derived from a thesis completed in partial fulfillment of a Masters in Education, explores the experiences of educators using the VLN Groups network (www.vln.school.nz) to determine how far this user generated mode of professional learning might extend professional practices in school. The study considered the ways and the extent to which the affordances of the VLN Groups social network site combine to affect educators' abilities to engage in effective professional learning. This study suggests that the VLN Groups can provide a thriving participatory system that enables educators to engage in an informal kind of professional learning focused on immediate concerns and contexts in their own teaching and leadership situations. It also raises questions related to 'counts' as professional learning and how self-driven learning can be integrated into a cycle of active inquiry into practice. The study makes recommendations for teachers, schools and policy makers related to connecting and coordinating professional learning in ways that maximise opportunities in the digital age.

1. • Online
social
networking
and
its
impact
on
New
Zealand
educators’
professional
learning
• Karen
Melhuish
Spencer
|
@virtuallykaren
|
karenmelhuishspencer.com
Thursday, 1 May 14

2. Access the original thesis:
http://bit.ly/socialthesis
Thursday, 1 May 14

3. ultra-fast broadband &
N4L managed network!
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4. Parliamentary !
Inquiry !
& !
21st Century
Reference !
Group!
& !
Ministry !
Statement of !
Intent!
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5. Thursday, 1 May 14

6. Professional inquiry cycle !
Timperley et al, 2008
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7. The context: New Zealand’sVirtual
Learning Network
http://www.vln.school.nz
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8. Q: What do we mean by social
network sites?
Image (CC) by ButchLebo
clear purpose
privilege the individual
visible connections
afford collaboration and
creation
shared spaces
support curation &
aggregation of content
Thursday, 1 May 14

9. Can social networking support
effective learning?
“It
is
pre:y
random
professional
learning,
but
some?mes
it’s
really
useful.
Image by tejvanphotos (CC)
”
Thursday, 1 May 14

10. The study
• Interpretive, ethnographic study,
using mixed methods
• Online survey 2012 [70
responses, 83.6% completion]
• Representative of wider sector
• Interviews with 5 educators
• Content analysis grounded in
Activity Theory and effective
professional learning frameworks Image: (CC) Some rights reserved by NoJuan
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11. Activity Theory
Adapted from Engestrom
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12. Findings
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13. Motivations I
am
a
lead
teacher...
I
access
VLN
primarily
for:
to
gain
ideas
for
my
own
development
in
prac?ce
and
to
gain
prac?cal
ideas
to
take
back
to
staff.
“
”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhwright/5874234034/sizes/m/
• reduces isolation
• personal affirmation
• explore topical issues
• connect with
colleagues
•cherry pick & grab bag
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14. Activities and goals providing
me
with
real
<me
answers
to
my
ques?ons,
real
tried
and
true
resources
and
websites
and
apps,
given
me
other
points
of
view
and
access
to
resources
I
would
not
have
found
otherwise.
“
”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrs_logic/3556644715/sizes/m/
• sharing resources
• gather information
• pedagogy over content
• whole school issues
• fast rather than deep
• personal focus over school/
student
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15. Technology as an enabler
“
”
Image credit: RaHuL Rodriguez
•groups and forums
•inbox as arbiter
•browse inbox rather
than personalise and post
•groups as filters
•managing info-flow
•issues with navigation
The online discussions
are something you
probably wouldn’t get
unless you went to
ULearn.
Thursday, 1 May 14

16. I
had
signed
up
but
didn't
use
it.
When
I
looked
for
advice
about
iPads
from
ICT
cluster
facilitator
she
referred
me
there.
It
has
been
very
valuable.
I
had
floods
of
advice
from
all
around
NZ
when
I
asked
a
ques<on.
Email
advice
of
posts
is
also
very
good.
I
have
even
been
able
to
pass
on
some
things
I've
learned
-­‐
pay
back.
“
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bertknot/8236396151/sizes/m/
”
Community,rules and sharing the load
•Content over connections
•Easy access to others
•Safe and professional
•Effectively facilitated
•Ministry related
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17. Limitations
•Early adopters at the
vanguard
•Snapshot in time
•Self-reported
•Not tracked into
schools
Image source:Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Concrete_wall.jpg
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18. Q: How does this
compare with your
own experiences?
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19. So what?
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20. Implications: Teachers
•Consider extending
inquiry using such networks
beyond the school
• Discuss ways to actively
collaborate with others
•Digital literacy
development to manage
information
•Understand notions of
professional learning
•Look for opportunities to
connect
•Understand that filters need
to be judiciously used
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21. Implications: School leadership
•Consider
personalised
professional learning
models
• Learn within AND
beyond school
•Digital literacy
professional learning
•Integrate wider
networks
•Design blended
professional learning
Image: rafal.postcrossing
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22. Implications: Policy level
•Coherent approach to
blended professional learning
across PLD, inc. online facilitation
•Understand the opportunities
that networks might offer
•Support grass-roots
community-driven
approaches
•Extend effective PL facilitation
models to include online/
blended Image: florriebassingbourn!
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23. Q: To what extent is this
approach to professional
learning feasible in your
organisation?
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24. ...a final word...
“It’s a taonga...I like the
way it feels like it is
continually moving. It’s
not static, it is continually
evolving...it feels like it is
breathing.And that it has
got life.”
[‘Amanda’]
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25. Q&A
Thursday, 1 May 14