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Relationships are more important than content: designing effective Professional Development within a Community of Practice approach
PROCEEDINGS

, Monash University, Australia

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ISBN 978-1-880094-64-8 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC USA

Abstract

Professional Development design has traditionally focused on issues of content, delivery and technology. While these foci are not discounted this research argues that designing for and investing in relationships is ultimately more important when trying to achieve sustained and transformative professional development. This research reports on the findings of two longitudinal case studies based in Australia and the United Kingdom. The participants of both studies were secondary school teachers participating in a small-scale, mixed mode (face to face and online) professional development course. The design of the course was based on a Community of Practice approach which placed the cohesion of identity and practice at the centre of issues of content, activity, technology and assessment. It was found that the relationships between participants and facilitator were a crucial factor in the nature of the sustained engagement.

Citation

Henderson, M. (2008). Relationships are more important than content: designing effective Professional Development within a Community of Practice approach. In K. McFerrin, R. Weber, R. Carlsen & D. Willis (Eds.), Proceedings of SITE 2008--Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 1432-1439). Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved March 28, 2024 from .

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