Join  the  conversa.on  by  using    #ulearn13    |    Follow  us    @ulearnnz

Online  social  networking  and  its  impact  on  New  Zealand  educators’  

professional  learning

Karen  Melhuish  Spencer    |    @virtuallykaren    |    karenmelhuishspencer.com

Sunday, 13 October 13

The context: New Zealand’s Virtual Learning Network

http://www.vln.school.nz

Sunday, 13 October 13

What do we mean by social network sites?

Image (CC) by ButchLebo

clear purposeprivilege the individual

visible connectionsafford collaboration and creation

shared spacessupport curation &

aggregation of content

Sunday, 13 October 13

Can social networking support effective learning?

“It  is  preDy  random  professional  learning,  but  some.mes  it’s  really  useful.

Image by tejvanphotos (CC)

”Sunday, 13 October 13

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

Sunday, 13 October 13

Activity Theory

Sunday, 13 October 13

Findings

Sunday, 13 October 13

MotivationsI  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

Sunday, 13 October 13

Activities and goalsproviding  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

Sunday, 13 October 13

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.

Sunday, 13 October 13

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

Sunday, 13 October 13

So what?

Sunday, 13 October 13

Implications: Teachers

•Consider extending inquiry using such networks beyond the school• Discuss ways to actively collaborate with others•Digital literacy development to maage information•Understand notions of professional learning•Look for opportunities to connect•Understand that filters need to be judiciously used

Sunday, 13 October 13

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

Sunday, 13 October 13

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!

Sunday, 13 October 13

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

Sunday, 13 October 13

...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’]

Sunday, 13 October 13

Q&A

Sunday, 13 October 13