Understanding teacher professional learning through cyber research

Online professional learning websites provide a unique window into how teachers make self-directed choices about their own professional development. This study extends previous research on how teachers use online resource repositories to examine how teachers make choices about resource use on a prof...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Educational technology research and development 2018-04, Vol.66 (2), p.385-402
Main Authors: Bates, Meg S., Phalen, Lena, Moran, Cheryl
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access to Information
Classrooms
Collaboration
Curricula
Decision Making
Distance learning
Education
Educational Resources
Educational Technology
Equipment and supplies
Evaluation
Faculty Development
Independent study
Influences
Informal education
Internet resources
Learning and Instruction
Mathematics
Mathematics Instruction
Metadata
Multiple Regression Analysis
Online Courses
Online databases
Online education
Online instruction
Predictor Variables
Professional development
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Study and teaching
Teacher Attitudes
Teachers
Teaching
Technology Uses in Education
Video Technology
Web Based Instruction
Web sites
Websites
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Summary:Online professional learning websites provide a unique window into how teachers make self-directed choices about their own professional development. This study extends previous research on how teachers use online resource repositories to examine how teachers make choices about resource use on a professional learning website. The website, the Everyday Mathematics Virtual Learning Community, offers teachers two types of professional learning resources: (1) videos that can be played and (2) documents that can be downloaded. Each resource is presented with a wealth of information—such as user ratings, user comments, grade level designation, and a resource description—that could potentially influence teachers’ decisions about whether to use the resource. This study uses multiple regression to understand what information predicts whether teachers download a document or play a video. The results indicate that teachers are influenced by other users’ evaluations of resources, perceived practicality of resources, and brevity and accessibility of information about resources.
ISSN:1042-1629
1556-6501
DOI:10.1007/s11423-017-9553-y