The Virtual Workroom

Using social media, teachers reach beyond school walls to learn and grow

Four years ago, high school social studies teacher Amy Presley was in a rut. She wanted to do more than teach students facts about history. She wanted to create meaningful experiences they would remember forever. Figuring out how to do this day in and day out was taxing. Every turn seemed to present a different challenge, and Presley often felt alone. She was ready to give up until she found a group of social studies educators using a Twitter hashtag as a way to share resources and discuss their craft. “I got involved in #sschat and found a few like-minded peers to interact with,” Presley said. “I just work better when I can bounce ideas off someone like myself.” Energized by the community and ideas

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Authors

Jeffrey P. Carpenter, Torrey Trust, and Daniel G. Krutka

Jeffrey P. Carpenter ([email protected]) is an associate professor of education and director of the Elon Teaching Fellows Program at Elon University. Torrey Trust ([email protected]) is an assistant professor of learning technology in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Daniel G. Krutka ([email protected]) is an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at Texas Woman’s University.

Learn more

Albemarle County Public Schools. (n.d.). Do it yourself professional development: Recertification. Available at https://sites.google.com/a/k12albemarle.org/diy-pd/home/recertification.

Baker-Doyle, K. (2011). The networked teacher: How new teachers build social networks for professional support. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

References

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2014). Teachers know best: Teachers’ views on professional development. Seattle, WA: Author.

Carpenter, J.P. & Krutka, D.G. (2014). Chat it up: Everything you wanted to know about Twitter chats but were afraid to ask. Learning and Leading with Technology, 41(5), 10-15.

Carpenter, J.P. & Krutka, D.G. (2015). Engagement through microblogging: Educator professional development via Twitter. Professional Development in Education, 41(4), 707-728.

Carpenter, J.P. & Linton, J.N. (2016). Edcamp unconferences: Educators’ perspectives on an untraditional professional learning experience. Teaching and Teacher Education, 57, 97-108.

Cook, S.C., Johnson, J., & Stager, T. (2015). Breaking out of isolation: Becoming a connected school leader. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Ferriter, W.M. & Provenzano, N. (2013). Self-directed learning … for teachers. Phi Delta Kappan, 95(3), 16-21.

Garet, M.S., Porter, A.C., Desimone, L., Birman, B.F., & Yoon, K.S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915-945.

Hirsh, S. (2015). How we can stop the cycle of ineffective professional learning. JSD, 36(6), 5-6.

Kennedy, A. (2014). Understanding continuing professional development: The need for theory to impact on policy and practice. Professional Development in Education, 40(5), 688-697.

Scholastic & Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2014). Primary sources: America’s teachers on teaching in an era of change (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Author.

Trust, T. (2012). Professional learning networks designed for teacher learning. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, (28)4, 133-138.

Trust, T. (2014). Online communities need local support. ASCD Express, 9(16). Available at www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol9/916-trust.aspx.

Trust, T., Krutka, D.G., & Carpenter, J.P. (2016). “Together we are better”: Professional learning networks for teachers. Computers & Education, 102, 15-34.

United States Department of Education. (2016). Future ready learning: Reimagining the role of technology in education. Washington, DC: Office of Educational Technology.

United States Department of Education. (2014). Online professional learning quality checklist. Washington, DC: Office of Educational Technology.

Daniel G. Krutka

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