FOCUS
Professional learning for a virtual world
By Michelle Bowman
Categories: Continuous improvementOctober 2021
In March 2020, emergency school closings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic initiated a sudden widespread use of virtual learning and brought new challenges that affected teaching and learning across multiple contexts. The complex change caused school district leaders to make plans to reinvent and reimagine schools (Transcend, 2020) and created a need for teacher professional learning on effective techniques for teaching remotely (Lieberman, 2020). An effective professional learning system is essential to improving teaching and learning in this and all contexts and removing inequities in students’ access to opportunities that lead to their success as productive adults and citizens (Hirsh & Brown, 2018). Facilitating these complex changes and supporting leaders to build equitable systems requires transformation at every level of the education system
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Participants in the Design Professional Learning for a Virtual World Network
The Design Professional Learning for a Virtual World network had two cohorts.
Teams in the first cohort (September 2020 to June 2021) were from seven school districts and one state education agency: Alaska Department of Education, Broward County Public Schools (Florida), Fort Sam Houston (Texas), Fort Wayne Community Schools (Indiana), Frederick County Public Schools (Virginia), Miami-Dade County Public Schools (Florida), Tulsa Public Schools (Oklahoma), and Stafford County Public Schools (Virginia).
The second cohort began in January 2021 and concludes in December 2021. The school districts include Cobb County Schools (Georgia), Loudon County Schools (Tennessee), Northshore School District (Washington), and Parkway Schools (Missouri).
Each cohort also included a team of Learning Forward Affiliate leaders from the participating states.
3 dimensions of a community of practice
Wenger (1998) identified three characteristics of a community of practice:
- Shared repertoire shows up as routines, words, actions, and concepts that become part of the community of practice.
- Joint enterprise is the common identity and interconnectedness among members.
- Mutual engagement is the collaborative action members use to solve problems.
References
Bowman, M.A. (2021). Learning together: An examination of inter-district collaboration in a community of practice [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Baylor University.
Hirsh, S. & Brown, F. (2018). Equity drives Learning Forward’s vision. The Learning Professional, 39(5), 8-10.
Killion, J. (2013a). Comprehensive professional learning system: A workbook for states and districts. Learning Forward.
Killion, J. (2013b). Professional learning plans: A workbook for states, districts, and schools. Learning Forward.
King, M. (2016). 6 key features of a successful community of practice. JSD, 37(6), 12-14. lf.wphlab.com/journal/december-2016-issue/6-key-features-of-a-successful-community-of-practice/
Learning Forward. (2011). Standards for Professional Learning. Author.
Lieberman, M. (2020, September 24). Rethinking teacher training during COVID-19: Bite-sized digital lessons. www.edweek.org/technology/rethinking-teacher-training-during-covid-19-bite-sized-digital-lessons/2020/09
Resources for Learning. (2016). Redesign professional development community (RPDC) initiative: Interim report: May 2015-2016 [Unpublished report].
Resources for Learning. (2017). Redesign PD Community of Practice end of project report [Unpublished report].
Transcend. (2020, April). Responding, recovering, reinventing: Three jobs that matter for school communities navigating a COVID world. bit.ly/3JobsForSchools
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W.M. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Harvard Business.
Michelle A. Bowman is senior vice president of networks and continuous improvement at Learning Forward. She supports state and local education agencies committed to professional development redesign, especially through the strategy of networks and communities of practice. She also oversees the development of content and learning designs that support organizations' capacity to engage in continuous improvement processes. With 30 years in public education, Michelle served in leadership at the district, campus, and classroom levels before joining Learning Forward. Michelle has an Ed.D. in Learning and Organizational Change from Baylor University. She co-authored Teacher Professional Development in the Digital Age: Design and Implementation of Learning without Limits in Technology in the Classroom: How It Can Improve Teaching and Student Learning in American Schools (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017) with Learning Forward Executive Director (retired) Stephanie Hirsh.
Categories: Continuous improvement
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