Education Management and Design System: Use of Internet Based Social Learning Network as a Tool to Support High School Teaching Staff in Kuwait

In an attempt to explore better learning opportunities for students, research indicates that teachers must actively pursue their own professional development. With advanced social media options available, an affordable, accessible social learning tool such as Edmodo could be used for teachers’ professional development as well as communicating, motivating, and collaborating with students. Interactive online environments with their peers encourage educators to they can initiate evidence-based learning strategies. This study was designed to examine the relevance of web-based professional development for teachers. The study focused on evaluating how teachers’ professional development activities could be conducted through social networking sites, specifically Edmodo. The study also focused on teachers’ perceptions and experiences with a networking platform as a mechanism for delivering quality professional development. Over 50% of educators are unengaged in online professional development; however, increasing numbers of teachers are advocating the use of social platforms for education. Currently, there is a gap in the literature with respect to teachers’ online professional development. This study was a normative, quantitative analysis that studied the relevance of a social learning network on a specific population in the country of Kuwait. This study suggested the need for future research on utilizing such a platform for learning and in the online professional development arena

PERCEPTIONS ON WHICH SOCIAL NETWORKING TOOLS ARE USEFUL FOR TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Teachers are expected to be able to keep up with the technological development in the classroom. Integrating ICT into teaching is a complex process and they may encounter a number of difficulties. They seek opportunities for professional development, so that they can meet the needs of students leading to recognition as a “reform-minded” educator. Social networking/WEB2.0 which is the technology connecting people is providing new opportunities for professional development by assisting to remain current on skills important for teachers’ role. Aim of our research is to study, for the specific professional category of school teachers, which are the professional skills which can be strengthened through social networking and which tools are the most appropriate for this goal. Based on a collection of information from various sources we present a series of conclusions which can be the basis for the design of training programs on how to effectively use social networking.  Article visualizations

Social Web Applications as Means to Enhance Lifelong Learning and Professional Development of Teachers: A Tool to Support Assessment of Their Impact

The application of new technologies in classroom has made the need for constant professional development more important for teachers. They should be able to keep up with the technological development in the classroom. Their professional development includes constant upgrade of their skills and knowledge on how they can meet the needs of their students or address issues derived from ICTs application in classroom. Social Web applications are providing new opportunities to build and gain such professional development by assisting to remain current on skills and issues important for a professional role. Aim of the present work is to contribute to the assessment of impact of Social Web applications for teachers’ professional development by presenting specific case studies and proposing an ICT tool to be used for the collection of useful quantitative indicators supporting this impact assessment. The assesment derived from a specific showcase of its application, provided real case results on the usage of Social Web tools from teachers which could be a useful asset towards the design of teacher training programs for the effective use of social networking tools

Social networks as spaces for informal teacher professional development : challenges and opportunities

With the spread of the Web 2.0 there has been a proliferation of web-based communities for learning, across platforms that enable the creation of virtual communities. However, unlike business, the emergence of educational networking is still beginning. Recent research shows that social networks are powerful educational tools that offer teachers the opportunity to develop their knowledge and competences, contributing to lifelong learning and professional development in informal settings. In order to investigate the potential of educational networking as a source for teachers’ growth, a social network named PROEDI (http://www.proedi.com) was created in the beginning of 2011. In this project, the Interconnected model of teacher professional growth (Clarke and Hollingsworth, 2002) was the basic framework for the analysis of professional growth in informal settings. In this paper, the conceptual framework of the research is presented, as is some evidence obtained on the analysis of discussion forums created inside the community that underpin a discussion on the challenges and opportunities that social networking offer for teacher education.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

A Phenomenological Study of 21-29-Year-Old Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Using Twitter for Professional Development

This transcendental phenomenological study explored the perception of 21-29-year-old public school teachers’ use of Twitter in their professional development. However, while teachers in the 21-29-year-old age range were part of the demographic dominating online social media use in general, they did not use online social networks for professional development purposes as much as their older peers (Carpenter & Krutka, 2014; Visser et al., 2014). While professional development was important for improving teachers’ classroom performance and student achievement (Coldwell, 2017), traditional professional development often was ineffective in changing classroom instruction (Carpenter & Krutka, 2014; Dingle, Brownwell, Leko, Boardman, & Haager, 2011; Harcourt & Jones, 2016; Visser, Evering, & Barrett, 2014). Also, lack of relative professional development was cited as a reason teachers leave the profession within a few years of joining (Barry & Shields, 2017). Using Twitter for professional development was used by older teachers effectively, but younger teachers did not use it for potentially helpful professional development (Carpenter & Krutka, 2014; Visser et al., 2014). The theoretical frameworks of this study include sociocultural learning (Vygotsky, 1978), social networking theory (Moreno, 1946), and communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991). Participants selected were six licensed K-12 public school teachers aged 21-29. The setting was a South Carolina suburban public middle school. Data collection methods included interviews, focus groups, and observation of Twitter use after participation in a professional development session on using Twitter in education. Data analysis included horizonalization, reduction and elimination, clustering, and thematizing recommended by Moustakas (1994) to develop themes to understand how teachers age 21-29 perceive using online social networks for professional development

Applying Constructionist Principles to Online Teacher Professional Development

This report explores the first iteration of a teacher professional development courseletgrounded in constructionist theory and activities. This online teacher professional development(oTPD) courselet provided opportunities for teachers to engage in just-in-time, ongoingTPD within a social networking site for educators. The topic of the oTPD was Roboticsand Hands-on Activities in the Classroom. The courselet was designed for teachers who areinterested in integrating constructionist pedagogies into their practice. Key findings of thefirst delivery of the oTPD courselet point to a need for flexible access, sharing of resources,and support for constructionist pedagogical activities as a PD value for participants. Findingsfurther support the potential for an ongoing online community of practice around roboticsin the classroom. The approach taken in this oTPD courselet of study continues toinform a model of oTPD delivery within a social-networking-enabled environment

Teacher Perceptions of Social Networking Tools for Increasing Student Literacy and Engagement

Social networking tools are innovative practices utilized by higher education institutions to promote the development of literacy skills and encourage engagement in an online learning platform. There is limited understanding of whether social networking tools have a similar effect on fourth-grade students\u27 literacy development and engagement. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore fourth-grade teachers\u27 perceptions of using social networking tools for literacy development and engagement. Using the Garrison, Anderson, and Archer\u27s community of inquiry conceptual framework, research questions were designed to explore fourth-grade teachers\u27 perceptions of using social networking tools in English language arts classes for literacy development and engagement. Semi structured interviews were conducted with eight teachers who use social networking tools. Coded transcripts were analyzed for emerging patterns which led to themes that answered the research questions. Results from the study indicated that social networking tools support literacy skills development among fourth-grade students. The teachers also indicated that engagement among students was very high as students collaborated in their online communities. Finally, the teachers discussed the importance of planning effective lessons using social networking tools to develop literacy skills and actively engage students. This study adds to the field of innovation and literacy development. It may contribute to positive social change in supporting districts to make professional development decisions to support elementary teachers in accessing and using social networking tools for literacy instructions

OBSTACLES ON THE EFFECTIVE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING TOOLS FOR TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE TRAINING NEEDS TO DEAL WITH THEM

Social networking /WEB 2.0 is the technology to support connecting people in various ways. The arise of WEB 2.0 allowed users to enhance their actions when accessing the internet not only for searching information but above all to interact, collaborate, and share content. For the specific showcase of school teachers, WEB 2.0 is providing new opportunities to build and gain professional development by assisting them to remain current on skills and issues important for a professional role. Aim of the presented work, it to build on our previous research on which specific tools are considered as the most useful for teachers’ professional development and which are the perceptions of teachers on them, in order to identify the obstacles and drawbacks to their effective utilization, leading to the proposition of a core training program tailored to the teachers’ needs.  Article visualizations

Before and after Twitter: Personal Learning Environments (e-conference on the use of PLE / PLN in English Language Teaching presented at IATEFL Harrogate 2010)

A Personal Learning Environment (PLE) is a system that helps people take control of and manage their own learning. The rise of Twitter (www.twitter.com) and other social networking tools has made it easier for teachers to manage their own learning and professional development, and communicate with others in the process. How can we help learners to do the same?Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Before and after Twitter: Personal Learning Environments (e-conference on the use of PLE / PLN in English Language Teaching presented at IATEFL Harrogate 2010)

A Personal Learning Environment (PLE) is a system that helps people take control of and manage their own learning. The rise of Twitter (www.twitter.com) and other social networking tools has made it easier for teachers to manage their own learning and professional development, and communicate with others in the process. How can we help learners to do the same?Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació