Week 19- Communities of Practice.

Week 19- Communities of Practice. 

 Community of practice is sometimes defined by three distinct elements: joint enterprise, mutual engagement and shared repertoire (wenger, 2000). 

 • joint enterprise: is a shared domain which is the “collectively developed understanding of what the community is about”. 
• mutual engagement: the members engage through interactions within the community, building mutual trust in the relationships. 
• shared repertoire: is “the communal resources” that the community of practice produce (wenger, 2000, p.229) 

 Descriptive/Comparative Jay, J.K. and Johnson, K.L. (2002).

 POSSIBLE INQUIRY QUESTIONS

  1. Supporting teachers to use assistive digital technology for students who “can’t get words on to paper”, our more vulnerable students. 

  As part of my role as an RTLB I would like to use a COP to enable me to draw on the resources of the other more experienced RTLB to consider 
• The learners need how they learn? 
• What would help the learner to be successful 
• How to develop the learners strengths 
• The digital resources available, knowledge, technology, digital, programmes, software etc. 
• Teachers knowledge around digital technology 

  Evidence claims that the use of digital technology helps student achievement and engagement improvement. 1. The BECTA final report into the use of ICT in schools and its effect on teaching and learning in UK schools found that national test outcomes “improved beyond expectations” (Somekh, Underwood, Convery, Dillon, Jarvis, & Lewin, 2007, p. 6). This impact was greater in primary schools than secondary. In a COP of expert teachers with the knowledge of how children learn and the knowledge of differentiated and inclusive learning we will share the same understanding. The COP that I am trying to cultivate is the other experienced RTLB in my particular office. Geographically it’s easier and I have developed a safe relationship with the others. We are all of the same mind-set about how to engage our more vulnerable learners and know that student agency with engage learners. We will be able to encourage teachers in all our schools to try this intervention. Our goal will help all children learn and be engaging learners towards becoming future oriented learners.

 2. How do I support teachers to develop student agency within their classrooms using digital technologies? 

 In my role as RTLB I would like to draw on the expertise of other teachers (COP) who have used digital technology in their classrooms and help teachers in our schools start to develop student agency within their classes. I may be able to organise a group of teachers in cluster of schools to create this COP. Inclusiveness is part of the RTLB philosophy and if students can make decisions around their learning, the inclusive is covered. In the Mind lab course we looked at student agency, The Piagetian (1967) view of constructivism says that “the most transformative learning experiences will be those that are directed by the learner’s own endeavours and curiosities”. We can define agency as “the capability of individual human beings to make choices and act on these choices in a way that makes a difference in their lives” (Martin, 2004, p. 135). 

 Critical Reflection Jay, J.K. and Johnson, K.L. (2002).

 Inquiring into my two chosen inquiries and discussing my ideas and knowledge with my colleagues will help them to challenge the practice of other teachers in our school as well as our own. It would be hard getting the teacher's together as teachers are time poor. If I use this as a case I may be able to supply some release time. I have thought about using an online forum for the teachers to share their ideas and post different ways they have used the technology. 

  References: 
 Lindgren, R.,& McDaniel,R. (2012). Transforming Online learning through Narrative and Student Agency. Educational Technology & Society, 15(4),344-355. 
 Martin, J. (2004). Self-Regulated Learning, Social Cognitive Theory, and Agency. Educational Psychologist, 39(2), 135-145. 
 Shernoff, D. (Ed. 2013). Optimal Learning Environments to Promote Student Engagement (Advancing Responsible Adolescent Development). 
 Dordrecht: Springer. Wegner,E.(2000). Communities of practice and social learning systems. Organization,7 (2),225-246 
 Jay, J.K. and Johnson, K.L. (2002). Capturing complexity: a typology of reflective practice for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 73-85.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 17 / My Reflective Practice

Week 17 / My Reflective Practice “Unless teachers develop the practice of critical reflection, they stay trapped in unexamined judgements, interpretations, assumptions and expectations. Approaching teaching as a reflective practitioner involves fusing personal beliefs and values into a professional identity” (LArrivee 2000, p.293) This quote resonates with me as an RTLB as we need to be open minded, not pass judgement on the stakeholders we are dealing with. Encouraging teachers to be reflective, the RTLB role is about enabling others to reflect on their practice. My new role as an RTLB has meant a shift in the way I approach my role in education. I have had to make a change in my teaching practice and also the way I reflect. As I can’t reflect on my actual practise in the classroom with the children I now reflect on the way I interact with teachers, SENCO, senior management parents and other support people. My role is more of a collaborative approach as I am working within a tea...
Read more

Week 32 How Mindlab has changed my practice

Image
Week 32: How Mindlab has changed my practice  What?  I began the MInd Lab course with no idea what the course entailed. I knew the course was about leadership and digital technology and that if I wanted to be a leader/educator in the 21st century my own learning journey had to start. I haven't studied for 25 years so I found the academic side of the course difficult at first however you can’t ask students/teachers to try if you don’t model the same behavior. Carol Dewek says that Much of what we think we understand of our personality comes from our “mindset.” This both propels us and prevents us from fulfilling our potential. What I looked forward to during the course of the study was the time to collaborate with others, share knowledge and new learning. With this in mind I have chosen to focus on the concept from Hack of collaboration and how as a professional and classroom teacher I can continue to develop this area.  So what?  The 'Key Compete...
Read more

Week 30: Contemporary trend in NZ or Internationally

Image
Week 30: Contemporary trend in NZ or Internationally   I have used Rolfe’s reflective model based on three simple questions: What? So what? Now what? (Rolfe, Freshwater, & Jasper, 2001).  What:  I have looked at the trend of future oriented learning and teaching The New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) has complied ten years of national and international research on the future of learning. This research identified key themes for a connected and coherent future-oriented learning system. Those key themes include: commitment to personalising learning curriculum that uses knowledge to develop learning capacity rethinking of learners’ and teachers’ roles forging of new partnerships with the wider community (Ministry of Education, 2012) We are moving away from traditional forms education and adapting our teaching styles to the 21st century environment. The students of the 21st century need to develop skills that will help them engage an...
Read more