Enhancing Learner-Driven Informal Learning in a Virtual Practice Community

2021 ◽  
pp. 267-286
Author(s):  
Chungil Chae ◽  
Boyung Suh ◽  
Seung-hyun Han ◽  
Heeyoung Han ◽  
Doo Hun Lim
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Informal Learning ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Digital Content ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Massive Open Online Course ◽  
Modern Learning ◽  
Learning Platforms

Professional development is an individual's lifelong learning process. Accessing knowledge in an unfamiliar domain (however necessary for professional development) can be limited within traditional higher education and training settings because addressing immediate needs is expensive and time consuming. Active learners often seek new channels of information in order to fulfill learning needs. One example is the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Even though many research studies have emphasized the importance of understanding how technology and digital content lead to changes in the learning context, particularly with respect to informal learning and communities of practice (CoP), there is a notable gap about this issue in the professional development area. This book chapter aims to address this research void by exploring how emergent learning platforms are equipped with new technologies and digital content that may benefit modern learning environments in regards to professional development, such as informal learning in virtual CoPs.

Enhancing Learner-Driven Informal Learning in a Virtual Practice Community

2018 ◽  
pp. 207-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chungil Chae ◽  
Boyung Suh ◽  
Seung-hyun Han ◽  
Heeyoung Han ◽  
Doo Hun Lim
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Informal Learning ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Digital Content ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Massive Open Online Course ◽  
Modern Learning ◽  
Learning Platforms

Professional development is an individual's lifelong learning process. Accessing knowledge in an unfamiliar domain (however necessary for professional development) can be limited within traditional higher education and training settings because addressing immediate needs is expensive and time consuming. Active learners often seek new channels of information in order to fulfill learning needs. One example is the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Even though many research studies have emphasized the importance of understanding how technology and digital content lead to changes in the learning context, particularly with respect to informal learning and communities of practice (CoP), there is a notable gap about this issue in the professional development area. This book chapter aims to address this research void by exploring how emergent learning platforms are equipped with new technologies and digital content that may benefit modern learning environments in regards to professional development, such as informal learning in virtual CoPs.

Professional Development with and for Emerging Technologies

2013 ◽  
pp. 175-192
Author(s):  
Ria Hanewald
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
New Media ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Learning Platforms ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Asian Languages

This chapter provides a case study of professional development for a cohort of Asian languages teachers in Australia who undertook training with new technologies during 2011. While the use of emerging technologies requires a learning curve in terms of technical skill, the pedagogical understanding and affordance of those teaching and learning platforms have to be equally acquired. The group of 41 teachers of Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian, and Japanese participated in three interwoven yet distinct components: exploration and integration of new technology devices and applications, familiarization with the pedagogical affordances of new media in the classroom, and acquaintance with action research as a tool for teacher professional development. Findings indicate that the chosen combination was a successful mixture to improve their professional practice while integrating innovative approaches into classroom practices that were not only effective in the immediate term but also sustainable over the longer term.

Professional Development with and for Emerging Technologies

2014 ◽  
pp. 1010-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ria Hanewald
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
New Media ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Learning Platforms ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Asian Languages

This chapter provides a case study of professional development for a cohort of Asian languages teachers in Australia who undertook training with new technologies during 2011. While the use of emerging technologies requires a learning curve in terms of technical skill, the pedagogical understanding and affordance of those teaching and learning platforms have to be equally acquired. The group of 41 teachers of Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian, and Japanese participated in three interwoven yet distinct components: exploration and integration of new technology devices and applications, familiarization with the pedagogical affordances of new media in the classroom, and acquaintance with action research as a tool for teacher professional development. Findings indicate that the chosen combination was a successful mixture to improve their professional practice while integrating innovative approaches into classroom practices that were not only effective in the immediate term but also sustainable over the longer term.

scholarly journals Examining Informal Learning using Mobile Devices in the Healthcare Workplace / Examen de l’apprentissage informel par l’utilisation d’appareils mobiles dans le milieu des soins de santé

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy (Willy) Fahlman
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Informal Learning ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Milieu De Travail ◽  
Education Professional Development ◽  
Client Teaching ◽  
Study Participants

The study of workplace learning and informal learning are not new to adult education and pedagogy. However, the use of mobile devices as learning tools for informal learning in the workplace is an understudied area. Using theories on informal learning and constructivism as a framework, this paper explores informal learning of registered nurses using mobile devices to meet their learning needs for continuing professional education, professional development, and continuing competence within the challenging healthcare workplace. In this mixed methods study, participants used their devices for self-directed informal learning with non-collaborative strategies/processes for evidence-based support, new procedures/treatments, professional development, patient/client teaching, and maintaining competency. Positive perceptions were articulated. Minimal differences were associated to the nurses’ age. However, workplace-related influences were relevant to the informal learning experiences with the mobile devices. L'étude de l'apprentissage en milieu de travail et de l’apprentissage informel n’est pas nouvelle dans le domaine de l'éducation des adultes et de la pédagogie. Cependant, l'utilisation d'appareils mobiles comme outils pour l'apprentissage informel en milieu de travail est un domaine peu étudié. En utilisant comme cadre d’analyse des théories de l'apprentissage informel et le constructivisme, cet article examine l'apprentissage informel des infirmières utilisant des appareils mobiles pour répondre à leurs besoins d'apprentissage en contexte de formation professionnelle continue, de perfectionnement professionnel et de maintien de leurs compétences dans le milieu difficile de la santé. Dans cette étude à méthodologies mixtes, les participants ont utilisé leurs appareils pour un apprentissage autodirigé informel à l’aide de stratégies et de processus non collaboratifs permettant un appui sur des données factuelles, pour produire de nouvelles procédures et traitements, pour leur perfectionnement professionnel, pour enseigner au patient ou au client et pour le maintien de leurs compétences. Des perceptions positives ont été formulées. Des différences minimes ont été associées à l'âge des infirmières. Cependant, les influences liées au milieu de travail étaient pertinentes pour les expériences d'apprentissage informel avec les appareils mobiles.

Multidisciplinary symmetry education with Poly-Universe toolkit in schools and informal learning context in Finland

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-34
Author(s):  
Kristóf Fenyvesi ◽  
Kerry Osborne ◽  
Matias Kaukolinna ◽  
Merja Sinnemäki ◽  
Leena Kuorikosi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Informal Learning ◽  
Learning Context

scholarly journals Academic literacy across the curriculum: Towards a collaborative instructional approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ursula Wingate
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Literacy Development ◽  
Intervention Study ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Academic Discipline ◽  
Academic Literacy ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Conference Theme

I respond to the conference theme ‘English across the Curriculum’ by suggesting that ‘Academic literacy’ should be taught across the curriculum. I first explain the concept of academic literacy, which describes the range of abilities that students have to acquire when starting out in a new academic discipline. I then discuss the dominant instructional provision at universities. As this provision fails to address students’ real learning needs, I argue for curriculum-integrated academic literacy instruction that is based on the collaboration between English for academic purposes (EAP) specialists and subject lecturers. I provide examples of collaborative, discipline-specific approaches to supporting student learning, and present some insights from an intervention study that I have carried out to explore feasible ways of teaching and collaboration. Finally, I discuss the need for lecturer training to achieve a curriculum-integrated approach, and report on my experience of running a professional development module which aimed to enable lecturers to embed academic literacy development into their teaching practice.

A Decade of Research on K–12 Teaching and Teacher Learning with Social Media: Insights on the State of the Field

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-72
Author(s):  
Christine Greenhow ◽  
Sarah M. Galvin ◽  
Diana L. Brandon ◽  
Emilia Askari
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Informal Learning ◽  
Educational Research ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
The State ◽  
Classroom Teaching ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
K 12

Background and Context The increasingly widespread use of social media to expand one's social connections is a relatively new but important phenomenon that has implications for teaching, learning, and teachers’ professional knowledge and development in the 21st century. Educational research in this area is expanding, but further investigation is necessary to better determine how to best support teachers in their professional development, collaboration, and classroom teaching. Prior literature reviews have focused extensively on higher education settings or particular platforms or platform types (e.g., Facebook, microblogging). This article provides needed insights into K–12 settings and encompasses work from a variety of social media types. We describe a systematic review of more than a decade of educational research from various countries to present the state of the field in K–12 teachers’ use of social media for teaching and professional learning across various platforms. Research Questions To define social media's potentially beneficial roles in teaching and learning, we must first take an in-depth look at teachers’ current social media practices. Toward this end, we approached our review with the following research question: How are social media perceived and used by K–12 teachers for their teaching or professional learning, and with what impacts on teachers’ practices? Research Design Guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) established standards for rigor and quality in systematic literature reviews, this article reviews empirical research to examine how social media are perceived and used by K–12 teachers with what impacts on teachers’ practices. Findings We find that social media features offer several benefits for helping teachers fulfill their goals for classroom teaching, including enhancing student engagement, community connections, and teacher–student interactions, but these affordances come with challenges that must be navigated. The literature also suggests that social media features provide benefits for teachers’ professional learning within both formal professional development programs and informal learning networks. Conclusions Implications of this literature review for future research and the design of educational practices are discussed in the final section. Among our conclusions are calls for more data triangulation between teachers’ and students’ learning and experiences on social media, more attention to teachers’ observational behaviors on social media, and further exploration of how social media facilitates interplay between teachers’ formal and informal learning.

scholarly journals Exploring university students’ use of technologies beyond the formal learning context: A tale of two online platforms

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Deng ◽  
Nicole Judith Tavares
Keyword(s):  
Informal Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Formal Learning ◽  
Emotional Needs ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Online Participation ◽  
Teaching Resources ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
And Control ◽  
Teaching Ideas

<p class="abstract">Situated within an informal learning context, this study examines how a group of pre-service teachers in Hong Kong use Facebook and Google Sites on their own initiative to fulfil their academic and socio-emotional needs during their teaching practice. Also included in the study are the motivating and inhibiting factors that influence student online participation. Guided by an informal learning model and the literature relating to online participation and sense of community, this exploratory study generates its findings from questionnaires, individual interviews and online postings. The results show that the Google Sites created an avenue for the students to share a range of self-developed teaching resources and ideas. Facebook is a more interactive platform through which the participants seek peer support, exchange teaching ideas, and engage in discussions on a variety of topics. Structure and control provided by Google Sites and immediacy and interactivity afforded by Facebook become complementary to each other.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals ONLINE LANGUAGE TEACHING EFFICIENCY IN COVID-19 ENVIRONMENT

2021 ◽  
pp. 220-225
Author(s):  
Iryna Navrotska ◽  
Alla Pavliuk ◽  
Iryna Kalynovska ◽  
Iryna Kuzhel
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Distant Learning ◽  
National University ◽  
Learning Platforms

The article represents the results of the survey conducted among the group of university and high school teachers to establish the specific tendencies in online language teaching and learning within the COVID 19-affected environment. The study hypothesis presupposed verification of the thesis that language learning needs adjustment to new circumstances. During 2020-2021, the major platform adopted by Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University has been MS Office. It provided the participants of learning process with necessary tools such as calendar planning, lecture and seminar moderation, data submission and storage as well as assessment options and statistics. Incorporating the platform required tutorials for teachers since there were certain issues with registration and running the MS Office programme on various gadgets. At the initial stages alternatives were allowed to be used for online classes. The survey was conducted and analysed by means of quantitative and descriptive methods and on the basis of continuous academic discussions. It was concluded that the teachers treated the challenges of new learning environment differently. Namely, the respondents were invited to rate the general effectiveness of constant online language or language related subject learning, characterise institutional support, specify the prioritised digital platform and share feedback regarding their satisfaction with the educational process within late 2020 – first half of 2021. The majority of the respondents denoted the satisfactory effectiveness of online English language system. The educational institution was reported to provide sufficient support on distant learning platforms. Roughly one third of the answers pointed at the use of several distant learning platforms. Zoom has been defined as the main teachers’ preference probably due to simplicity of installation and running flexibility on various gadgets for both sides. The most burning issues of online learning during the COVID-19 period were associated with internet connection and access.

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