I'm very interested in this question. Online PLNs don't necessarily focus solely on ICT and ICT integration, but the full breadth of teacher professional life, through ongoing communication and relationship-building. In this way they are perhaps a more well rounded delivery mode than formal PD, which is usually neccesarily confined to a single topic or goal. Peer coaching is another emerging trend, in which traditional leadership structures in schools are broken down to facilitate more 'just in time' learning and in-context PD. If more professionals and peer coaches are accessing multiple streams of learning they will more readily consolidate their learning and translate this to the classroom.
Helen Otway wrote: > Professional Learning for teachers can take many different shapes and forms. There can be workshops, presentations, action research and peer coaching. Most recently Online Learning Networks have emerged through the Read/Write Web allowing teachers to learn anytime, anywhere. > > In their research Joyce and Showers tells us that Coaching (Peer Coaching) is the most effective way to ensure skills and knowledge are transferred to the classroom. > > My question therefore is - how do we blend online networks (web 2.0) with face to face peer coaching to gain the best possible results for our students?
I'm very interested in this question. Online PLNs don't necessarily focus solely on ICT and ICT integration, but the full breadth of teacher professional life, through ongoing communication and relationship-building. In this way they are perhaps a more well rounded delivery mode than formal PD, which is usually neccesarily confined to a single topic or goal. Peer coaching is another emerging trend, in which traditional leadership structures in schools are broken down to facilitate more 'just in time' learning and in-context PD. If more professionals and peer coaches are accessing multiple streams of learning they will more readily consolidate their learning and translate this to the classroom.
Helen Otway wrote:
> Professional Learning for teachers can take many different shapes and forms. There can be workshops, presentations, action research and peer coaching. Most recently Online Learning Networks have emerged through the Read/Write Web allowing teachers to learn anytime, anywhere.
>
> In their research Joyce and Showers tells us that Coaching (Peer Coaching) is the most effective way to ensure skills and knowledge are transferred to the classroom.
>
> My question therefore is - how do we blend online networks (web 2.0) with face to face peer coaching to gain the best possible results for our students?