MACUL 09 Presentation - Online Professional Learning Communities

1. Creating an Online
Professional Learning
Community
Stephen Best
MACUL 2009

2. Objectives

3. Objectives
• Review the focus and goals of PLCs
(professional learning communities) to
consider elements for successful
implementation

4. Objectives
• Review the focus and goals of PLCs
(professional learning communities) to
consider elements for successful
implementation
• Consider strategies for online PLCs by
analyzing examples of such sites and what
works (and doesn’t work)

5. Objectives
• Review the focus and goals of PLCs
(professional learning communities) to
consider elements for successful
implementation
• Consider strategies for online PLCs by
analyzing examples of such sites and what
works (and doesn’t work)
• Show tools that allow you to create your
own online PLC

6. What is a PLC?

7. What is a PLC?
• Professional

8. What is a PLC?
• Professional
• Learning

9. What is a PLC?
• Professional
• Learning
• Community

10. Key Qualities of a PLC

11. Key Qualities of a PLC
• Led by teachers with open participation

12. Key Qualities of a PLC
• Led by teachers with open participation
• Focus is on improving practice
(and student learning)

13. Key Qualities of a PLC
• Led by teachers with open participation
• Focus is on improving practice
(and student learning)
• Convene often with a general focus/goals

14. Key Qualities of a PLC
• Led by teachers with open participation
• Focus is on improving practice
(and student learning)
• Convene often with a general focus/goals
• May have a discernible outcome or
product

15. Problems of “PLCs”

16. Problems of “PLCs”
• Range of implementation efforts called
“PLCs”, but few fit the original design or
definition
- Mandatory involvement
- Top down decision making and structure
- Skill or task focused
- No ownership for participants

17. Problems of “PLCs”
• Range of implementation efforts called
“PLCs”, but few fit the original design or
definition
- Mandatory involvement
- Top down decision making and structure
- Skill or task focused
- No ownership for participants
• Not the same as other types of PD

18. Considerations

19. Considerations
• Needs to be compelling for teachers to
participate

20. Considerations
• Needs to be compelling for teachers to
participate
• Should have a relatively short (up to 6 months)
focus or reason for being initially

21. Considerations
• Needs to be compelling for teachers to
participate
• Should have a relatively short (up to 6 months)
focus or reason for being initially
• Collaboration is critical - not just cooperation

22. Considerations
• Needs to be compelling for teachers to
participate
• Should have a relatively short (up to 6 months)
focus or reason for being initially
• Collaboration is critical - not just cooperation
• Should relate to the teaching being done, not
just an idea

23. Considerations
• Needs to be compelling for teachers to
participate
• Should have a relatively short (up to 6 months)
focus or reason for being initially
• Collaboration is critical - not just cooperation
• Should relate to the teaching being done, not
just an idea
• Relies on trust, common goals, and shared
experiences

24. Design of the PLC
• Mix of small and large group activities or
discussion
• Incorporates strategies and tools to
address the goal directly and easily
• Provides incentives to build participation
(enough to make it a “habit”)
• Establishes norms of practice

25. Collaborative Tools for PLCs

26. Collaborative Tools for PLCs
• Wikis

27. Collaborative Tools for PLCs
• Wikis
• Blogs

28. Collaborative Tools for PLCs
• Wikis
• Blogs
• Social Networks

29. Collaborative Tools for PLCs
• Wikis
• Blogs
• Social Networks
• “Sharing sites”

30. Collaborative Tools for PLCs
• Wikis
• Blogs
• Social Networks
• “Sharing sites”
• Course Management Tools (i.e. Moodle)

31. Collaborative Tools for PLCs
• Wikis
• Blogs
• Social Networks
• “Sharing sites”
• Course Management Tools (i.e. Moodle)
• Customized Sites