RSA #1 - Online Professional Learning Communities

http://cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,cpid&custid=s8419239&db=aph&AN=55428825&site=ehost-live   Social Learning Networks: Build Mobile Learning Networks Based on Collaborative Services.

The assigned article, Sustaining School Improvement Professional Learning Community (2003), states that “the dynamic interaction of shared practice and collective inquiry is perhaps the most essential aspect of a professional learning community.”  These interactions may take place in physical meetings or virtually, online.

The Web has a plethora of online places for people with similar interests to connect.  According to Huang, Yang, Huang and Hsiao in their study, Social Learning Networks: Building Mobile Learning Networks Based on Collaborative Services (2010), these social networks do a good job of providing places for people with common interest or “Communities of Interest (CoI)” (p.79).to exchange information, but they fall short in connecting those who actually create the network products.  The underlying assumption of this study is that if producers collaborate, their collective intelligence would be inspired.  Martin-Kniep would agree.  In her book, Communities that Learn, Lead, and Last: Building and Sustaining Educational Expertise, she defines professional learning communities as forums for people to improve their thinking and practice.  (p. 4).  Martin-Kniep refers to Capers who says that learning communities communicate practices and procedures.  In Professional Learning Communities participants build their expertise.

Huang, Yand, Huang, and Hsiao studied the effects of human intelligence resources by creating an application for mobile devices to connect people and form Communities of Practice (CoP).  They analyzed common interests of learners, formed an interest based community of practice and created a mobile learning network.  Based on a questionnaire, they found that their application helped learners partner.  Those who participated believed the mobile device service aided them to find learning partners.  And the quality of this service had a positive influence on their attitudes toward communities of practice. 

References

Capers, M. (2004). A history of resistance; afuture dependent on its embrace. In s. Hord (Ed.),     Learning together: leading together: changing schools through professional learning

            communities. New York.  

Huang, J.J.S., Yang, S.J.H., Huang, Y., & Hsiao, I.Y.T. (2010). Social learning networks: build

 mobile learning networks based on collaborative services. Educational Technology &

 Society, 13(3), 78-92.

 Martin-Kniep, G. (2008). Communities that learn, lead, and last: building and sustaining

 educational expertise. San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.

Steffes, B. (2003). Sustaining school improvement. Mid-continent Research for Education and

 Learning, Retrieved from www.mcrel.org