The document describes the formation of a community of practice (CoP) among four novice online teachers, called the Fab 4, to help them become effective online instructors. The Fab 4 took the online course they would be teaching as students over 3 weeks. This helped them gain confidence and a shared understanding of online teaching. They then trained new teachers by having them take the course, with the Fab 4 modeling online teaching skills. This led to the formation of a lasting CoP among many online teachers across several states that continues to support members' professional development through both formal and informal meetings.

2. Why are CoP’s enticing? Knowledge is, paradoxically, both sticky and leaky. Knowledge flows on the rails of shared practice. Within a community of practice it flows seamlessly. through joint work, shared practices evolve, enabling us to share tacit knowledge and to trust each other. JOHN SEELY BROWN

3. Once upon a time... THERE WERE 4 WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN ASKED TO TEACH A RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASS TO HIGH SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS. THEIR NAMES WERE Alice, Janet, Danene and Carol. BUT THIS WAS NO ORDINARY ASSIGNMENT. • THE CLASSS WAS AN ONLINE CLASS AND THEY HAD NEVER TAUGHT OR TAKEN AN ONLINE CLASS BEFORE. • 3 OF THE 4 WERE OVER 50. • 3 OF THE 4 WERE SOMEWHAT TECHNOPHOBIC. • ALL 4 OF THEM WERE UNPAID VOLUNTEERS.

4. The challenge was... HOW DO YOU GET THIS GROUP TO BE CAPABLE ONLINE TEACHERS IN 3 WEEKS?

5. Our solution was... FORMING AND CULTIVATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE USING THE PRINCIPLES OF BANDED INSTRUCTION.

6. Where did we begin? COP’S OFTEN START WITH A BANG AND END WITH A FIZZLE. IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS ... PEOPLE NEED A CLEAR AND COMPELLING UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ABOUT.

7. Where did we begin? IF THE DESCRIPTION IS COMPELLING AND CLEAR IN THEIR MINDS... PEOPLE CAN DECIDE... IF THEY WANT TO JOIN AND WHY THEY SHOULD HANG AROUND.

8. How ? Create a SHARED EXPERIENCE instead of a shared abstraction. THE PRINCIPLES OF BANDED INSTRUCTION BACK TO OUR STORY...

9. The story continues... RATHER THAN USING TRADITIONAL TELLING-TRAINING (“SPRAY AND PRAY FROM FAR AWAY”) ALICE, JANET, CAROL AND DANENE TOOK 3 WEEKS OF THE COURSE THEY WOULD BE TEACHING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ONLINE. THEY TOOK IT AS IF THEY WERE STUDENTS THEMSELVES. WE CALLED THIS THE... STUDENT EXPERIENCE

10. Modeling... ALL THE ELEMENTS WE WANTED TO TRAIN THEM ABOUT, WERE 1) MODELED IN THE COURSE ITSELF AND 2) MODELED BY A TEACHER WHO WAS A MASTER ONLINE TEACHER. AT THE END OF THIS “STUDENT EXPERIENCE” WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THE RESULTS WERE?

11. After 3 weeks... OBSERVATIONS... 1) THEIR PREVIOUS ANXIETY WAS ALL BUT GONE. 2) CONFIDENCE TO TEACH WAS HIGH 3) I CAN DO THIS. THIS IS FUN. 4) WE HAD A COMMON LANGUAGE TO USE WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE COURSE. 5) THEY DIDN’T HAVE THE FEELING THAT THEY HAD BEEN “TRAINED”. OUR STORY CONTINUES...

12. “Not training” others... ALICE, JANET, CAROL AND DANENE WERE EACH GIVEN 8-10 NEW TEACHERS TO WORK WITH. EACH GROUP OF NEW TEACHERS WENT THROUGH THE SAME 3 WEEK EXPERIENCE, BUT NOW THEY WERE THE MODELING TEACHERS AND THE NEW TEACHERS TOOK THIS COURSE AS IF THEY WERE STUDENTS. (THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE) AT THE END OF THIS “STUDENT EXPERIENCE” WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? THEY ALL BEGAN TEACHING ACTUAL HS STUDENTS.

13. Then what happened?

14. Then what happened?

15. Then what happened?

16. Then what happened?

17. The rest of the story... MONTHLY INSERVICE WITH THE FAB 4 GUESS WHAT HAPPENED IN JANUARY?

18. The rest of the story... WHAT WE DIDN’T GIVE THEM DURING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE... BECAME THE TOPICS THEY WORKED ON TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.

19. The rest of the story... SO THEY COULD DECIDE THAT THEY WANTED TO JOIN... AND HANG AROUND AS PART OF THE COP THE “STUDENT EXPERIENCE” HELPED THEM UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMUNITY IN A COMPELLING AND CLEAR WAY.

20. The Orientation of our CoP? • MEETINGS • OPEN ENDED CONVERSATIONS • PROJECTS • CONTENT • ACCESS TO EXPERTISE • RELATIONSHIPS • INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION • COMMUNITY CULTIVATION • SERVING A CONTEXT • MEETINGS • OPEN ENDED CONVERSATIONS • ACCESS TO EXPERTISE • RELATIONSHIPS • SERVING A CONTEXT

21. Electronic Tools • ASYNCHRONOUS DISCUSSION TOOLS • SYNCHRONOUS DISCUSSION TOOLS • COMMUNITY NURTURING TOOLS • PUBLISHING TOOLS • CALENDAR/SCHEDULING TOOLS EMAIL, SMS, CHAT, VIDEO CONFERENCE, IM, WIKI, WHITEBOARDS, DOCUMENT SHARING, MICRO BLOGGING, POLLS, VIDEO/AUDIO SHARING, PHONE, PODCASTING, PHOTO PUBLISHING

22. Technology binds... ALICE -SPRINGFIELD, ILL JANET - PEORIA, ILL CAROL - ENGLAND DANENE - OLATHE KANSAS DANA - MICHIGAN ROBYN - ALBERTA CHERRIE - FLORIDA SOON - NORTH DAKOTA MINNESOTA KENTUCKY

23. Technology binds... • ONE FORMAL MEETING PER MONTH • FORMAL/INFORMAL MEETINGS • MANY INFORMAL MEETINGS VIA SKYPE

24. Results So Far... DISTRIBUTED NEW TEACHER TRAINING/SUPPORT GROWING CORE OF EXPERTISE IMPROVING INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERIENCE GREATER COMPLETION LOWER COSTS PER STUDENT