1. Online
social
networking
and
its
impact
on
New
Zealand
educators’
professional
learning
Karen
Melhuish
Spencer
|
@virtuallykaren
|
karenmelhuishspencer.com
Join
the
conversa.on
by
using
#ulearn13
|
Follow
us
@ulearnnz
Sunday, 13 October 13

2. The context: New Zealand’s Virtual
Learning Network
http://www.vln.school.nz
Sunday, 13 October 13

3. What do we mean by social
network sites?
clear purpose
privilege the individual
visible connections
afford collaboration and creation
shared spaces
support curation &
aggregation of content
Image (CC) by ButchLebo
Sunday, 13 October 13

4. Can social networking support
effective learning?
“It
is
preDy
random
professional
learning,
but
some.mes
it’s
really
useful.
”
Image by tejvanphotos (CC)
Sunday, 13 October 13

5. The study
•
Interpretive, ethnographic study,
using mixed methods
•
Online survey 2012 [70
responses, 83.6% completion]
•
•
•
Representative of wider sector
Interviews with 5 educators
Content analysis grounded in
Activity Theory and effective
professional learning frameworks
Image: (CC) Some rights reserved by NoJuan
Sunday, 13 October 13

6. Activity Theory
Sunday, 13 October 13

7. Findings
Sunday, 13 October 13

8. Motivations
“
I
am
a
lead
teacher...
I
access
VLN
primarily
for:
to
gain
ideas
for
my
own
development
in
prac.ce
and
to
gain
prac.cal
ideas
to
take
back
to
staff.
”
• reduces isolation
• personal affirmation
• explore topical issues
• connect with
colleagues
•cherry pick & grab bag
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhwright/5874234034/sizes/m/
Sunday, 13 October 13

9. Activities and goals
“
providing
me
with
real
<me
answers
to
my
ques.ons,
real
tried
and
true
resources
and
websites
and
apps,
given
me
other
points
of
view
and
access
to
resources
I
would
not
have
found
otherwise.
• sharing resources
• gather information
• pedagogy over content
• whole school issues
• fast rather than deep
• personal focus over school/
student
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrs_logic/3556644715/sizes/m/
Sunday, 13 October 13
”

10. Technology as an enabler
“
The online discussions
are something you
probably wouldn’t get
unless you went to
ULearn.
”
•groups and forums
•inbox as arbiter
•browse inbox rather
Image credit: RaHuL Rodriguez
Sunday, 13 October 13
than personalise and post
•groups as filters
•managing info-flow
•issues with navigation

11. Community, rules and sharing the load
“
I
had
signed
up
but
didn't
use
it.
When
I
looked
for
advice
about
iPads
from
ICT
cluster
facilitator
she
referred
me
there.
It
has
been
very
valuable.
I
had
floods
of
advice
from
all
around
NZ
when
I
asked
a
ques<on.
Email
advice
of
posts
is
also
very
good.
I
have
even
been
able
to
pass
on
some
things
I've
learned
-­‐
pay
back.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bertknot/8236396151/sizes/m/
Sunday, 13 October 13
•Content over connections
•Easy access to others
•Safe and professional
•Effectively facilitated
•Ministry related
”

12. So what?
Sunday, 13 October 13

13. Implications: Teachers
•Consider extending inquiry
using such networks beyond the
school
• Discuss ways to actively
collaborate with others
•Digital literacy development to
maage information
•Understand notions of
professional learning
•Look for opportunities to
connect
•Understand that filters need to
be judiciously used
Sunday, 13 October 13

14. Implications: School
leadership
•Consider personalised
professional learning models
• Learn within AND beyond
school
•Digital literacy professional
learning
•Integrate wider networks
•Design blended professional
learning
Sunday, 13 October 13
Image: rafal.postcrossing

15. Implications: Policy level
•Coherent approach to blended
professional learning across
PLD, inc. online facilitation
•Understand the opportunities
that networks might offer
•Support grass-roots
community-driven approaches
•Extend effective PL facilitation
models to include online/
blended
Sunday, 13 October 13
Image: florriebassingbourn!

16. Limitations
•Early adopters at the
vanguard
•Snapshot in time
•Self-reported
•Not tracked into
schools
Image source: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Concrete_wall.jpg
Sunday, 13 October 13

17. ...a final word...
“It’s a taonga...I like the
way it feels like it is
continually moving. It’s
not static, it is continually
evolving...it feels like it is
breathing. And that it has
got life.”
[‘Amanda’]
Sunday, 13 October 13

18. Q&A
Sunday, 13 October 13