Conference:
ECER 2008
Network:
Format:
Symposium Paper
Session Information
01 SES 08, Issues in European Teacher Development: Linking Theory and Practice
Symposium
Time:
2008-09-12
08:30-10:00
Room:
B3 313
Chair:
Rosie Anne Turner-Bisset
Contribution
The paper presents a ‘new’ model for the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of teachers through Virtual Campuses (VC). It builds on the deficiencies of the ‘traditional’ approaches to teachers’ professional development, namely the ‘individual approaches, the ‘group approaches’, and the ‘school development approach to professional development, as identified by Bell (1991), to propose an alternative mode of CPD. The latter is delivered through VC settings defined on the basis of two main perspectives:
a) collaborative organisation: ICT-based collaboration of different VC partners supporting both learning and research in a distributed setting; and
b) networked organisation: An environment which augments and integrates learning and research services offered by different partners.
The proposed approach to CPD is based on Salmon’s (2003) model for e-learning which consists of the following five stages: a) access and motivation; b) online socialization; c) information exchange; d) knowledge construction; and e) development.
It is expected that the model presented, among others, will provide a valuable means for teachers to participate in professional development activities, regardless of geographic location (place-independent) theoretically 24 hours a day (time-independent), thus providing opportunities to cover their personal needs and goals (individualization) in ways which may not otherwise be possible. In addition, the CPD through VC model will contribute to the development of communities of practice among educators, schoolteachers and academics; will provide equality of social interaction among learners, and support practitioners’ continuing professional development.
References
Bell, L. (1991). Approaches to the professional development of teachers, in: L. Bell & C. Day, (Eds) Managing the Professional Development of Teachers, Philadelphia: Open University Press. Salmon G. (2003). E-Moderating: The Key to Teaching and Learning Online. London: Routledge.
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