The Nature of the Teacher Knowledge Constructed in a Multimodal Professional Learning Community
Year: 2017
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This research explores the nature of teacher knowledge constructed over four years in a multi-modal environment. Fourteen K-12 teachers, from Ontario, Canada and Michigan, USA, met online for two hours during a monthly research release day, participated in online chats, a forum site called Virtual Professional Learning Community, as well as participated in four three-day summer institutes. The teachers used these times to engage in knowledge building, creating research for their specific schools/classes in a recurring cycle of learning. The data consist of multiple forms, including the online meetings, the forum, and the summer institute discussions. The research investigated what types of knowledge teachers developed and how those knowledges informed their professional learning. Grounded Theory informed the data gathering and an hermeneutical approach was used for the analyses. Three types of professional knowledge emerged, associated with the classical Aristotelian intellectual virtues: episteme, techne and phronesis. Teachersâ discourse revealed the complexity of their professional knowledge and the wide range of scope of their action â a finding that goes beyond many neoliberal conceptions of the profession. Findings provide ways to develop models of professional development with teachers leading to their sustained journey for meaningful professional learning.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Authors: Ossa Illanes, Carlos Hernán
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2779218899