Professional development and rural science teachers’ expanding social networks: a longitudinal analysis
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study examined how participation in the Technology-Mediated Lesson Study (TMLS), a hybrid professional development programme, shaped collaboration, advice-seeking, and friendship networks among rural chemistry and biology teachers in a Western US state over three years. Using Stochastic Actor-Oriented Models (SAOMs) in RSiena, the study analysed how structural, individual, and programme-level factors influenced network formation and change. The networks remained sparse, with geographic distance strongly constraining interactions. Teachers formed ties through reciprocity and triadic closure, and advice-seeking and friendship networks showed steady growth. TMLS participation significantly increased the likelihood of forming new ties, including long-distance connections that bridged regional boundaries. Participants became central actors in both professional and personal networks, demonstrating that hybrid programmes can foster multiplex connections that promote and sustain reform efforts. These findings highlight the potential of well-designed professional development to reduce isolation, expand super-organisational engagement, and support collaborative communities for rural teachers. Programmes that combine structured collaboration with opportunities for informal peer relationships can enhance professional growth and build more sustainable networks in geographically dispersed settings.
Authors: Syahrul Amin, Rebecca L. Sansom, Tracy Poulsen
Institution: Texas A&M University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: hybrid
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W7153895643