Do Blended Virtual Learning Communities Enhance Teachers' Professional Development More than Purely Virtual Ones? A Large Scale Empirical Comparison

Autor/in	Matzat, U.
Titel	Do Blended Virtual Learning Communities Enhance Teachers' Professional Development More than Purely Virtual Ones? A Large Scale Empirical Comparison
Quelle	In: Computers & Education, 60 (2013) 1, S.40-51 (12 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0360-1315
DOI	10.1016/j.compedu.2012.08.006
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Blended Learning; Internet; Computer Mediated Communication; Teacher Surveys; Program Effectiveness; Interaction; Secondary School Teachers; Communities of Practice; Inservice Teacher Education; Conventional Instruction; Computer Uses in Education; Distance Education; Electronic Learning; Social Networks; Comparative Analysis; Faculty Mobility; Job Search Methods; European Union; Netherlands + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Computerkonferenz; Interaktion; Community; Lehrerfortbildung; Computernutzung; Distance study; Distance learning; Fernunterricht; Social network; Soziales Netzwerk; Arbeitsplatzsuchtheorie; Niederlande
Abstract	This article examines whether a mixture of virtual and real-life interaction--in contrast to purely virtual interaction--among some members of online communities for teachers is beneficial for all teachers' professional development in the whole community. Earlier research indicated that blended communities tend to face fewer trust and free rider problems. This study continues this stream of research by examining whether blended communities provide more practical benefits to teachers, both in terms of perceived improvements to their teaching capabilities as well as for their substantial understanding of their core topic. In addition, it is tested whether blended communities provide more information about vacancies, as teachers' mobility is regarded as too low in the EU. The analysis uses survey data from 26 online communities for secondary education teachers in The Netherlands. The communities are part of a virtual organization that hosts communities for teachers' professional development. The findings indeed show beneficial effects of blended communities. Moreover, the results modify earlier claims about the integration of online communication with offline interaction by showing that complete integration is unnecessary. This facilitates a scaling up of the use of online communities for teachers' professional development. (Contains 9 tables.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Elsevier. 3251 Riverport Lane, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. Tel: 800-325-4177; Tel: 314-447-8000; Fax: 314-447-8033; e-mail: JournalCustomerService-usa@elsevier.com; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10