Research

Teacher preparation programs are responsible for developing pre-service teachers’ identities as practitioners, guiding them between theory and practice in their academic studies and clinical experiences. As supported by literature, implementing a community of practice model with pre-service teachers provides known benefits including increased professional reflection, self-efficacy, and confidence in the classroom, in addition to the development of collegial relationships with other educators (Feiman-Nemser, 2001; Grossman, Wineburg, & Woolworth, 2001; Jimenez-Silva & Olson, 2012; Perry, Walton, & Calder, 1999). Pre-service teachers especially need to recognize that learning is integral to teaching and they will best build a repertoire for effective practice through continuous professional development opportunities and collaboration with colleagues at every stage in their career (Feiman-Nemser, 2001). 

In the CalStateTEACH online and site-supported teacher preparation program, candidates are placed with volunteer mentor teachers in elementary school sites to observe, participate and begin student teaching. The program’s intentionally flexible learning environment allows candidates to communicate throughout their academic modules using online discussion forums within the CalStateTEACH learning management system, however they are divided up into regions and only interact with a small percentage of candidates in the program. Additionally, the use of discussion forums does not take place in real time and students are less motivated to participate. Therefore, to promote further support and collaboration, CalStateTEACH will develop a virtual community of practice that creates opportunities for candidates, mentor teachers and faculty to connect across the state and elsewhere. This community will facilitate sharing through the digital curation of tools, resources and curriculum while providing an open forum for questions, stories and interaction about the teaching practice. 

Through an initial beta-test, candidates will have the option to participate as volunteers in a monthly TeachMeet session, in conjunction with their mandatory discussion forums. By utilizing a TeachMeet model, participants will gather virtually to discuss relevant education topics such as classroom management, technology integration, differentiated instruction, design thinking, project based learning, and other innovative teaching ideas as they relate to their classroom experiences. Faculty and mentor teachers can attend as guest speakers, providing expertise on specific topics or they can help to facilitate the discussion by directing candidates with prompts and addressing their individual questions.

CalStateTEACH will record and compile the videos to post as podcasts within an online portal via a Google+ page for candidates to revisit or share with others, creating a database of materials that “newcomers” can learn from. Virtual meetings and podcasts may additionally come to replace older discussion forum prompts and become a part of the CalStateTEACH academic curriculum, putting candidates in the immediate role as teachers to one another. Furthermore, as candidates graduate from the program and begin their teaching careers, they will be invited to remain in the community to continue learning and helping others in their development. Offering virtual TeachMeet opportunities may promote an increase in the number of candidates who are able to participate due to the flexibility and convenience and would allow further connections to be made across geographical boundaries

Throughout this process, the guiding coalition will experiment with various formats and strategies to best determine the most efficient implementation method, producing appropriate guidelines for establishing a virtual community of practice, thus shaping the path for transformation. To consolidate gains, the CalStateTEACH virtual community of practice will be evaluated through observation methods and open interviews with candidates and faculty, providing details on added benefits or suggestions for further improvement. 

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CalStateTEACH is an online, site-supported public university teacher preparation program developed to provide access and equity to candidates placed in diverse underserved rural and urban schools. In 2010, the program launched a one-to-one mobile learning initiative utilizing the revolutionary interface of the iPad and incorporated 21st century knowledge, skills and research in cognition and brain function.  Our goal is to prepare creative, collaborative and reflective teachers who understand the important relationships among technology, content, and pedagogy.

Research suggests that reflective practice is a vital component in progressing from novice to expert (Adler, 1990; Bauer, 1991; Feiman-Nemser, 2001a; Ferraro, 2000; Schön, 1987; Van Manen, 1999). CalStateTEACH is focused on self-reflection that utilizes video of our candidates’ own teaching. In alignment with many teacher credential and licensing agencies, we have adopted the use of digital video processes for performance-based assessments and as an observation tool throughout our program for student-teacher growth and development. Besides implementing iPads for access of e-text, educational applications and other web-based materials, candidates learn how to film their teaching, to edit and trim clips using iMovie and to upload videos within the CalStateTEACH portal for faculty evaluation. This process gives students the opportunity to carefully select and showcase specific moments of their teaching. Additionally, they are able to embed reflective annotations through the “Critique^It” technology where faculty will also comment and provide feedback directly within specific timestamps or frames of the video. This efficient and user-friendly application facilitates dialogue among students and faculty in a timely and detailed manner.

Analysis of videotaped lessons promotes sophisticated levels of reflection while building student-teacher confidence. As candidates effectively capture the interactions happening in the classroom, they are also continuously monitoring their own metacognition and applying strategies to learning challenges they face.  In order to improve instructional methods, candidates must first understand what their teaching methods are. When they view and reflect on videos of their own teaching, candidates are able to assume an objective perspective, which allows them to further assess their pedagogical knowledge within personal classroom experiences. This encourages a deeper understanding of the application of theory into practice of teaching. Furthermore, faculty can determine the necessary scaffolding to best support candidates as they move throughout the program. Digital annotations provide faculty with insight about what candidates notice and opportunity for cognitive mentoring through explicit questioning to engage them in deeper levels of reflection.

A final advantage of iSupervision is that candidates assume a greater sense of agency in promoting the growth of their teaching practice as the locus of control shifts from faculty to self. Throughout their clinical experiences, candidates also have the ability to compile their teaching clips into a culminating iMovie which can be added to a digital resume, website or electronic portfolio. Overall, innovative programs utilizing iPads and multimedia movie-making technologies such as iMovie, can effectively foster self-reflection and teacher improvement as we equip candidates with 21^st century skills for their future careers as educators.

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