Findings
Online Communities of Practice Informal online communities and networks offer teachers the possibility of engaging in shared learning, constructing knowledge, reflecting about teaching practices and receiving emotional support. Networks and communities can take different forms such as discussion boards, peer-to-peer online mentoring, weekly focus groups, and collaborative projects. Research on these social learning networks consists mainly of case descriptions using a wide sampling of theoretical and methodological approaches. Research linking the effects of online learning communities in PD programs to changes in teachers’ classroom practices are, as of yet, non-existent (Macià & García, 2016). Nonetheless, studies report that participation in online communities has positive effects on professional development. For instance, it has been shown that online communities can stimulate teachers’ self-reflection on their practice and prompt inquiries about new methods and resources, giving teachers new insights on their practice (Musanti & Pence, 2010). Furthermore, combining online participation with other forms of PD delivery provides multiple engagement spaces to help teachers contextualize their practice experiences and engage in construction of new professional knowledge (Blummer & Kritskaya, 2009). Also, research has revealed that participation in online environments is bolstered by face-to-face contact (Tseng & Kuo, 2014). Several studies show that participation in online-only groups is not as strong as participation in communities where people convene both online and in person. Research has shown that teachers prefer face-toface professional learning communities although they also report the combination of online and face-to-face activities are effective (McConnell, Parker, Eberhardt, Koehler, & Lundeberg, 2013). Despite the increasing interest in informal online communities and networks, the impact on teachers’ knowledge acquisition, skill development and integration of new skills into practice is still unknown. Further studies are needed to identify the factors that promote participation in online networks and communities and how these communities influence teachers’ learning and reflection, and ultimately, the transformation of their practice. Summary The research examining online and tech-supported ECPD, though nascent and growing, has begun to suggest that online learning can be just as effective in enhancing early childhood providers’ knowledge, skills, and professional competencies as face-toface trainings, and that these outcomes are maximized when there is a blend of online independent study and trainer/coach-mediated consultations using video recordings of the teacher’s practice (Kyzar et al., 2014; R. C. Pianta, Mashburn et al., 2008; Shannon
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Technology-Supported Early Childhood Professional Development in Nebraska