Given the spread of the implementation of Online Communities of Practice (OCoP) as a new approach to organisational learning in the context of continuing professional development (CPD) programmes in some countries such as the UK, USA and Australia, this study conducts a trial in which the OCoP is introduced for this purpose in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the study is to establish the potential of the OCoP to function as an approach to CPD, and how such a mechanism can be adopted in the Saudi context to have an impact upon teachers’ professional performance and development. I designed the OCoP and the sample was composed of 14 male teachers of ICT in secondary schools located in five different cities in Saudi Arabia. The teachers interacted with each other in the OCoP, discussing eight subjects that they chose for themselves. In order to explore the operation and outcomes of the OCoP, I used qualitative methods, in particular semi-structured interviews, classroom observation of a sample of teachers, and observation and monitoring of teachers’ interaction within the OCoP over a three-month period. The overall findings show the positive impact of adopting an OCoP in CPD programmes. They reveal that some teachers change their practice and improve their levels of reflection. Additionally, the findings show significant differences between the levels of contribution made by teachers in the OCoP compared with their participation and engagement in other general online communities and in training courses attended in the country’s Training Centres. Furthermore, the study points to the importance of commitment and internal motivation among teachers in the context of the OCoP since without this, the overall aims of the Community cannot be achieved. The study also raises critical issues concerning the psychological aspects of teachers’ professional development, specifically the need to allow teachers more autonomy in determining their professional needs, and the requirement for trust to be built among teachers since the presence of such autonomy and trust promotes greater engagement in the CPD process. As a result of the trial OCoP, several avenues for further research are suggested in order to gain a deeper understanding of the potential of OCoPs in the educational field.

The majority of transgender youth have learning experiences in school that are less than optimal; however, there is a paucity of research on the competencies of educators of transgender learners that could ameliorate the comorbidities and adversities they endure in secondary school. The purpose of this study was to explore what knowledge, attitudes, and skills educators apply to serve transgender learners in secondary school. The conceptual framework of servant leadership was used in this inquiry. A single case study design was used to examine a secondary school participating in the Alberta Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Educator Network that serves all students, including transgender learners. Seven educators from various disciplines and roles participated in a staged collection of data sources, including (a) a document, (b) a questionnaire, and (c) an interview. Data were analyzed using a priori coding, followed by pattern coding. Results showed that educators applied an interrelated and mutual standard of knowledge conventions, attitudinal compassions, and skillful collaborations through various dimensions of servant leadership unique to transgender learners. Educators collectively (a) drew from knowledge largely based on professional experience and grounded in what students had experienced; (b) drew upon attitudes largely based on a shared level of agreement for their thoughts, positions, and feelings and grounded in acceptance, empathy, and focus on the student; and (c) demonstrated skills largely based on their individual roles and grounded in backing students. The findings of this study contribute to positive social change by informing the paradigms, perceptions, and practices of professionals who serve this marginalized group of learners in secondary education.

At a Southwestern Tennessee school, students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds consistently perform low on the state standardized test TN Ready Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), as compared to students who are not from low socioeconomic status. In this qualitative case study elementary teachers’ views on instructional strategies for reading and math, professional development, and professional learning communities (PLC) were examined through a theoretical framework based on Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. The study included interview data from 9 teachers teaching Grades 3-5 who have been using strategies to help increase students’ academic achievement. In addition, PLC meeting minutes, and teachers’ data notebooks were reviewed. Data analysis consisted of open coding to develop common themes and patterns. The results of the analysis contributed to an understanding of how teachers benefit from ongoing professional development and PLCs to help them teach struggling students. These results led to the development of a professional development plan that provides reading and math strategies to increase all students’ academic achievement levels. This contributes to a positive social change by creating opportunities to support teachers’ instructional practices and use research-based strategies for reading and math instruction, ultimately increasing student achievement levels so that schools meet their mandated adequate yearly progress goals.

The current case study evaluates a program of professional development aimed at engaging two groups of elementary teachers in communities of practice (CoPs) focused on improving teachers' vocabulary instruction and students' vocabulary learning. The professional development program took place over five months in the 2008-2009 school year. The purpose of the evaluation was to evaluate the merit and worth of the professional development program and identify changes that could be implemented by the primary evaluator in future efforts to develop and refine an effective method for teaching teachers about vocabulary instruction. An explanatory case study design was used to achieve a deep understanding of the program using both quantitative and qualitative data analyses. The evaluation measured aspects of collaborative practices engaged in by teachers over the course of the program, as well as teachers' instructional practices and students' leanring before and after program implementation. Evaluation questions were designed to explore the theory that teacher collaboration leads to increases in teacher knowledge and skills, which in turn lead to increases in teachers' classroom use of new knowledge and skills, which ultimately lead to increases in student achievement. Overall, the evaluation was successful in that it was able to clearly describe the collaborative practices engaged in by teachers, provide evidence of teacher and student learning, and provide extensive insights into changes and improvements that were then implemented in an extension to the CoP in the same district during the subsequent school year. Additionally, the evaluation uncovered key variables that may act to impede teacher collaboration.

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Math Teacher Twitter is considered by some to provide an important example of contemporary professional development that can take place within a virtual participatory media platform. This study investigated the phenomenon of Math Teacher Twitter by analyzing a dataset of 9881 tweets associated with 3133 profiles obtained by querying the Twitter API using a set of four key Math Education Twitter Hashtags (METHs), #mtbos, #iteachmath, #mathchat, and #math. Investigating the discourse features hashtags used, tweet content, discursive style, values expressed, profile content, and engagement, allowed a description of the Twitter discourse associated with Math Teacher Twitter to be developed. Particular patterns of hashtag use, discursive style and value expression were associated with a difference in engagement, topical relevance, and profile descriptions. The elements of this Twitter discourse were further analyzed from the perspectives of two models of situated learning: the affinity spaces and communities of practice. This analysis suggested that while the affinity space model provides helpful descriptions of particular features of Math Teacher Twitter, the critical perspective provided by the communities of practice model remains helpful in understanding the underlying dynamics of this phenomenon. The methodological and theoretical implications of these findings for researchers who wish to observe and understand Math Teacher Twitter are discussed, along with some practical implications for its participants.

Principals have an impact on the teaching and learning that takes place in their schools. This research focuses on principal involvement in professional development (PD) to meet policy requirements while developing principals' skills to meet their changing roles to serve as instructional leaders accountable for student academic performance. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the types of PD principals and principal supervisors find most beneficial in developing principals' instructional leadership skills along with the perceived benefits and challenges of participating in PD designed for the principalship role. The secondary purpose was to identify the impact principal PD may have on instructional leadership practices and student achievement. The two research questions were: What types of PD do principals and principal supervisors find most impactful to developing principals' instructional leadership skills? What are the perceived benefits and challenges of participating in virtual, hybrid, and in-person PD specifically designed for the principalship role? A demographic survey and one-on-one, semi-structured interviews were completed with five elementary school principals, four secondary school principals, and three principal supervisors from a rural and suburban school division in Virginia. Deductive coding was used to analyze the data from interviews to determine common themes, patterns, similarities, and differences. Nine findings were discovered, including principals engage in PD focused on instructional leadership skills and perceive that PD has improved instructional practices and student outcomes, principals find value in networking and choice in PD, time is a barrier to participating in PD, and principal supervisors select and support principal PD opportunities. The findings provide principals, principal supervisors, and providers of principal PD with guidance on how to design PD focused on developing instructional leadership skills. Practitioners can utilize the study to guide the design of effective PD sessions that leverage the benefits noted by study participants while overcoming the challenges. Division leaders may consider the findings when developing PD plans for principals based on the literature and perceptions of study participants. These practices will help ensure principals receive the timely, targeted PD they need to become instructional leaders with a positive impact on student achievement. / Doctor of Education / Principals have an impact on the teaching and learning that takes place in their schools. This research focuses on principal involvement in professional development (PD) to meet policy requirements while developing principals' skills to meet their changing roles to serve as instructional leaders accountable for student academic performance. The two research questions were: What types of PD do principals and principal supervisors find most impactful to developing principals' instructional leadership skills? What are the perceived benefits and challenges of participating in virtual, hybrid, and in-person PD specifically designed for the principalship role? One-on-one, semi-structured interviews with five elementary school principals, four secondary school principals, and three principal supervisors from a rural and suburban school division in Virginia were conducted. Findings including, principals engage in PD focused on instructional leadership skills and perceive that PD has improved instructional practices and student outcomes, principals find value in networking and choice in PD, time is a barrier to participating in PD, and principal supervisors select and support principal PD opportunities. The findings might guide how to design PD to focus on developing instructional leadership skills. Practitioners can utilize the findings to guide the design of effective PD sessions that leverage the benefits noted by study participants, while also working to overcome the challenges. Division leaders may consider the findings when developing PD plans for principals. These practices will help ensure principals receive the timely, targeted PD they need to become instructional leaders with a positive impact on student achievement.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a teacher professional development program as measured by the extent that participants have continued to use lessons and materials up to three years after the professional development experience. The professional development program was delivered online and structured by five key characteristics of effective professional development. Sixty-five participants of Food, Land, and People (FLP) professional development completed an online survey answering certain demographic variables and indicating the number of lessons and activities they had used from the FLP professional development. An implementation and continued use measurement model was used to create weighted FLP use scores and compare participants within each group. Results suggest that the FLP professional development program was effective in obtaining long-term continued use of materials.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Frances Keller Shafer, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction, presented on October 16, 2008, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: AN INVESTIGATION OF SELECTED FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE MIDDLE-LEVEL TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHOICES MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Joyce Killian Professional development is defined as methods to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills to improve instruction and increase student achievement. However, the availability of and participation in professional development activities often falls short of meeting both the teachers' and students' needs. This study investigated selected factors that influence middle-level teachers' professional development choices. The purpose of this study was to add to the researcher's knowledge about professional development choices made by practicing middle-level educators and to add to the body of knowledge about the factors influencing professional development choices. The research question was To what extent are middle-level teachers' professional development choices associated with selected factors? The factors investigated were as follows: (1) a greater than 50% assigned time curriculum director with responsibilities for coordination of professional development, (2) meeting criteria for designation as a middle school and (3) the availability of and participation in professional development activities at the school level, the district level, and the higher education level. No significant differences at the 0.05 level were found between the selected factors: (1) the presence or absence of a greater than 50% assigned time curriculum director and (2) designation of the site as a middle school. However, the findings indicated there was a significant difference between school, district and higher education levels in participation, F(2,151)=5.94; p=0.003. Teachers' participation in higher education level professional development activities/program was lower than participation in professional development activities at the school and district level.

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