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Interrogating Practice or Show and Tell?: Using a Digital Portfolio to Anchor a Professional Learning Community of Science Teachers

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Title: Interrogating Practice or Show and Tell?: Using a Digital Portfolio to Anchor a Professional Learning Community of Science Teachers
Language: English
Authors: Kloser, Matthew (ORCID 0000-0002-4902-9854), Edelman, Amanda, Floyd, Catherine (ORCID 0000-0002-8169-0829), Martínez, Jose Felipe (ORCID 0000-0003-2211-0609), Stecher, Brian, Srinivasan, Jayashri, Lavin, Erin
Source: Journal of Science Teacher Education. 2021 32(2):210-241.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 32
Publication Date: 2021
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL)
Contract Number: 1420252
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Electronic Publishing, Portfolios (Background Materials), Communities of Practice, Science Teachers, Science Education, Middle School Teachers, Reflective Teaching, Affordances, Expertise, Science Instruction, Instructional Effectiveness
DOI: 10.1080/1046560X.2020.1808267
ISSN: 1046-560X
Abstract: Teachers continuously engage in the relational work of sensemaking with students, but they generally do so isolated from colleagues, making individual decisions about their classrooms. Professional learning communities (PLCs), provide opportunities for collaborative professional reflection and development among peers centered on the analysis of teaching practice. However, PLCs can be difficult to implement in ways that reflect theories of adult learning and are manageable in light of the responsibilities of a teacher. We conducted a year-long case study of a PLC that engaged a group of middle school science teachers using artifacts from a digital portfolio and a framework for high-quality science teaching to explore their teaching practice. The PLC was divided into sessions facilitated externally by a member of the research team and sessions facilitated internally by the teachers themselves. Videos of all PLC sessions and baseline and final interviews indicated that unlike some PLCs described in the literature, participants focused their conversation and interactions on the content of science teaching regardless of who facilitated the session. The discussion was mediated by the digital portfolio tool, its artifacts and an introduced analytical framework. However, externally facilitated sessions revealed far more analysis of practice, compared to extensive reporting on portfolio artifacts when facilitated internally. The findings suggest that digital portfolios, when combined with analytical frameworks of practice can be important tools for teacher reflection, but attention must be paid to PLC structures and norms that move teachers past 'show and tell' and toward more in-depth conversations about practice.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2021
Accession Number: EJ1286382
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Interrogating Practice or Show and Tell?: Using a Digital Portfolio to Anchor a Professional Learning Community of Science Teachers
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kloser%2C+Matthew%22">Kloser, Matthew</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4902-9854">0000-0002-4902-9854</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Edelman%2C+Amanda%22">Edelman, Amanda</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Floyd%2C+Catherine%22">Floyd, Catherine</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8169-0829">0000-0002-8169-0829</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martínez%2C+Jose+Felipe%22">Martínez, Jose Felipe</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2211-0609">0000-0003-2211-0609</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stecher%2C+Brian%22">Stecher, Brian</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Srinivasan%2C+Jayashri%22">Srinivasan, Jayashri</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lavin%2C+Erin%22">Lavin, Erin</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Science+Teacher+Education%22"><i>Journal of Science Teacher Education</i></searchLink>. 2021 32(2):210-241.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/1046560X.2020.1808267
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  Data: Teachers continuously engage in the relational work of sensemaking with students, but they generally do so isolated from colleagues, making individual decisions about their classrooms. Professional learning communities (PLCs), provide opportunities for collaborative professional reflection and development among peers centered on the analysis of teaching practice. However, PLCs can be difficult to implement in ways that reflect theories of adult learning and are manageable in light of the responsibilities of a teacher. We conducted a year-long case study of a PLC that engaged a group of middle school science teachers using artifacts from a digital portfolio and a framework for high-quality science teaching to explore their teaching practice. The PLC was divided into sessions facilitated externally by a member of the research team and sessions facilitated internally by the teachers themselves. Videos of all PLC sessions and baseline and final interviews indicated that unlike some PLCs described in the literature, participants focused their conversation and interactions on the content of science teaching regardless of who facilitated the session. The discussion was mediated by the digital portfolio tool, its artifacts and an introduced analytical framework. However, externally facilitated sessions revealed far more analysis of practice, compared to extensive reporting on portfolio artifacts when facilitated internally. The findings suggest that digital portfolios, when combined with analytical frameworks of practice can be important tools for teacher reflection, but attention must be paid to PLC structures and norms that move teachers past 'show and tell' and toward more in-depth conversations about practice.
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      – SubjectFull: Electronic Publishing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Portfolios (Background Materials)
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      – SubjectFull: Communities of Practice
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