Creating Virtual Professional Learning Communities
Lloyd Goldsmith, Donnie Snider and Kim Pamplin
Abilene Christian University
United States
lloyd.goldsmith@acu.edu
donnie.snider@acu.edu
pamplink@acu.edu
Abstract: This paper reports on the integration of technology in creating professional
learning communities. High school and middle school science teachers participating in
federally funded Teacher Quality Grants were trained in the use of Edmodo for the
classroom. Working independently from the formal instruction received in the grant, used
Edmodo for themselves in creating their own professional learning community. Two case
studies demonstrate how rural isolated middle school and high school science teachers used
technology to create a virtual professional learning community to support each other in
incorporating technology into their science instruction.
Introduction
Typically, teachers work in isolation. The door closes and much like what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,
what happens in the classroom stays in the classroom. Rick DuFour asserts that encouragement is not enough
to change this isolationism but requires making collaboration a part of the school’s culture (DuFour, p.58).
Unfortunately, changing this behavior can be challenging. We now know that a collaborative professional
learning community (PLC) has a strong positive impact on student achievement; making this collaboration a
reality often poses a challenge.
Learning Forward, formally the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) recognized the term
“professional development” had negative connotations and now uses the term “professional learning”. This
change in terminology implies that professional learning is something done with others rather than to others
(Sorenson, Goldsmith, Mendez & Maxwell, 2011). This paradigm shift is significant and is essential for PLCs
(DuFour, DuFour & Eaker, 2008).
For the past decade the authors have worked with middle school science teachers and high school chemistry
teachers to foster PLCs using Teacher Quality Grants (TQG) funded through NCLB Title II, Part A Funds
administered the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Incorporating technology as a tool to develop a
PLC allowed collaboration to go beyond the boundaries of any particular campus or district to form a PLC in
cyberspace, one that develops virtual content and community. The following case studies provide a peek at
technology’s potential to move teachers from geographic professional isolation and encourage collaboration
without geographic constraints. Removing district or campus boundaries enables educators to broaden their
thinking by establishing virtual PLCs based on common interests.
Case Study 1
Middle School A and Middle B are in a diverse school district of approximately 18,000 students. These middle
schools have many teachers who have participated in the Abilene Christian University (ACU) administered
teacher quality grants for multiple years. These teachers continue to return to the grant for several reasons: (1)
new science content, (2) technology equipment, (3) new technology skills, (4) collaboration with science
colleagues and (5) new concepts in virtual pedagogy (Pfeifer, 2013).
Teachers in these TQGs have developed a solution to sustained professional development. Science teachers at
these middle schools created a virtual PLC. Traditionally PLCs have been limited to a campus or a district;
these teachers created their own virtual PLC ignoring geographic boundaries by having middle school teachers
from other school districts participating in the TQG as members of their virtual PLC. Using technologies such
as video conferencing and open source learning management systems, these grant participants independently
created their own virtual learning community using Edmodo, an open source learning management system
targeting K-12 educators.
ACU’s 2012 TQG Summer Institute introduced participants to Edmodo. This exposure led to virtual PLCs,
which have matured over the past two years. Initially these teachers worked in professional isolation to design
science lessons for their individual classrooms. As these teachers became more proficient in the use of
Edmodo, a virtual PLC emerged – one that extended to multiple campuses and districts. Driven by their own
initiative, these teachers used Edmodo to share virtual lessons with other science teachers on their campuses
and beyond (Anonymous Grant Participant 1, 2012). Dr. Jerilyn Pfeifer, the grant external evaluator, had
similar findings in her evaluation (Pfeifer, 2013). Dr. Pfeifer also noted, “They [TQG participants] have
accepted assignments at regional levels to design instruction for multiple districts” (Pfeifer, 2013). This in turn
expanded to other middle school campuses, increasing the influence of the ACU administered TQG beyond the
initial grant participants.
Science teachers at these middle schools noticed the improved quality of virtual science lessons designed and
developed by multiple teachers sharing lessons, materials and websites. Twitter was especially useful in the
professional learning network (Anonymous Grant Participant 2, 2012). Grant participants became mentors to
other science teachers assisting with the acquisition of virtual content, use of iPad applications, design of
virtual lessons and assimilation of resources for new technology skills. Teachers were no longer tethered to
paper or online textbooks or limited to local expertise. The textbook became one of many resources used in
the design and delivery of science content through the virtual PLC. An unintended consequence in the use of
Edmodo was expanded teacher to teacher and teacher to student communication. Increased student to student
and student to teacher interaction resulted when teachers expanded Edmodo’s use to meet a variety of
communication needs including homework notices, lesson planning, and course procedures.
During the 2012-13 school year these teachers used Edmodo to design and deliver virtual lab activities. While
this new teaching paradigm took time to develop and implement, the teachers received ongoing professional
support through the TQG. As educational pedagogy evolves, these two middle schools are better prepared
because of their virtual PLC.
Case Study 2
This case study involved a rural Texas school district with approximately 2,300 students. The most recent
demographic and academic data describes the district ethnic distribution as 42% white, 49% Hispanic and
9.0% other ethnicities. Economically disadvantaged students represent 68% of the student population with
Limited English Proficient students at 2%. 2011 district science test score data reveals a state assessment
passage rate of 83% for grade 11, 72% for grade 10, 78% for grade 8 and 90% for grade 5 (Texas Education
Agency, 2011).
ACU’s TQG targets academically diverse districts with the greatest academic need in science. Based on these
criteria, one high school and two middle school science teachers were selected from the school district. Upon
entering the grant, these teachers self-reported their technology skills as limited. Scarce technology resources,
inadequate professional development in software/hardware, insufficient collaboration among district science
teachers, and lack of awareness of new virtual content for the classroom instruction (Pfeifer, 2013) contributed
to their limited technology skills.
This combination of inadequate technology resources and pedagogical limitation resulted in a grant funded
one-to-one iPad initiative for the middle school. The addition of iPads coupled with the gain in science
content knowledge and increased technology skills for the TQG teachers created a campus-wide virtual PLC
for middle school science classrooms. TQG participants brokered the technology skills acquired through the
TQG. The grant participants became mentors for other middle school teachers on iPad use in the classroom,
creation of virtual content and flipping the classroom for content acquisition.
Like many initiatives, the one-to-one iPad initiative in this rural district is a work in progress. The district
committed resources to expand the iPad initiative to the high school with the intent of continued funding until
all students in grades six through twelve utilize iPads. Although a one-to-one iPad initiative is not unique to
this rural district, what is exceptional is the level of classroom implementation.
TQG trained teachers assisted middle school classroom teachers through the virtual PLC in the use of
Promethean boards, acquisition of iPad applications for classroom instruction, design of virtual content,
collaborative assimilation of virtual content into lessons and transitioning the classroom to a paperless
environment. Students now have 24/7 access to content through their iPads. The combination of iPads,
sustained professional development in the TQG and increased technology skills provide the students at this
rural middle school with robust lessons designed to meet all learning styles via face-to-face and virtual
environments. As educational pedagogy continues to evolve towards virtual delivery of content, this district
will be ahead of the curve because of the expertise of the TQG participants.
Conclusion
The Public Education Visioning Institute – affiliated with the Texas Association of School Administrators –
acknowledged the importance of the digital learning environment for 4.7 million Texas students. Their work
led to the publication of the 2008 document, Creating A New Vision for Public Education in Texas: A Work in
Progress for Further Development. The authors of this report noted the importance of engaging the digital
generation as well as “embracing the potential of new technologies and making optimum use of the digital
devices and connections that are prevalent today to make learning vibrant and stimulating for all” (p.2). The
importance of digital learning was established in the first of the report’s six articles, “The New Digital
Learning Environment”.
Article 1: The New Digital Learning Environment
Digitization and miniaturization of information processing power are expanding exponentially and are
changing the world, our lives and our communities at an overwhelming speed. To be viable, schools must
adapt to the new environment. We must embrace and seize technology’s potential to capture the hearts and
minds of this, the first digital generation, so that work designed for them is more engaging and respects their
superior talents with digital devices and connections
The five National Education Technology Standards for Administrators (NETSA) provide a road map for
digital learning. These standards help us as digital leaders to shape current and future learning. Creating and
supporting teachers in developing and growing virtual PLCs is one way to support teaching and learning –
curriculum and instruction.
NETSA
Standard 1: Visionary Leadership
Standard 2: Digital-Age Learning Culture
Standard 3: Excellence in Professional Practice
Standard 4: Systemic Improvement
Standard 5: Digital Citizenship
Teachers such as those in these case studies are at the forefront of 21st century learning. Virtual PLCs provide
fertile ground where digital learning and teaching can flourish. Promoting professional collaboration in a
virtual environment deserves a closer look as school leaders seek ways to effectively support teaching and
learning.
References
Anonymous Grant Participant 1. (2012, November 28). Grant Evaluation Survey, Weinburgh
Anonymous Grant Participant 2. (2012, November 26-28). Grant Evaluation Survey, Weinburgh
DuFour, R. (2011). Work Together But Only if You Want To. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(5), 57
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insights for improving schools. Bloomington: Solution Tree
Pfeifer, J. (Everman ISD, Everman, TX). 2012-13 Evaluation Report for Teacher Quality Grant Project #498.
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; (2013, July 26) Award No.: 9658
Sorenson, R., Goldsmith, L., Mendez, Z., Maxwell, K. (2011). The principal’s guide to curriculum leadership.
Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press
Texas Association of School Administrators. (2008). Creating a new vision for public education in Texas: A
work in progress for further development. Austin, TX: Author
Texas Education Agency, (2011). Academic excellence indicator system 2010-11 district performance
(177902). Retrieved from website: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/cgi/sas/broker