Share Paper: Online Spaces as Sources of Informal Learning for Teachers

1. Kimberly Zelonis, Lock Haven University, United States

Abstract: Informal learning opportunities such as those found in online spaces can serve as valuable sources of professional learning for educators who often note that professional development does not meet their needs. This paper presents a small portion of the findings of a larger study intended to determine what types of discourse develop in online spaces for teachers and what patterns emerge through this unique venue for knowledge sharing as participants learn from one another informally. Using a modified coding scheme based on Arvaja’s original (2012), data analyzed from three online discussion forums revealed five types of discourse in conjunction with ...