Unit 13: Collaborative Teacher Networks

Topic outline

• General
  

  General

  

  • KICTCFT Competency

    The teacher to use collaborative teacher network tools and platforms to enhance their professional development.

    Specific Objectives: On completion of this unit you will be able to:

    1. Identify collaborative teacher networks
    2. Discuss the advantages of collaborative networks
    3. Participate in collaborative teacher networks
  • Unit 13 Glossary of Terms
• Opportunities for Teacher Collaboration
  

  Opportunities for Teacher Collaboration

  • Recommended time: 25 minutes

  • Sub-unit Competency
    

    In this sub-unit you will ascertain why continuing professional development (PD) is important and considered a national priority.

  • Activity 2: Opportunities for Teacher Collaboration

    1. Study the introductory reading and watch the video below. The reading is entitled 'Teacher Collaboration' and the video 'International Teacher Collaboration Project'. Think of opportunities where you can collaborate and also what you can collaborate on.
  • Teacher Collaboration Page
  • Video - International Teacher Collaboration Project Page
  • 2. Access the forum below entitled 'Collaboration Opportunities' and discuss the merits of teacher collaboration. Identify several avenues that teachers can explore locally in order to participate in collaborative projects. Read and reply to your colleagues' posts.
  • Collaboration Opportunities Forum
  • 3. Are you aware of some local opportunities to collaborate? Are there local teacher working groups in your area? They don't have to be online. Use the chat room below to share information with the wider group.
  • Local Collaboration Opportunities Chat
• Continuing Professional Development?
  

  Continuing Professional Development?

  • Recommended time: 5 minutes

  • Sub-unit Competency
    

    In this sub-unit you will discuss both local and international collaborative teacher networks for professional learning.

  • Activity 1: Why Continuing Professional Development?

    1. Watch a video of John Temba the head of ICT in Kenya's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The video explains the significance of continuing professional development in ICT.
  • Temba, J. (2015). ICT in Education & Professional Development Page
• Join a Collaboration Network
  

  Join a Collaboration Network

  • Recommended time: 150 minutes

  • Sub-unit Competency
    

    In this sub-unit you will join a collaborative network and interact with teachers having common interests and goals.

  • Activity 2: Join a Collaboration Network
    

    1. Conduct an Internet search and identify 6 websites dedicated to supporting online collaborative teacher projects related to your specific subject/learning level. The following community websites have been provided to assist you but should be considered a starting point. Use your advanced search skills, learned earlier, to find additional opportunities.
  • Elimika (KEN) URL
  • Global SchoolNet URL
  • Microsoft Educator's Network URL
  • Schools Online - British Council URL
  • Intel Education URL
  • Teacher Tap URL
  • TESSA - Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa URL
  • 2. In the forum below, entitled 'Reflections on collaborative experiences', post a review of five opportunities you thought were interesting. See what others have found and reply to their posts.
  • Reflections on collaborative experiences Forum
  • Portfolio Assignment: Teacher Collaboration Projects Review

    1. From the collaborative networks identified in the forum above, select one, sign up to join and interact with it.
    2. In MS Word create a document and compile a summary description of that network and reflect on your experience and the challenges you encountered during this period.
  • Evaluation Criteria for Unit 13 Portfolio Assignment File
  • Teacher Collaborative Project Review Assignment
• Conclusion and Summary
  

  Conclusion and Summary

  • Facilitator's Summary

    Once you have completed the readings and assignments above, access the facilitator's audio summary to recap the unit's salient points.

  • Unit 13 Audio Summary File
  • Unit 13 Self Evaluation Quiz
• Attribution
  

  Attribution

  • Open Education Resources

    The following Open Education Resources (OER) have been adapted to create this unit on ICT & Curriculum:

    1. Commonwealth of Learning/Commonwealth Secretariat/Ministry of Education, Guyana. (2012). ICT in Education for Teachers. - Available here

    Images have been adapted from:

    2. Ipapun. (2014). Devine Icons. Free for non commercial use - Available online here

    The following references are also acknowledged:

    3. Ghannam, I (nd). International Teachers Collaboration Project. YouTube - Available online here
• Credits and License
  

  Credits and License

  • This unit was adapted from OER and developed further by Mrs Catherine Mwaura and Mrs Christine Maingi.
    The unit was facilitated by Joseph Wambua, Christine Akello and Grace Mwiti.

    

    All material in this Kenya ICT CFT Course unit is licensed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Kenya under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License with the exception of the resources listed below:

    Ghannam, I (nd). International Teachers Collaboration Project. YouTube.

    All content not licensed under a Creative Commons license is all rights reserved, and you must request permission from the copyright owner to use this material.

• Pilot Feedback
  

  Pilot Feedback

  • The KICTCFT Course is in its pilot phase. Please provide feedback on your experience of this unit so that we might improve it.

  • Unit 13 Pilot Feedback