Create a blog post where you identify and evaluate two contemporary issues or trends that are influencing or shaping NZ or international education, which you find most relevant to your practice. Elaborate in your own words how you would address those issues or trends in your context within your learning community or professional context.
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Create a blog post where you provide a critical discussion of your professional community of practice in relation to any two of the following questions:
Create a post where you first define your ‘Community of practice’ with reference to Wenger (2000)’s definition and then provide a critical discussion in relation to any two of the following questions:
Who I am and a story to sum up what underpins my teaching practice. Interaction with others in a community of practice allows teachers to strengthen their own practice. According to Wenger, a community of practice are 'groups of people who share a concern or a passion or about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis. The members of a community of practice are bound by three distinct elements: the domain, the practice and the community' (Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002, p.4). Because teachers are naturally reflective and are constantly critiquing their practice they are often solving issues or developing their knowledge by connecting with those who have similar experiences. While it makes sense to talk face to face with colleagues with a community of practice, online communities are not yet seen as equally as valuable. Within my school I have created a Google+ community with the hope teachers would not only build upon each others strengths but start to tap into the networks of educators who are out there, willing to share what they know.
To me, a community of practice is a more informal way of information sharing. There must be a shared domain (Google+), which implies a shared area of competence (teachers knowledge/resources), there must be a community (teachers), which implies shared learning, and there must be practice, which means the members must be practitioners of a common activity. Educators can share information through conversation and engage in critical discussion. It allows educators to reflect honestly about their practice and view things from a new perspective. Finlay, L. (2009) Reflecting on reflective practice. PBPL. Retrieved from http://www.open.ac.uk/opencetl/files/opencetl/file/ecms/web-content/Finlay-%282008%29-Reflecting-on-reflective-practice-PBPL-paper-52.pdf Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating Communities of Practice: A Guide to Managing Knowledge. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press, My Teaching as Inquiry Project Plan which can be found here. Marker's Notes
Your work is excellent. You have presented a structured and detailed proposal that engages students, parents, and leadership in using inquiry-based learning in the classes with the template being provided to the learners. The statement of research interest and the justification of the engaging methods are satisfactorily indicated. You have appropriately discussed the relevant aspects of the principles of Kaupapa Maori. The definition of community to be engaged is clear and explicit. The submission has adequately met the requirement for reflecting on the plan by highlighting its relevance to the literature review and the learning in your class. The community scoping, which describes the stages of the project and the respectively targeted members, is sufficiently interpreted. You have evidently shown the survey for collecting feedback on students' previous inquiries. You apparently demonstrate the evaluations of the proposal from the colleagues as well as your responding to the comments. The potential impacts of the findings are comprehensively addressed. The Adobe Slate presentation is well-designed and has a seamless flow. Total: 88%
Marker's Notes
This is a valuable and interesting review, which could be improved with better coverage of literature and correct format for an academic literature review. While you specified the research aim, purpose, and major themes, the association between the aim and themes were not clearly explained, and it was difficult for a reader to comprehend how you aim could be achieved by reviewing literature on those themes. You summarised several frameworks or theories for defining and grouping the 21st century skills and competencies, but you could have gone further to critically compare and evaluate these frameworks, and identify the key issues and debates. Lack of criticalness and in-depth analysis in your review was likely caused by limited coverage and content of literature. A formal academic literature review should cover a large number of peer-reviewed references, e.g. the articles from the journals and conferences with high impact factors. It was admirable for you to link the review with your own teaching practice, but the content of a literature review including opinions and questions should be based on the references you studied. The Maori aspects in relation to your review were discussed. Your conclusion was convincing and well-written. Total: 63% |
AuthorCurrently enrolled in the Mindlab Postgraduate Course and am looking at ways to document what I learn. Archives
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