Professional Networking:- Professional Networking:-

Towards the Development of Global On-line Support for Teacher EducatorsTowards the Development of Global On-line Support for Teacher Educators

Hugh SmithHugh Smith

Head of Continuing Professional DevelopmentHead of Continuing Professional Development

University of The West of ScotlandUniversity of The West of Scotland

hugh.smith@uws.ac.ukhugh.smith@uws.ac.uk

Professional Networking:-Professional Networking:-

• Personal DialoguePersonal Dialogue

• Sharing of minds and resourcesSharing of minds and resources

• Supports the development of pedagogySupports the development of pedagogy

• Encourages the publication of conference proceedings and Encourages the publication of conference proceedings and refereed papersrefereed papers

• Supports national and international collaborationSupports national and international collaboration

Professional Networking :-Professional Networking :-

• Traditional approachTraditional approach

• On-line approachOn-line approach

Professional Networking :-Professional Networking :-

• Traditional approachTraditional approach

Dialogue with colleagues / meetings / conferences / Dialogue with colleagues / meetings / conferences / workshops/ workshops/ telephone conversations / over coffee telephone conversations / over coffee

Professional Networking :-Professional Networking :-

• On-line approachOn-line approach

Email / video conference / blogs / wikis / personal website / Email / video conference / blogs / wikis / personal website / website forums website forums

Some on-line networking may have an open or closed Some on-line networking may have an open or closed membershipmembership

Professional Networking :-Professional Networking :-

• On-line approach may provide :On-line approach may provide :

Repository featureRepository feature

Collaborative featureCollaborative feature

Interactive featureInteractive feature

Professional Networking :-Professional Networking :-

• On-line approach On-line approach

Within nations, teacher educators haveWithin nations, teacher educators have

access to a wide range of on-line access to a wide range of on-line networksnetworks

and sources.and sources.

Professional Networking :-Professional Networking :-

• On-line approach (examples)On-line approach (examples)

Teacher Education in Sub Saharan Africa

On-line support for teachers and teacher educators from across Africa. On-line support for teachers and teacher educators from across Africa.

Teacher Education Advancement Network

On-line support for teacher educators from across the four countries of the UK.On-line support for teacher educators from across the four countries of the UK.

Professional Networking :-Professional Networking :-

• Open on-line networking provides an interesting bi-product:Open on-line networking provides an interesting bi-product:

Access to resources and information for others who are not Access to resources and information for others who are not teacher educators, teachers or teacher trainees.teacher educators, teachers or teacher trainees.

Hole in the Wall ProjectHole in the Wall Project

Hole in the Wall ProjectHole in the Wall Project

MOTIVATIONMOTIVATION

Consider………Consider………

• The gap-year volunteers and others who travel to the The gap-year volunteers and others who travel to the least-developed areas of the world; who volunteer as least-developed areas of the world; who volunteer as

teacher teacher helpers or engage as non-qualified teachers. All helpers or engage as non-qualified teachers. All assist with the assist with the task of delivering basic education.task of delivering basic education.

Where could they access help and resources?Where could they access help and resources?

Teacher Educators could provide a simple answer, without Teacher Educators could provide a simple answer, without recognising the simplicity of the solution.recognising the simplicity of the solution.

In the Cloud :-In the Cloud :-

• Cloud computing is a term used to describe access to the Cloud computing is a term used to describe access to the internet and web-browser applications through network internet and web-browser applications through network

devicesdevices

Teachers, teacher helpers and volunteers in least-developed Teachers, teacher helpers and volunteers in least-developed areas of the world can access areas of the world can access resources though mobile resources though mobile

phone phone technology and other network devices.technology and other network devices.

Global Professional Networking :-Global Professional Networking :-

• If all teacher educator networks were open - think of the If all teacher educator networks were open - think of the possibilities for Global Networking for those working in possibilities for Global Networking for those working in education settingseducation settings

“ “ Meeting basic learning needs constitutes a common andMeeting basic learning needs constitutes a common and universal universal human responsibility. It requires international solidarity and human responsibility. It requires international solidarity and

equitable equitable and fair economic relations in order to redress existing and fair economic relations in order to redress existing economic economic disparities.”disparities.”

( Article 10 - The Dakar Framework of Action p77 - UNESCO 2000 ( Article 10 - The Dakar Framework of Action p77 - UNESCO 2000 ))

Global Professional Networking - A Possible Way Forward :-Global Professional Networking - A Possible Way Forward :-

• Provide a portal that would function as a one-stop-shop for Provide a portal that would function as a one-stop-shop for Teacher Educators and othersTeacher Educators and others

• A Model not unlike the Teacher Training Resource Bank could A Model not unlike the Teacher Training Resource Bank could be developedbe developed

• http://www.ttrb.ac.uk

Global Professional Networking - A Possible Way Forward :-Global Professional Networking - A Possible Way Forward :-

• A portal would link all Teacher Educator Networks providing A portal would link all Teacher Educator Networks providing wider access to resources and researchwider access to resources and research

• A portal would provide access to others who might A portal would provide access to others who might influence/contribute to education contexts in least-influence/contribute to education contexts in least-

developed developed areas of the worldareas of the world

Global Professional Networking - A Possible Way Forward :-Global Professional Networking - A Possible Way Forward :-

• Minimum costMinimum cost

• Provide global access to existing resources for teacher Provide global access to existing resources for teacher educators educators (creating new collaboration and other possibilities)(creating new collaboration and other possibilities)

• Provide global access to those working in least-developed Provide global access to those working in least-developed areas of the worldareas of the world

• Contribute to UNESCO aimsContribute to UNESCO aims

THANK YOUTHANK YOU http://linkbun.ch/0c2yp hugh.smith@uws.ac.uk hugh.smith@uws.ac.uk