Title: Web-based interaction of unqualified primary teachers as off-campus students

Authors: Veijo Meisalo, Jari Lavonen, Kalle Juuti

Addresses: Department of Applied Sciences of Education, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. ' Department of Applied Sciences of Education, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. ' Department of Applied Sciences of Education, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland

Abstract: This paper analyses demands on Web-Based Study Communities (WBCs) by off-campus students. It reports a teaching experiment where two groups of unqualified primary school teachers were given a course in teaching science. It is described as a typical case study yielding feedback for further development of the web-based environment but emphasising also the importance of web-based community formation for these students. WBCs seem to offer a most versatile addition to the learning environment of unqualified teachers studying off campus. Success in the final test had a significant correlation to the number of both sent and read messages, but the students| self-evaluation did not reflect appreciation of this importance.

Keywords: web based communities; teacher education; equal opportunities; science education; primary school teachers; off-campus students; online learning; e-learning; Finland; distance learning; continuous professional development; CPD.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2006.008615

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2006 Vol.2 No.1, pp.58 - 69

Published online: 11 Jan 2006 *

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