The role of a web-based community in teacher professional development
by John P. Cuthell
International Journal of Web Based Communities (IJWBC), Vol. 4, No. 2, 2008

Abstract: This paper explores the development of MirandaNet, an online Community of Practice (CoP) established in 1992, and its contribution to teacher Continuous Professional Development (CPD). It identifies four stages in its development. Its initial stage was as a conventional website supported by an e-mail-based listserv that built distributed cognition accessed by its members. During its second stage it analysed those factors that support (or hinder) the participation of teachers in online communities, and ensured that appropriate affordances were built into the MirandaNet model. The third stage built on Salmon's 5-Step Theory (2002) and developed the use of discussion forums for the communal construction of knowledge. The final stage described in this paper is the use of MirandaNet as an interactive resource in which members may share, exchange and publish a range of documents and artefacts, similar to Web 2.0 affordances.

Online publication date: Wed, 26-Mar-2008

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