Community Model: Exploring Professional Development
The community model has been used to explore professional development in the new era. Communities are formed by a group of people interacting with one another, establishing common habits and depending on one another to accomplish certain goals (Wilson & Ryder, 1996). Learning communities are constructed when a group of learners share common values, experiences and are provided with sustained and mutual support. People within these learning communities usually encourage and develop an atmosphere of trust, respect and support.
In today’s world, communities are not only limited to physically bounded environment, it extends to virtual or online spaces as well. Owston (1998) defines a virtual or online community as “a group of people who regularly interact online and share common goals, ideals, or values” (p. 60). Preece (2000) also points out the key elements of online communities such as socially interacting people who are trying to achieve common needs; the driving motive shared by the community; guiding rules to direct participants’ interacting behaviors, and facilitating media to foster the sense of union or togetherness. Online learning communities provides “a general sense of connection, belonging, and comfort that develops over time among members of a group who share purpose or commitment to a common goal” (Conrad, 2005, p. …show more content…
In addition, online communities establish social networking for professional educators through “rich and open exchange of ideas, experiences, and resources where educators feel both respected and supported” (Booth, 2012,
In today’s world, communities are not only limited to physically bounded environment, it extends to virtual or online spaces as well. Owston (1998) defines a virtual or online community as “a group of people who regularly interact online and share common goals, ideals, or values” (p. 60). Preece (2000) also points out the key elements of online communities such as socially interacting people who are trying to achieve common needs; the driving motive shared by the community; guiding rules to direct participants’ interacting behaviors, and facilitating media to foster the sense of union or togetherness. Online learning communities provides “a general sense of connection, belonging, and comfort that develops over time among members of a group who share purpose or commitment to a common goal” (Conrad, 2005, p. …show more content…
In addition, online communities establish social networking for professional educators through “rich and open exchange of ideas, experiences, and resources where educators feel both respected and supported” (Booth, 2012,