Challenges of communication and participation in supporting new teachers using technology across six rural counties

Beginning teacher induction improves a novice teacher’s practice at an accelerated rate, resulting in a positive impact on student achievement (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). While mentoring is still the most common component of induction, an increasing pool of evidence indicates a need for a network of others to learn with and to learn from (e.g. Smith & Ingersoll, 2004; Wechsler, Caspary, Humphrey, & Matsko, 2010). Internet-based communications provide a promise of an extended network of professionals, novice and expert, without the worries of distance and time. However, initiatives to develop and implement internet-based initiatives for beginning teachers often find that the reality of implementation does not match the envisioned potential (Clift, Hebert, Cheng, Moore, & Clouse, 2010). This case study contributed to an understanding of the complex organizational and facilitation issues associated with efforts to integrate technology into a rural induction program that served a six county region. The study sought results that would help reduce a number of gaps in the current research-base. It contributed to a need for increased understanding of induction programs coordinated by educational service agencies that serve new teachers in small, rural schools. In addition, this program’s integration of technology moved beyond the asynchronous, text-based initiatives present in the teacher induction literature to include synchronous audio and video tools. As the year of study progressed, this induction program experienced a rapid decline in participation, and plans to implement distance mentoring proved to be more challenging than expected. Even so, important lessons were learned about efforts to facilitate technology integration and the coordination of projects that cross multiple district boundaries

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Hebert, Lara

Contributors dc:contributor

• Clift, Renée T.
• Johnston-Parsons, Marilyn A.
• Bruce, Bertram C.
• Stake, Robert E.
• Pianfetti, Evangeline

• Educational Service Agency
• Beginning Teacher
• Induction
• Technology Integration
• Systems Change
• Social Capital
• Professional Development
• Rural
• Synchronous Technology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2012 Lara Hebert

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/30979

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/30979