Technology-enabled learning communities: how technology can facilitate high quality social learning in online environments within the field of teacher education

This Mapping Educational Specialist knowHow (MESH) guide brings together theory and practice related to technology-enabled communities of practice. It is designed to provide teachers and teacher educators with an overview of current knowledge in the field and strategies for nurturing communities of practice. It approaches the theme from theoretical and practical perspectives, bringing a number of key studies from the research context, to consider what is the role of technology in enabling social learning within online and blended environments. These findings are then illustrated by focusing on a number of case study examples from practice drawn from our work at the University of Northampton. As authors we have undertaken to share our work which is in different stages of evolution. We hope that this will be stimulate teacher and teacher educators to adapt and test out a range of ideas and strategies with their learners. We would be excited to hear about your engagement with the guide and your responses to it. How to use this guide in google docs: The information below is presented in columns. It is meant to viewed in columns rather than rows. Begin with the column on the left which looks at the theoretical background. The next two columns consider research evidence from a selection of systematic literature reviews and from a number of key studies. Columns four and five then examine social learning in practice through pedagogic strategies and case study examples. The text in each cell links to a google slide of information. Allow a couple of seconds for the link to open the slide. Note that we have used the notes area below the slides for additional content and references. Link to this overview: http://bit.ly/2sHr9yc Link to the slides: http://bit.ly/2tvFOt3