Essi Ryymin

Teachers' Intelligent Networks: Study on Relationship-based Professional Development Supported by Collaborative Learning Technologies Essi Ryymin

Educational discourse treats school as a bounded system, an institutional shell waiting to be filled by the actions of teachers and administrators. However, as schools become more open through the impact of technology and the influence of societal change, the narrowness of this reality is changing. This book suggests that pedagogical communities should be understood in their wider meaning, not only certain school, but all the border-crossing networked communities. Regarding this, also teachers? professional development is seen innovatively as relationship-based professional development. This development cannot be considered separate from social networks and the development of collaborative learning technologies. Instead, they should be seen as the elements of teachers? intelligent networks which include members of pedagogical communities, learning technologies, media and information sources, and in which teachers exchange information and create new knowledge in order to develop their profession. This book is especially useful to the e-learning specialists, educational professionals, authorities and change makers.