Learning experiences of science teachers in a computer -mediated communication context

The use of computer-mediated-communication (CMC) has been applied increasingly in staff development efforts for teachers. Many teacher education programs are looking to CMC, particularly computer conferencing systems, as an effective and low-cost medium for the delivery of teacher educational programs anytime, anywhere.;Based on constructivist learning theories, this study focused on examining the use of an online discussion board in a graduate course as a place where forty-six inservice teachers shared experiences and ideas. Data collection focused on online discussion transcripts of all the messages from three separate weeks, and supplemented by interviews and teacher self-evaluation reports. The nature and development of the discussions were studied over one semester by analyzing teacher online discussions in two domains: critical reflections and social-interpersonal rapport. In effect, this study provided insights into how to employ computer conferencing technology in facilitating inservice teachers' teaching practices and their professional development.;Major findings include: (1) Participation: The level of participation varied during the semester but was higher at the beginning of the semester and lower at the end of the semester. (2) Critical Reflection: Teachers' critical reflection developed over time as a result of the online discussion board according to mean critical thinking scores during the three selected weeks. Cognitive presence was found mostly in focused discussion forums and social presence mainly existed in the unfocused discussion forums. (3) Social-Interpersonal Rapport: The number of social cues in the messages increased initially but declined significantly over time. When teachers focused more on on-task discussions or critical reflection, there was less social conversation. (4) Teaching Practices and Professional Development: The researcher, the instructor, and teachers identified some advantages for using computer conferencing for improving teaching practices and for professional development.;The results of this study suggest that applying computer-mediated communication in teacher education would impact positively on teachers' growth in critical reflection and social-interpersonal rapport. Furthermore, this study may encourage other researchers to use cognitive and social learning theories as the theoretical backgrounds for developing teacher educational models by applying computer conferencing.