| This study evaluated a national virtual network for its ability to help 94 participants from four identical, week-long staff development workshops to become communities of learners both at their schools and in a virtual community. The study assumed that a complete staff development includes participant preparation, active demonstration of theory and participant-created products, and follow-up to help participants implement the theory. The network used telecommunication tools (bulletin board, e-mail, Web site, list serv, videoconferencing, and MUDs) to allow participants to develop a virtual community of learners for follow-up and professional support.; Data were gathered by surveys and from captured speech from 84 participants representing 22 teams, who used the telecommunication tools to interact with each other. Results indicated that the network was effective for some of the teams and individuals but not for everybody.; Participants ranked the telecommunication tools according to use. E-mail was most used, followed by Web site, bulletin board, list serv, video conferencing, and MUD, respectively. Geographic location of the teams portrayed differences as to use and levels of involvement in the network. The East Coast teams had the highest level of agreement in how they rated the effectiveness of the network. The West Coast team had the highest level of use followed by teams from the East, Southwest, Southern, and Midwest respectively.; Major conclusions about the success of the virtual network are that the teams did perceive themselves as being highly successful learning communities but reported only about one-third of the characteristics of a virtual learning community in place. Other conclusions included the need of a different kind of computer literacy in a virtual network, strengthening of teams, promotion of a sense of community through active network participation, reduction of the sense of professional isolation, and the provision of a level playing field by the network where participants' age, gender or experience become irrelevant vis-a-vis the merit of their contributions.; Recommendations include a study to understand characteristics of active participants and teams in the virtual network, and a need to explore other possible staff development projects, which could promote more active participation within the virtual network. |
