Supporting teachers to plan for teaching with technology through an online community of inquiry

Abstract

Recent interest in integrating technology into teaching is growing daily. There remains, however, a demanding need to develop methods that support in-service teachers on the use of these technologies as teachers are facilitators of the learning process. Researchers have found that, through constant training, technology implementation increased when teachers developed the required skills and confidence levels in integrating technology into the classroom. The value of an online Community of Inquiry (CoI) is at the core of the transfer of ideas and resources, where educators feel motivated and supported. The goal in forming the online CoI was to create an opportunity for teachers to collaborate and share ideas on how to teach with technology in their specific subject fields, and to strengthen teachers’ teaching methods. The online CoI brought together (in one online community) in-service teachers who were in different schools and locations. The study was conducted to observe how a community of educators planned to teach using technology by using a lesson study approach. The research was conducted using a qualitative research approach and was a single exploratory case study. The results of the study showed that the three presences found in the Community of Inquiry framework played a vital role in supporting the online CoI. The community has shown to be dynamic, flexible and served as a pool of resources. The community grew into a space that guided the participants both emotionally and personally. The transfer of ideas and resources, and providing a space where educators feel motivated and guided are the core value of CoI.