...............................................................................................................

Reflective Practitioners to Transform Professional

Practice
by Irene Tan, Principal Master Teacher, Academy of Singapore Teachers

Our Principal Master Teacher (PMTT) at AST, Ms Irene Tan, shares her beliefs and experiences in
Networked Learning Communities (NLCs). “NLCs are very effective in promoting a teacher-led culture.
The quality of teachers' learning is only as effective as the professional conversations they have”, says
Irene. Read about the heartbeat of our PMTT and how NLCs bring about reflective practitioners who
transform the teaching practice.

Teachers are the key enablers of students’ learning. Studies have linked teachers’ professional learning
to improved academic teaching and enhanced student learning. Though professional learning
programmes may vary widely in terms of content, form and duration, the common purpose of these
programmes is to “alter the professional practices, beliefs, and understanding of school persons toward
an articulated end” (Griffin, 1983, p. 2). Such a change in teachers’ beliefs and attitudes is essential to
bring about positive changes in teaching practices and the learning outcomes of students.

What is Effective Professional Development?

Even as many research findings affirm the importance of professional development, there have also
been concerns raised about the effectiveness of professional development sessions. Lassonde and
Israel (2010) found that the growth of teachers must be supported by a community and not one-off
workshops, which are not as effective in changing instructional practice in the classroom.

Instead of one-off workshops, research substantiates that “successful teacher professional development
activities are those that are extended over time and encourage the development of teachers’ learning
communities” (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 1999, p. 204). This is a view shared by other researchers,
that successful professional development learning is contextualised, long term and based in a
community of learners which provides opportunities for teachers to collaborate with colleagues and other
experts to improve their practice (Franke & Kazemi, 2001). These types of activities are accomplished by
creating opportunities for shared experiences and discourse around shared texts and data about student
learning, and focus on shared decision-making amongst the teachers. Bransford, Brown and Cocking
(1999) went further to state that successful professional development programmes “involve teachers in
learning activities that are similar to ones that they will use with their students” (p. 204).

Networked Learning Communities

Networked Learning Communities (NLC) are platforms that provide a structure for teachers to come
together to have professional conversations. We define NLCs as networks of teachers across schools
learning from one another, with one another, and on behalf of others. Networked learning is the process
where individuals from different schools come together in a network to engage in purposeful and
sustained developmental activities, informed by the public knowledge base, utilising their own know-how
and co-constructing knowledge together (Jackson & Temperley, 2007).

Networked learning among teachers is a powerful form of professional learning as such learning informs
and helps them understand their work, their influence, and their effects on themselves, their peers and
their students (Lieberman & Wood, 2003). Apart from professional learning, NLCs also bring about an
enhanced sense of belonging and affinity towards one another, the subject as well as the teaching
fraternity.

The Subject Chapters in AST are forms of NLCs and serve as platforms for teachers teaching the same
subject to connect with one another. Together, they learn from, learn with and learn on behalf of other
teachers in their schools. Besides NLCs by subjects, there are many vibrant NLCs where teachers of
different professional interests, such as Differentiated Instruction in Mathematics and Chemistry Lesson
Study, come together. Others are role-based, such as School Staff Developer Network and Senior
Teacher--Lead Teacher Network.

Learning in NLCs takes place when teachers find common professional interests, needs or areas that
match their roles. More often than not, their sense of achievement and satisfaction is derived from being
able to celebrate their learning through implementing a lesson or unit which they have crafted as a team,
or present and share their learning with other teachers.

According to Jackson (2004), “Networked learning occurs where people from different schools in a
network engage with one another to enquire into practice, to innovate, to exchange knowledge and to
learn together”. For instance, a group of Senior Teachers teaching the Normal Course came together to
share their practices of how they motivated their students. They also engaged in book readings on the
topic and came together for discussions to share insights of what they read and found useful. After a few
months of learning together, this group shared their learning with another group of teachers who were
new to teaching the Normal Course classes. Such a form of learning is very powerful as they drew upon
practitioners’ knowledge, referred to public knowledge and built new knowledge after a long discourse.

SPAR© -- Our Networked Learning Model

One of our greatest challenges in championing NLCs is facilitating and ensuring the growth of the
teachers involved as there is a lack of existing models that could be adopted for the operationalising of
our NLCs. Together, the Master Teachers at the Academy developed a Networked Learning Model
called SPAR©. Adopting a facilitative approach, members will learn together using this
research-informed model which is broken into five stages. SPAR© is a model which refers to the process
of Seeding, Planning, Applying, Reviewing, and Celebrating. Embedded within the SPAR© model are
several established protocols and tools to guide our NLC facilitators in facilitating purposeful and deep
networked learning.
 SPAR© Model of networked learning

In the NLCs, teacher facilitators can pose questions about their own or one another’s teaching practices,
encourage members to share their experiences and tap on the vast public knowledge that the members
have and what they may gather from books and journals. NLCs can also consult the “Knowledgeable
Others” amongst them when necessary. Together, these learning communities can co-construct new
knowledge during their discussions, engage in inquiry and try out the new learning in their classrooms
with students of different profiles. A significant part of the process is when teachers engage in constant
reflection on their prior knowledge, beliefs and learning, and finally go on to share these precious
lessons they learned with others.

Collective Wisdom for Reflective Practitioners to Transform

Teaching Practice
In learning from one another, teachers from different schools capitalise on their expertise and practical
wisdom to contribute towards their shared interest. As they learn with one another, they will co-construct
knowledge that has practical relevance to the context of their classrooms. Through critical inquiry led by
teachers within the networks, new knowledge is generated from the contextual knowledge of the
teachers and the public knowledge in the form of research and good practices. They are often driven by
the desire to deepen their professional knowledge and sharpen their craft so as to improve student
learning.

Within the networks, teachers take on the roles of learners, researchers and leaders to improve their
practice. We have selected a definition that encompasses key elements of teacher leadership — teacher
ownership and leadership is defined “when teachers, driven by a sense of mission, individually or
collectively exert intentional influence to improve the overall state of professional practice, through a
climate of trusting and supportive relationships”. Hence, leadership in the network can take many forms
to improve teaching and learning.

Within the NLCs, improving professional excellence in education therefore becomes a collective
responsibility. Members feel empowered when they are involved in decision-making and the professional
development of their peers. The network gives teachers a collective voice and their influence stems
from the respect they command from their colleagues through their expertise and practice. When
teachers work together in this way, they build trust within the group and develop new ideas, which in turn
energise members to build networks of interest and participation.

Professional development is the key to improving teacher quality. If the quality of an education cannot
surpass the quality of its teachers, then professional development of teachers is paramount to improving
student learning. By enhancing and enriching teachers’ professional development, teachers can bring
the learning into their classrooms and in everything they do.

References

Jackson, D., & Temperley, J. (2007). From professional learning community to networked learning
community. In L. Stoll, & K. S. Louis (eds.), Professional Learning Communities: Divergence, Depth and
Dilemmas, pp. 45-62. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Katz, S., & Earl, L. (2010). Learning about networked learning communities. School Effectiveness and
School Improvement: An International Journal of Research, Policy and Practice, 21(1), 27-51.

Lieberman, A., & Wood, D. R. (2003). Inside the National Writing Project: Connecting Network Learning
and Classroom Teaching. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Stoll, L. (2004). Networked learning communities as professional learning communities. Paper

commissioned by Aporia Consulting.

About the Author

Ms Irene Tan started her teaching career in her alma mater, Jurong Secondary School in 1988. She
assumed positions of Head of Department (Science) (1995 to 2004) and Head of Department Larger
Portfolio (Strategic Alliances and Innovations) (2005) before taking on the role of a Master Teacher
(Chemistry) (2008), based in Hwa Chong Institution. She was appointed Principal Master Teacher
(Chemistry) in January 2015. As a Principal Master Teacher at the Academy of Singapore Teachers,
Irene works with teachers in networked learning communities and mentors teachers in areas of
curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. She leads inquiry-based practices such as action research, and
sharing of best practices for teachers at the Academy. Having observed many NLCs of which she was a
part of as a Master Teacher, she strongly believes Networked Learning is very effective in promoting a
teacher-led culture. Irene strongly believes that the quality of teachers’ learning is only as effective as the
professional conversations they have. She also draws immense satisfaction from seeing the growth of
teachers through their involvement in NLCs.

For Further Reading

To learn more about NLCs at AST, click here:

http://www.academyofsingaporeteachers.moe.gov.sg/networked-learning-communities

To find out more about joining our Subject Chapters, click here:
http://www.academyofsingaporeteachers.moe.gov.sg/networked-learning-communities/subject-chapters

To find out more about our role-based NLCs, click here:

http://www.academyofsingaporeteachers.moe.gov.sg/networked-learning-communities/role-based-nlc
To find out more about our interest-based NLCs, click here:
http://www.academyofsingaporeteachers.moe.gov.sg/networked-learning-communities/interest-based-nl
c