This article seeks to bridge two educational concepts: the "Knowledge-Building Community" (KBC) and "Polyphonic Education" (PE), both of which address the contemporary challenges of constant change and complexity. First, it outlines a collaborative knowledge-building process within a professional community of teacher trainers.…

As a part of the DiMPAH-project, the authors have developed an open educational resource (OER) on netnography. In this paper, the OER is presented and critically discussed as the broader problem identified during course-development is made explicit and explored through two research questions: 1) How can an OER be designed that positions…

The paper presents a theoretical framework of four digital learning spaces: Individual space, Working group, Community of interest, and Open connections. The theoretical framework aims to highlight the unique potentials of digital technologies to expand learning activities. More specifically, the framework contributes with descriptions of specific…

When launching schoolwide tech initiatives, there is often "little organizational vision beyond securing the necessary devices," says Catlin Tucker, author of "Power Up Blended Learning." This can lead to an adversarial relationship between school leaders and teachers, who may feel like they have been set up to fail. To avoid…

Technology can help expand communities of practice in music education and promote a democratic schooling process vital to culturally sustaining pedagogy. Through careful and effective implementation, technology helps connect students to relevant musical communities and supports educators in achieving student-centered thinking and practices. The…

Integration of technology tools and resources is imperative when working with today's students, as many are expecting to encounter various apps and media-based software in the curriculum. It is important, however, to have a clear purpose for integrating technology into the classroom; technology should not be integrated into the curriculum simply…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, transitioning to online education proved to be difficult due to lack of training, resources, and funding to adequately provide what every student and teacher needed. We present a framework for ongoing professional development for in-service teachers to expand their attitudes and beliefs about culturally…

As technology continues to provide new instructional options in the classroom, opportunities to embed new tools in their pedagogy are critical for teachers. One avenue that could encourage teachers to adopt new technologies in their classroom is professional development. This column outlines how a comprehensive program can be implemented to build…

As computer-based game use grows in classrooms, teachers need more opportunities for professional development aimed at helping them to appropriately incorporate games into their classrooms. Teachers need opportunities not only to learn about video games as software but also about video games as culture. This requires professional development that…

While technology is prevalent in American classrooms, meaningful technology integration remains an issue, indicating a lack of effective professional development. Unlike the typical workshop model, professional learning communities (PLCs) utilize teacher-centered approaches to professional development. Kolb's experiential learning theory,…

Teacher educators often encourage technology integration as a means to improve education. However, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the acceleration of more invasive technologies offering quick "fixes" in schools and society. Building on the assumption that technologies are not neutral and neither are the societies into which they are…

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) offer opportunities for educators to collaboratively inquire and study innovative literacy practices. However, scheduling conflicts and other challenges often interrupt or create barriers for PLCs. This article provides suggestions for integrating technology into a face-to-face PLC as a means of supporting…

The importance of integrating technology into the classroom has become a priority at most levels of the curriculum in many countries around the world. This paper draws on the evaluation and research that informed four outreach programs. The authors acknowledge that teachers are generally time poor and often have limited information and…

This paper reports on how the FutureLearn Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) "Becoming a Better Teacher" was blended into English Language Teaching (ELT) university programmes in conjunction with telecollaboration. It discusses how the addition of a MOOC blend can enhance a telecollaborative exchange by adding to it increased…

Teaching research requires getting students to think critically, synthesize literature, evaluate ideas, identify and analyze issues, solve problems, and be organized. Thus, whether a course is face to face or online, the content will be challenging. On the other hand, integrating instructional strategies to engage students can increase learners'…