Teacher professional learning in online communities: toward existentially reflective practice

Abstract

In this article, I use autobiography as a method to recount my experiences of self-directed professional learning in an interest-driven online community of teachers. I draw on Søren Kierkegaard’s critique of the Press and his conception of three spheres of human existence as a conceptual framework. Although the online community in which I participated provided an unprecedented opportunity to exchange high volumes of information, it failed to create a platform where I could turn information into meaningful pedagogical knowledge. Moreover, the online community seemed to encourage members to take interest in everything and share opinions or resources without taking responsibility of their consequences. Based on the insights from this autobiographical reflection, I make a proposal for taking an existential approach to reflective practice with regards to teachers’ self-directed professional learning in online communities.

Keywords:

• professional learning
• online communities
• existentialism
• reflective practice
• self-directed learning