Investigating pre-service teachers' informally-developed online professional learning networks

Abstract

This study investigates how final year pre-service teachers (PSTs) from several countries use social media to support their online professional learning network (PLN) activities. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, it uses a global survey and interview methods to generate fresh insights into PSTs' informally-developed online PLN practices and their perceived benefits of these self-initiated activities. Findings uncover new understandings of contemporary PSTs' patterns of use and configurations of their online PLNs and have implications for their effective transitioning into the teaching profession. Articles published in the australasian journal of educational technology (ajet) are available under creative commons attribution non-commercial no derivatives licence.