Professional learning communities in initial teacher education in Uruguay: social network analysis

Abstract

This research addresses a network analysis in three teacher education centers for teachers and professors in Uruguay to determine the degree to which they function in professional communities according to four aspects: innovation initiatives, information exchange, digital inclusion, and collaboration in planning. The study is based on a previous categorization regarding the level of digital inclusion for deep learning on the basis of an online survey applied to 32 principals of public teacher education centers (high, medium, and low levels). One case was identified at each level, taking into account the geographic characteristics and the type of teacher education center. In each case, information-gathering techniques were applied: in-depth interviews, surveys for the network analysis, and focus groups. Results show that in all three cases, professional learning communities lite (as defined by Dufour & Reeves, 2016). In two of the centers, those with the higher rate of digital inclusion for learning, there is a diversity in the actors who form the ties that make up the networks. Last, the innovation network is the weakest in terms of the number and variety of the ties.

Keywords

• communities of practice
• professional development
• preservice teacher education
• teacher collaboration
• network analysis