Computer mediated communities of practice: the state of teacher collaboration in one rural Alaskan school district

Abstract

"The Yukon-Koyukuk School District spans an area the size of Washington State, while serving just over 300 students. Administratively based in Fairbanks, Alaska, the district is comprised of nine rural schools along the Yukon, Koyukuk, and Tanana Rivers which are geographically isolated, and in some cases only accessible by plane or boat. This mixed-methods inquiry, which contains both survey and focus group components, investigates the current use of internet- and technology-based methods and practices for collaborative use by district teachers. Concepts about teacher isolation, and communities of practice provide the framework for this situated study. Both the self-reported skill-set elucidated by the survey and the actual picture of the technological situation at the various sites gathered from the focus group participants suggest that teachers would value an increase in collaboration, but need more training before that can effectively take place. The data help to inform a list of six specific recommendations to the district to address these needs"--Leaf iii