Finding Your Algorhythm: How Music Educators Can Hack Online Spaces, Communities, and Networks for Professional Development
About
This toolkit for music educators serves as a foundation in reimagining traditional professional development practices through cultivating online communities to better our practice and the field of music education. Rather than breaking in, this type of hacking requires you to break out of established, restrictive, or inefficient approaches to professional development. It is a method that seeks to move beyond standardization to find more relevant and inspiring ways to teach and learn. One where music educators themselves are in control of creating collective knowledge in the profession, forging a new path forward.
Rationale
The following literature review and presentation of the online toolkit “Finding Your Algoryhthm” are a part of Western University’s Masters of Music Education Major Research Project. The purpose of sharing the findings in a toolkit on a publicly available website is to contribute to the growing body of literature that discusses the advancement of professional development into online spaces for music educators. It aims to assist teachers in discovering new avenues for PD with peer-reviewed literature to support their lifelong growth as music educators.
Table of Contents
How is the current model of professional development falling short for music educators, and what barriers are preventing pedagogical growth for music educators?
An overview of two social learning models, how these dynamics translate to online spaces, and how educators can create environments that combat teacher burnout
The internet can be full of ethical, moral, and legal dilemmas. Consider how your digital community reflects your values and professional identity
A list of the literature cited in this toolkit, as well as further relevant literature to support the use of social media as a landscape for teacher professional development
Reflect on what elements are important to you, begin to hack your algorithm, and discover educators who use social media to give back to the field
A comprehensive synthesis of the literature from this project. Themes and specific examples from current studies are analyzed, along with their relevance for teachers seeking online PD opportunities.