Creating a Virtual Community of Practice

through Paths to Literacy

Charlotte Cushman, Perkins School for the Blind Cyral Miller, TSBVI

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Today’s Objectives

• To discover educational strategies, resources, and technologies by exploring the social media platforms and interactive features

• To familiarize participants with the concept of a “Community of Practice” and its value in expanding access to educational resources

• To discuss ways in which the Virtual Community of Practice supports teachers and families in literacy activities

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What is Paths to Literacy?• A community of practice that is dynamic

• A symposium or think tank that gives people access to ideas and conversations about literacy

• A home to multiple platforms, including an interactive website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter

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Content AreasThe site is divided into 12 content areas:

•General Literacy•Learning Media Assessment•Emergent Literacy•Multiple Disabilities•Braille•Struggling Readers•Print•Writing•Dual Media•English Language Learners•Auditory Strategies•Math Literacy

Most Popular Features of the Site

• Blogs

• Strategies

• Resources

• Technology

• Research

• Instructional Guidelines5

Interactive Possibilities of Site• Subscriptions• Blogs• Conversations/comments

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Value of Registering on the Site

• Email notifications of blog posts• Subscribe to learn when posts are made in

different areas• Make comments, ask questions• Submit a post and earn continuing education

credit!7

Dear Paths

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http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/dear-paths

Sample questions include:-Parent of child with CVI looking for suggestions-How can I teach my deafblind son about the passage of time?-Which video games are accessible?-I need ideas about teaching the concept of “wide”.-Where can I find out about the methodology of teaching braille?

Social Media

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What is a “Community of Practice”?

“Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.”

-- Etienne Wenger (2006), Cognitive Anthropologist http://www.ewenger.com/theory/ 10

Necessary Elements for a CoP

The Domain: Shared domain of interest

The Community: Members interact and learn together

The Practice: Practitioners who develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, and ways of addressing recurring problems— in short a shared practice 11

Cultivating Communities of Practice

• Invite different levels of participation

• Focus on value

• Combine familiarity and excitement

• Create a rhythm for the community

-- by Etienne Wenger http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2855.html  

(Harvard Business School, 2002)

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When Do CoPs Work?

Wenger (2006) states that communities of practice work well when people: Have knowledge to share Can easily share it with each other Want to share their knowledge Want to learn to improve their professional practice

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Levels of Participation

From: http://wenger-trayner.com/resources/slide-forms-of-participation/

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TVIs and CoPs

Yue-Ting (Ting) Siu, TVIDoctoral Candidate at UC Berkeley and

SF State University

Research areas: TVIs use of technology, CoPs, teacher training

yueting.siu@gmail.comwww.facebook.com/yuetingsiu

twitter: @TVI_ting 15

Classroom teachers

TVIs

*

Technology Use: 2000-2010

Students

Context of technology use

Student

Teacher

Context

Teachers and students in general education

TVIs and students with visual impairments

1. Improved infrastructure 1. Improved infrastructure

2. Increased availability of technology to students

2. Increased availability of technology to students

3. Teacher development:• Professional Learning Communities• Communities of Practice• Situated Learning Communities

3. Teacher development: • AT content knowledge • AT teacher preparation programs

What’s next?

Re-visiting with a “what works” approach Re-designing professional networks for

better accessibility Social media Virtual networks

Implementing a community of practice to support TVIs’ use of AT

Differentiating for TVIs

Student Teacher

Context

• TVIs are the gatekeeper

• Different professional learning

communities

• Content knowledge is not enough

• Need equal and supplementary

emphasis on developing professional

networks:

* RESOURCES *

Who is in our community?

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Who is in our community?

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Non-Registered Users

• 118,000+ unique visitors to the site since launch in April 2012

More than 445,000 page views during that time22

International Community

• Visitors from 181 countries

• Spanish-language posts

• Cross-cultural content

• Guest bloggers from UK, Australia, Poland, Canada

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What does the community say?

“I love being able to see and use ideas that have been posted by other people that work with visually impaired children.  

“For example: I was wanting to make some story boxes for my son.  I didn't even really know what one was.  I was able to search past 'posts' and not only find out what a story box was but I found why it is important to use them with my deafblind child, examples of already made story boxes, and tips on how to make my own.” -- Parent 24

Teacher Trainers• “I thoroughly enjoy the website- it is so down to

earth with practical ideas.”

• “I have used the website to have students create a strategy resource list to be included in their TVI internship binder.”  

• “I find that by sharing video clips and specific blog or news items from the site, I can familiarize these future teachers with this very valuable resource." 25

TVIs• “Helps me motivate the parents when they see this is

NOT just something to amuse them or their child that others are doing it across the nation. I've forwarded many an email that is sent to me. I LOVE, LOVE them!”

• “There have been many posts that have sparked an idea for the students in my classroom, and to help me think outside my little bubble.  There are also many things that I have seen, and have filed away in a ‘to do’ pile of sorts!”

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Speech Therapists and Other Clinicians

“I have shared the website with graduate students in the field of Special Education, and I have sent links to the website to former colleagues including TVI, SLP, OT and PT, [special educators].

Paths to Literacy is a truly practical, informative, easy-to-navigate website that is a great support for all of us working with individuals with challenging needs.”

-- Speech-Language Pathologist27

Finding the Community

We need to go to where the discussions are happening:

• Facebook• Twitter• Pinterest• Comments on posts on website• Dear Paths

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Something for everyone!• Student-Made IEP Book • Making Toast: Conversation Boxes• O & M Literacy: “Routes “Journals• Test Down and Teach Up: Task Analysis of a Duck• Flying Fingers: Fluency Instruction for Beginning Braille Readers• Using the iPad to Develop Literacy and Social Skills• Toy Bars and Literacy• Using the Preferred Learning Medium to Design a

Communication System • Follow-up Q & A from above• Word Processing on the iPad Using VoiceOver• Montessori Activities to Promote Pre-Literacy Skills for Tactual

Learners29

What would you like to see from the community?

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