Incorporating collaborative, interactive experiences into a technology-facilitated professional learning network for pre-service science teachers

Copyright © 2014 IADIS Press All rights reserved. This paper describes the utilisation of a technology-facilitated professional learning network (PLN) for pre-service teachers, centred on chemical demonstrations. The network provided direct experiences designed to extend their pedagogical content knowledge on demonstrations in Chemistry teaching. It provided scaffolded opportunities to collaborate as they 'negotiated their identity' as chemistry educators. Using technology to facilitate conversations around the use of chemical demonstrations was seen as advantageous as it provided an explorative workspace to discuss and refine pedagogical approaches. Importantly, it was anticipated that through these personal experiences the pre-service teachers would better understand ways to utilise technology within a PLN. The design of the PLN, and two examples of discussions designed to phenomenologically explore the teaching and learning associated with chemical demonstrations, ably facilitated by technology, are described here.