Speakers
Abstract
This presentation reports on a cross-border professional development (PD) initiative linking English teachers from a national university in Japan and a college in the Philippines. The program aimed to enhance pedagogical exchange, foster trust, and build sustainable professional networks through structured online engagement. Research highlights that effective PD is characterized by active participation, coherence, and relevance to classroom practice (Darling-Hammond, Hyler, & Gardner, 2017). Building on these principles, participating faculty co-designed online PD sessions and preparatory activities that acknowledged contextual differences while emphasizing shared professional goals.
Before the first synchronous meeting, participants introduced themselves and their teaching contexts via a shared Padlet board, identifying interests and digital tools of relevance. This stage ensured equitable visibility and prompted immediate connection across institutional boundaries. The inaugural online session prioritized relationship-building through guided small-group discussions centered on teaching experiences and collaboration priorities. These interactions functioned as foundational “value creation” processes within an emerging community of practice—spaces in which meaning, identity, and shared capability develop through jointly constructed activity (Wenger-Trayner & Wenger-Trayner, 2020).
Data from facilitator observations and participant reflections revealed emerging themes of engagement, reciprocity, and cross-contextual learning. Insights from this initiative contribute to understanding how digitally mediated, community-driven PD can strengthen professional relationships and foster sustainable learning ecosystems between institutions in different national and cultural settings. Attendees will take away a replicable framework for designing inclusive, trust-based online PD networks.
Short summary
This presentation reports on a cross-border professional development initiative connecting English teachers from a national university in Japan and a college in the Philippines. Grounded in research on sustained, collaborative, classroom-connected professional learning (Darling-Hammond, Hyler, & Gardner, 2017), the project used structured online interaction and shared digital spaces to foster trust, identify shared interests, and support organic professional collaboration. Findings show how community-driven design strengthens professional networks and supports sustainable, context-responsive teacher development.
Keywords
professional development
communities of practice
cross-border collaboration
References
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.
Wenger-Trayner, E., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (2020). Learning to make a difference: Value creation in social learning spaces. Cambridge University Press.
| Scheduling preference | Anytime on Saturday |
|---|---|
| Title | Fostering Online Teacher PD Communities: Japan-Philippines Collaboration |