Cross-sector collaborations via Facebook: teachers’ use of social media

Abstract

This paper reports on a study that explored the user-driven inter-organisational professional learning that teachers from two education systems collectively engaged in via social media. A dedicated Facebook group was established to enable Australian early childhood teachers (sector one) and primary school teachers (sector two) to engage in collaborations that would support children’s transition to school. Using an Activity Theory framework, findings showed that the site was mainly used by early childhood teachers to seek peer support in meeting reporting requirements, and that school teachers rarely posted. As such, the capacity of the Facebook group to support inter-organisational cross-sector collaboration and learning was challenged as determined by the most active participants within the site, while reinforcing the group’s capacity to support ‘just in time’ intra-organisational professional learning. This highlights a need for further research to explore the ways and means by which social media may best facilitate cross-sector collaboration between education systems, such as a more focussed and integrated use of social media during face-to-face cross-sector professional learning.

Education Management Strategies to Maximize the Effectiveness of Information and Communication Technology Integration in Teaching and Learning Processes

“…Through this collaboration, there is an exchange of resources including funds, infrastructure and specialised expertise, enabling the acceleration of technology adoption and the creation of new innovations in education. In addition, cross-sector collaboration also promotes a learning environment that is responsive to the needs and challenges faced, both in terms of curriculum development that is relevant to the labour market and in responding to changes in the global education environment (Nicholas et al, 2024). This means that collaboration is the foundation for achieving better educational goals, which produce graduates who are skilled, adaptive and ready to compete in the digital era.…”