Networking for online teacher collaboration

Abstract

Teacher collaboration through networking needs to be promoted due to its positive effects on the world of teaching. Teaching collaboration in virtual environments affects the professional learning of teachers in their initial and in-service training, being potentially beneficial for instructional processes. The purpose of this paper is to know ways to promote teacher collaboration through the establishment of professional networks within and between schools, involving both teachers and students themselves at all educational stages. The method used in this paper is the Systematic Review, according to the PRISMA guidelines. The research was made in Scopus and WOS databases. The systematic review gave as a result of 16 articles on how teachers professionalize their positions through the establishment of intra- and inter-institutional collaboration networks. It has been observed that Web 2.0 and ICT offer new paths to achieve effective teacher collaboration relationships. It also sets out the main challenges to be faced by teachers and institutions themselves to effectively strengthen networks for school improvement. As a conclusion, the establishment of a collaborative networking culture requires the setting-up of virtual environments.