A Netnographic Approach to Teacher Professionalism: A Model of EFL Teachers’ Online Professional Development in Focus

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to construct a local preliminary model of online Teacher Professional Development (OTPD) by implementing a netnographic (virtual ethnographic) approach. Over a period of two years in a Telegram group in Iran, the researchers, working collaboratively with 10 Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and 6 teacher educators, assumed the role of netnographers. Data were triangulated from different sources of online ethnographic observations, semi-structured interviews, and online artifacts. The interpretive analysis of data shed light on different components and dimensions of a local netnographic model of OTPD that is informed by Iranian EFL context. This model consists of online training, EFL teachers, OTPD materials, peer support, logistics, and reflections. The accessibility, flexibility, and effectiveness of OTPD model will compensate for many problems that EFL teachers may have in traditional TPD courses. The implications of the findings are likely to be of interest to teacher educators, syllabus designers, and EFL teachers. The presented model could aid teacher educators and syllabus designers in preparing and holding mobile-enhanced online TPD materials and courses. Moreover, the model will help EFL teachers in enhancing their professional knowledge and competencies. More studies are required to fully investigate different facets of the OTPD model and add other variables to the model to examine their effects. © Urmia University Press