Professional Networks of Rural Science Teachers in The United States: The Role of Technology-Mediated Lesson Study (TMLS)
Rural teachers often work in isolated settings, limiting collaboration and professional growth opportunities. This study examines the professional networks of rural science teachers in a western U.S. state, focusing on collaboration, advice-seeking, and friendship ties while exploring a professional development process known as Technology-Mediated Lesson Study (TMLS) as a driver of network formation. Using exponential random graph models (ERGMs) and separable temporal ERGMs (STERGMs), we analyzed network formation and evolution among 330 rural secondary science teachers (13 TMLS participants) at T1 (2023) and 195 rural secondary science teachers (20 TMLS participants) at T2 (2024). ERGMs revealed that network ties in collaboration, advice-seeking, and friendship were influenced by factors such as reciprocity, transitivity, and grade-level specialization. For example, rural science teachers were more likely to establish ties with colleagues teaching the same subject. We also found that propinquity—indicated by employment within the same school district—was a strong predictor of all three types of network ties. However, TMLS participants were able to broaden their professional connections beyond their districts, thus enhancing their networks for collaboration, advice seeking, and friendship. This indicates that their participation in professional development, such as TMLS, enabled them to become knowledge sources beyond direct involvement in TMLS. STERGMs showed that rural science teachers’ networks evolved through reciprocity and transitivity, with established ties facilitating new connections. Participation in TMLS significantly contributed to expanding these networks for rural science teachers. This study provides valuable insights into the influence of technology-enhanced professional development on the professional networks of rural teachers.