Bringing it to the teachers: Refining an online learning environment for teachers in isolated settings

Teachers in isolated schools are often unable to access the same opportunities for professional development as teachers in metropolitan schools. Attendance at face-to-face courses takes these teachers out of the classroom for additional days due to the extended travel required. Information and expert advice about classroom behaviour management is available on the Internet, however the time required for finding and accessing these resources is in short supply. The 'Bringing It To The Teachers' online learning environment was designed to provide specific information and professional advice, including professional development, to teachers in isolated schools and provide them with access to a supportive Community of Practice. Design-Based Research was used to build the 'Bringing It To The Teachers' network in five isolated schools in western New South Wales, Australia, for teachers of students with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and associated behaviours. The focus of this article is the evolution of the 'Bringing It To The Teachers' site through the iterative cycles of improvement that provide a footing on which the design principles for such online networks can be built in another context.