The resource  “Language track” (http://sprakloyper.uis.no) is directed towards improving the teaching of reading and writing.  While the resource is open, its design presupposes a fidelity in following the sessions and in using the resource as intended, to obtain full benefits.  The resource aims to contribute to the development of learning communities among teachers at school and kindergartens, by inspiring teachers to think and reflect upon their own work and to try out new, research-based methods that will promote children’s' reading and writing skills. A typical session has a duration of one hour, which is considered well suited for school based PD sessions. It contains elements in the form of lectures, articles and films, plans to trial in the classroom as well as questions for discussion and reflection. Discussion and reflection are key elements in the program design. Schools enrol in the program through their local municipality.

Expert teachers have dual role. On one hand, they provide professional support to colleagues in specific areas and on the other hand, they play a major role in the development of professional learning communities at their school. The integration of these two elements, expert teacher and online resource, seems to offer potential for mutual support. The resource provides a learning focus for school based professional development while the expert teacher ensures fidelity to the intentions of the resource. 

In our theoretical framework, we employ the two main notions of professional learning communities (PLC) and open educational resource (OER). We adopt the definition of Svanbjørnsdottir & Frimannsson (2015) and define professional learning communities as “a school community that includes professional development, supported and shared leadership, collective learning and applications, shared values and visions, supportive conditions and shared practice among teachers and other staff”. Irgens (2011);  Postholm, Engvik, Fjørtoft, Sandvik, Wæge, Irgens & Dahl (2013) point out the importance of leadership and conscious systematic, targeted strategies to promote learning between teachers.  Observation of teaching, reflection about their own and the teaching of others are essential elements in these strategies. Hord (1997) describes a professional learning community as a community of continuous inquiry and improvement, which requires motivation from the teacher and action to transform knowledge about change into reality.

Online professional development for teachers is an increasingly popular trend (Vu, Cao, Vu & Cepero 2014). Much research focuses on courses offering formal qualifications and on courses, which create online communities.  In this paper, we refer to an open educational resource in line with the definition of the OECD, that is "digitised materials offered freely and openly for educators, students, and self-learners to use and reuse for teaching, learning, and research.” Pianta, Mashburn, Downer,Hamre & Justice (2008) claim the need for mechanisms to deliver effective training to large numbers of teachers with a focus on their implementation of curricula and interactions with children. Their study suggests that web mediated programs are most successful when accompanied by some form of consultancy. In our study we debate the distinction between resource and tool, preferring to see “Language track” as a tool requiring orchestration rather than as an information source.

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