Synopses & Reviews
Most would agree that a learning community of practice cultivates social and intellectual development in educational settings but what are the other benefits and what does a learning community actually look like in practice? This book explores such questions as: "Are learning communities essential in education?" "How are they designed and developed?" "What difference do they make in learning?" The book contains contributions of educators who share their research and practice in designing and implementing learning communities in school, university, and professional network settings. It presents their experiences, and the "how to" of these educators who are passionate about building and sustaining learning communities to make a real difference for students, teachers, faculty, and communities. Combining scholarly and practitioner research, the book offers practical information to teachers, school and university administrators, teacher educators, and community educators.
Synopsis
This book explores such questions as: "Are learning communities essential in education?" "How are they designed and developed?" "What difference do they make in learning?" The book contains contributions from educators who share their research and practice.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
An Invitation to Learning Communities In Practice
Anastasia P. Samaras, Anne R. Freese, Clare Kosnik, and Clive Beck
PART I Learning Communities in School Settings
Introduction
Anne R. Freese
1 The Project for Enhancing Effective Learning (PEEL): 22 years of praxis
Ian and Judie Mitchell
2 DICEP: Promoting Collaborative Inquiry in Diverse Educational Settings
Barbara Bell-Angus, Greta Davis, Zoe Donoahue, Maria Kowal, and Monica McGlynn-Stewart
3 Preservice Teachers and Sixth Graders Explore Social Justice as Community of Inquiry
Monica Taylor and Gennifer Otinsky
4 Lights, Camera, Action! Using Slowmation as a Common Teaching Approach to
Promote a School Learning Community
Garry F. Hoban
5 Growing Our Own: A Learning Community Partnership between a University and a Public Middle School
Cristy L. Kessler and Caroline S. Wong
6 A Whole-School Approach to Urban Educational Renewal: Community, Collaboration, and Leadership
Clive Beck, Clare Kosnik, and Yiola Cleovoulou
PART II Learning Communities in University Settings
Introduction
Anastasia P. Samaras
7 Fellow Travelers: New Teachers and Their Graduate School Faculty Take a Journey to the Land of Peer Discussion Groups
Barbara Stern
8 Establishing a Learning Community as a Site to Explore Our Multicultural Selves
Anne R. Freese and Amber P. Strong
9 Dissertation Support Groups: Building a Community of Practice Using Noddings' Ethic of Care
Emily J. Klein, Megan Riordan, Amanda Schwartz, and Stacey Sotirhos
10 Collective Creativity: A Learning Community of Self-Study Scholars
Anastasia P. Samaras, Mary Adams-Legge, Deanna Breslin, Kavita Mittapalli, Jennifer Magaha O'Looney, and Dawn Renee Wilcox
PART III Learning Communities in Professional Networks
Introduction
Clare Kosnik and Clive Beck
11 A Learning Community for Teacher Induction
Ellen Moir and Susan Hanson
12 Creating an International Learning Community for Teacher Education Scholars
Melissa L. Heston, Deborah L. Tidwell, and Linda M. Fitzgerald
13 Role of Teacher Research Communities and Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Context of Curriculum Reform in China
Gaalen Erickson, Chanyung Kang, Ian Mitchell, and Janette Ryan
14 Creating Stages for Development: A Learning Community with Many Tasks and No Goal
Lois Holzman
15 Supervisors of Teacher Interns: Building a Learning Community through Inquiry- Based Practices
Patricia S. Tate, Marian H. Jarrett, Ann C. Lawlor, Lois M. Page, and Anita S. Ramsey
16 Funny, This Does Not Look Like a Community: Working Collaboratively Across Borders and Institutions
Clare Kosnik
About the Authors
Subject Index
Name Index