Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning Communities

Autor/in	Servage, Laura
Titel	Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning Communities
Quelle	In: Teacher Education Quarterly, 35 (2008) 1, S.63-77 (15 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0737-5328
Schlagwörter	Learning Theories; Critical Theory; Interpersonal Communication; Transformative Learning; Professional Development; Learning Strategies; Community; Educational Environment; Teacher Collaboration; Educational Improvement; Foreign Countries; Models; Teacher Improvement; Canada + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Learning theory; Lerntheorie; Kritische Theorie; Interpersonale Kommunikation; Pädagogische Transformation; Learning methode; Learning techniques; Lernmethode; Lernstrategie; Lernumgebung; Pädagogische Umwelt; Schulumwelt; Lehrerkooperation; Teaching improvement; Unterrichtsentwicklung; Ausland; Analogiemodell; Kanada
Abstract	Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been held up as powerful structures for teachers' continuing professional development. In this work, the author has applied transformative learning theory to highlight the psychic risks of collaborative teacher learning, as well as the need for practical efforts to improve student learning--the means of education--to be complemented by critical pedagogy that permits teachers to actively consider the ends of their work as well. The author believes that administrators, teacher leaders and professional development specialists can enhance the sustainability and long-term effectiveness of a professional learning community by providing opportunities within its structure to for teachers to hold open-ended conversations oriented to communicative learning. She suggests that teachers should deliberately direct such conversations to foundational--rather than immediate--educational issues. The goal of such conversations is not to "find answers" or apply solutions in a technical manner, but to find questions--the sort of questions that, over time, may nudge the professional learning community closer to its potential role as a sight of transformative learning for participants. Furthermore, the author hopes that this work will encourage professional learning community participants to look beyond the rhetoric of transformation that characterizes much of PLC "how to" literature, and very intentionally apply a transformative pedagogy to their collaborative learning efforts. (ERIC).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10