Collaborative Learning Community

Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) * It is a philosophy as well as a place; it is a way of being as well as a working model. It is a mindset as well as a map.
Foundation: Collaboration - working together for common goals, partnership, shared leadership, co-evolving and co-learning - rather than competition and power given to only a few.
Focus: Learning - learning where students are actively demonstrating their understanding, rather than students passing written tests as the sole sign of knowing. Learning, based on conceptual understanding and the ability to apply this knowledge in a variety of contexts, is a primary goal within a collaborative learning community. * It is a new way of thinking for most educators (and the public) to know that all students can and will learn, that learning needs to be demonstrated, that it is important to learn not only facts, but also conceptual relationships of ideas and the processes and positive attitudes of learning.

(Outcome of CLC) Putting the focus on student learning, rather than teacher telling or "covering the content", means: * students take responsibility for their own learning * learning experiences are geared to students' interests and needs * students are actively engaged in learning in a variety of groups and contexts * learning is understood, applied and internalized.

Happens at: Community - a creation of unity through appreciating and celebrating diversity.

* In addition, the school reflects the population and background of the larger community; therefore, collaborative learning communities help students learn the attitudes, knowledge and skills that benefit all in the community and community members become partners in facilitating and expanding the learning process.

Characteristics of Community

* * Sense of Shared Purpose * Respect for Differences * Agreement on Core Values * Acceptance * Participation * Trust * Communication * Collaboration * Commitment

* Reciprocity * Conscious Choice * Accountability * Shared Responsibility * Efficacy * Equity * Perceived Skill * Openness * Cohesion

Dynamics needed to become a continually growing and renewing system * interdependence of members * nourishing relationships * structure and pattern * sustainability through feedback loops and recycling of materials * energy flow and cycles * partnership, co-evolution and co-learning * diversity through a variety of relationships and/or approaches * flexibility and permeable boundaries, as well as * networks that are self-organizing, self-renewing.

In order to create a collaborative learning community, one needs to think and operate systemically.

Basis of Systematic Thinking

* whole rather than parts * relationships rather than individuals, or separated objects * process rather than structure * networks rather than hierarchy * quality rather than quantity * sufficiency rather than scarcity * sustainability rather than exploitation * dynamic balance rather than constant growth * interdependence rather than independence * cooperation rather than competition * approximation rather than absolute truth * conservation rather than expansion, and * partnership rather than domination.

When one thinks systemically than one recognizes that you cannot change one thing in a system without it affecting everything else. One cannot change curriculum from fact-based to conceptual-based without changing teaching and learning strategies and assessment procedures; one cannot change decision-making from district/regional-based to site-based without changing roles and relationships throughout the system.

(Boyd & Cooper)
http://www.vision.net.au/~globallearning/pages/lfs/clc_artcle.html