In this paper, I present a design case of the problem-identification process prior to the initiation of a Networked Improvement Community (NIC). A NIC is a type of research-practice partnership (RPP) that brings together researchers and practitioners to tackle complex problems of practice, and in doing so, proposes a social reorganization of the…

Inclusion rates for students with disabilities in general education settings have increased nationwide. To further extend this progress, schools, districts, and educational service agencies in rural areas have sought ways to improve their own inclusion metrics. This article describes a technical assistance arrangement that was initiated between a…

Teacher educators often encourage technology integration as a means to improve education. However, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the acceleration of more invasive technologies offering quick "fixes" in schools and society. Building on the assumption that technologies are not neutral and neither are the societies into which they are…

Purpose: This study aims to introduce the concept of communities of social media practice where more experienced users provide guidance to female novice users, enacting a form of legitimate peripheral participation to "onboard" newcomers. Design/methodology/approach: Through surveys with 968 early adolescents (average age was 13), the…

This volume demonstrates how various methodologies and tools have been used to analyze the multidimensional, dynamic, and complex nature of identities and professional development of language teachers in digital contexts that have not been adequately examined before. It therefore offers new understandings and conceptualizations of language teacher…

In order to discern how reflective practice functions in an interactive context, this chapter offers an initial approach to understanding how pre-service teachers construct and represent their teacher identities, using a series of interactions designed to stimulate joint reflection in the framework of the proPIC project. The analysis focuses on…

Unless otherwise noted, data and charts in this report are based on surveys conducted between October 12, 2021 and January 16, 2022 among a sample of 998 special education parents and 3,716 non-special needs parents. The interviews were administered online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of Parents based on gender,…

The first time the author was responsible for planning a districtwide professional development day, DuFour secured a funny speaker, provided plenty of doughnuts, and made sure everyone could return to their classrooms in the afternoon. "The day was considered a huge success," he notes. "There was absolutely no evidence that the day…

This chapter provides the structure of a Community of Learners using a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning framework.

Developmental courses help academically underprepared students to succeed in college. Classroom learning community programs aid intellectual growth through academic and social support. The current study examined whether developmental students in classroom learning communities differed with respect to college GPA and retention from their peers not…

Supporting teachers for their professional development is important. Literature circle technique has a potential to create and support professional learning communities. The purpose of this research was to examine how the literature circle can be used between teachers in order to enhance their professional development. In this qualitative study…

Retaining the quality of teachers and improving teacher education and professional development through professional learning communities (PLCs) has long been on the policy agenda of, among others, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the…

In this article, we draw upon notions of occupational professionalism and organizational professionalism to interrogate the complex, and sometimes contradictory, teacher learning practices that characterize educational policy enactment. We apply these understandings to the Growing Success assessment and evaluation policy in Ontario, Canada, and in…

Gateways-ND is a 5-year, National Science Foundation-funded effort directed toward three goals: maximizing the instructional effectiveness of postsecondary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) faculty by building expertise in learner-focused practice, positively impacting student success in STEM-based "gateway"…

Change in education is inevitable. Physical educators are being positioned to effectively manage change and control their own destiny. In order to manage and facilitate positive change, physical educators should clearly embrace and accept physical education as a public health tool, understand the educational change process in schools, and know how…