This paper is a critical conceptual exploration of the contribution of the "ukama" ethic in the context of "Philosophy for Children" (The "Philosophy for Children" movement is also variously known as "philosophy in schools," "philosophy with children" and "philosophical inquiry in the…

This project examines the communal process of music learning as it occurs in a Byzantine chant learning group at a Greek Orthodox Church. The goal of this project was to investigate the act of music making, as situated in a particular sociocultural context, in order to address the question: Through what processes do individuals share music…

New common standards for mathematics were adopted by most of the states in the US by 2010. Achieving these standards, however, is a challenge, since they require significant changes in how mathematics is taught. Lesson study ("jugyou kenkyuu") is a form of professional development that has been credited for supporting profound changes in…

Leadership in learning and teaching is a strategic priority for Australian universities, in that it is critical for improving the quality of higher education. Opportunities for academic staff to prepare for such leadership, especially during the early phases of their career, are not well embedded. This article reports on the implementation of a…

In recent years a professional sector has emerged within the UK delivering angling-based intervention programmes targeted at young people "disengaged" with education. These coaches bring with them an angling cultural background, which influences their interactions with young people as "novices", emerging in "angler…

When school district leaders attend instructional sessions about professional learning, they might take away a few ideas and strategies they want to try. But when experts provide those districts with ongoing coaching, the educators are more likely to gain the ability to create strong professional learning systems that benefit all educators. That…

Last year, Annandale Terrace Elementary School (Annandale, Virginia) began exploring professional learning communities (PLC). In this article, two of Annandale's math coaches share the school's journey. On the basis of their own reflections, the coaches conclude with some recommendations for those considering embarking on a similar journey…

This paper presents a cautious argument for re-thinking both the nature and the centrality of the one-to-one teacher/student relationship in contemporary pedagogy. A case is made that learning in and for our times requires us to broaden our understanding of pedagogical relations beyond the singularity of the teacher/student binary and to promote…

As the integration of academic teaching and research with communities of practice is considered a major concern of public administration since its founding as a field, professional programmes were established on the premise that there is a positive relationship between practice and scholarship. However, the balance between them is considered…

Scholars and professional organizations have described participation in target language (TL) communities as one of the primary aims of language learning, but little work has been done to determine how students define those communities or envision their own involvement within them. This exploratory study drew on questionnaire and interview data to…

The purpose of this study was collect and analyze the perceptions of special education directors who attended a state funded Leadership Academy for new Special Education Directors in Massachusetts. The participants were member of the Accept Collaborative Leadership Academy (ACLA) cohorts 9 (2012) & 10 (2013). The two research questions for…

The final chapter of this book explores new ways in which teachers' use of technologies in schools may be considered. In particular, the reader is challenged by six propositions regarding the influence of communities of practice on in-service teachers' TPACK enactment: (1) processes of identity development and practice constitute aspects of…

Problem: Interdisciplinary teaming has been noted as a critical element of the middle school model associated with higher student achievement. Yet, research on middle school teams' use of common planning time suggests that the majority of meeting time is spent discussing student behavior/issues, discussing student learning problems/issues, and…

A statewide longitudinal survey of 923 middle school mathematics teachers in Missouri was conducted from 2009 to 2011 to examine the amount of organizational resources for professional development that teachers received and the relationship between organizational resources and teachers' participation in high-quality professional development. This…

One of the most important topics for faculty in public higher education, especially at community colleges, is how to help developmental students succeed. Students requiring basic mathematics and English courses are the most at-risk college students in public education today. The authors received a grant from the Kresge Foundation that funded the…