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Southwest Minnesota State University Teacher Education
Conceptual Framework
Communities
of Practice Investigating Learning and Teaching
Marshall, Minnesota
56258
The Vision:
The SMSU Professional Education Unit is a community of
learners dedicated to the continuous development of quality practice, personal
and professional growth, and leadership.
The Mission:
The mission of Professional Education at
SMSU is to create communities of practice where each learner is an active
participant in the development of learning, teaching, and leadership processes
by engagement in inquiry, critical reflection, and study of educational theory,
research, and practice in pursuit of excellence.
The Conceptual Framework Described
(9-6-02; Updated 8-11-03)
The
Professional Education Unit at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) is
the undergraduate and graduate faculty in the Education Department and the Dean
of Business, Education, Professional and Graduate Studies, responsible for
teacher licensure programs. Undergraduate
and graduate teacher (licensure) candidates demonstrate the Minnesota Standards
of Effective Practice and the standards of the SMSU framework Communities of Practice Investigating
Learning and Teaching. The
nonlicensure graduate teacher candidates demonstrate the National Board of
Professional Teaching Standards and the standards of the SMSU conceptual
framework Communities of Practice Investigating Learning and Teaching. The framework illustrates
a relationship between learning and teaching in the context of participation in
communities and the world.
Communities
of Practice
Communities
are social units where people live and work together in a variety of ways and
in a variety of places. In communities people participate in communication,
negotiation, ownership, values definition, and socio-cultural
interactions. Communities of practice
are developed to provide opportunities for educators to experience authentic,
caring relationships. Participation in purposeful, inquiring, inclusive
communities is critical for effective learning. (Banks, J.A. and McGee Banks, C.A., 2003; Boyer, 1995;
DuFour & Eaker, 1998; Jalongo, Jalongo, & Elam, 1991; Peck, 1987;
Palloff, R.M. & Pratt, K. 1999; Senge, Kleiner, Cambron-McCabe, Smith,
Lucas, & Dutton, 2000; Sergiovanni, 1994; Shapiro & Levine, 1999; Wald
& Castleberry, 2000; Wenger, 1998).
Community
members are constantly involved with collaborative projects. Over time the collaborative learning results
in practices that reflect these efforts and social relationships. Practice is a process of experiencing the
world and negotiating or constructing meaning out of participation. Wenger
(1998, p.5) defines “practice” as a “way of talking about the shared historical
and social resources, frameworks, and perspectives that sustain mutual
engagement in action.” Learners and
teachers reflect upon their practices, make decisions as they implement
instruction, and interact with peers.
Professionals prepare in their field through reflection, both “in” and
“on” practice (Schon, 1990). As a
result they form understandings of instruction by generating theories about
their practice; also described as “growth through practice” (Dantonio, 2001;
Lieberman & Miller, 1999). Members
of Communities of Practice struggle with a full range of experiences, such as
successes and failures, chaos and order, harmony and conflict (Senge, et al.,
2000; Wheatley, 2001). Engagement is a
process driven by values, doing and learning.
It informs community members about their developing talents that are
productive in learning to teach.
Practice and community come together when people are engaged in actions
and relationships that give meaning to all types of experiences.
Investigating
Learning and Teaching
Learning
and teaching are linked. While learning takes place without teaching,
effective teaching results in intended learning. Interaction depends upon providing resources and opportunities to
create a context for meaningful participation and practice with a focus on
learning.
Constructivism,
a theory about knowledge and learning, emerges as a foundation for
understanding the teaching and learning process (Brooks & Brooks, 1993;
Dewey, 1997, 1938; Girod, 2002; von Glasserfield, 1996). Investigating is the study of conditions
necessary for learning and teaching (Dewey, 1997, 1916). Teachers provide learning environments where
learners search for meaning, appreciate uncertainty, and inquire
responsibly. Mutually learners and
teachers support socio-cultural interactions, cooperative learning, and
interdisciplinary curricula.
Communities of
Practice are formed to engage learners as co-owners of investigation into
learning and teaching. Community members practice reflection,
self-study, assessment, collaboration, and action research. From investigation into relationships
between learning and teaching, students and instructors develop a perspective
that meaning and relevance are important factors in the education process. Candidates, as well as faculty, create
opportunities to understand relationships between learning and teaching.
The
Seven Core Values
To
accomplish the mission of the Southwest Minnesota State University Teacher
Education Program, Communities of
Practice Investigating Learning and Teaching include the core values of (1)
inquiry, (2) human diversity, (3) socio-cultural interactions, (4) learning
environments, (5) belief, value, and knowledge structures, (6) democracy, and
(7) leadership. Inquiry involves the
use of research and reflective processes for learning. Affirming human diversity helps to support
inclusive Communities of Practice.
Socio-cultural interaction requires understanding and applying cultural
and social learning theories in context.
Belief, value, and knowledge structures mean that learners organize
their beliefs, values, and knowledge and construct meaning to guide
practice. Positive learning environments nurture and enhance learning. The word “environments” is plural to suggest
that learning occurs in any environment, not only in schools. Democracy
practices the principles of equitable and respectful treatment and encourages
caring citizenship. Leadership is
participatory learning opportunities and processes; responsibilities are shared
by community members. A leader is
anyone who facilitates them.
The
Model
The conceptual
framework is illustrated by a modified Yin Yang model. This model illustrates
balance among forces that reflect natural parts of the dynamic learning process
in Communities of Practice Investigating
Learning and Teaching. In the
colored model, tan suggests the diversity of communities. The green reflects growth through
practice. The light blue represents the
continual movement of the professional education process.
Concluding
Statement
Learning
to teach is about making connections between how perceptions and behaviors in
instructional performance affect students, the curriculum, and the learning
environment. It is with a holistic
understanding that educators take responsibility (action) to deepen awareness
of the importance of investigations into learning and teaching through Communities of Practice.
References: Communities of Practice
Investigating Learning and Teaching
Banks,
J.A. and McGee Banks, C.A. (2003). Multicultural education: ISMSUes and
perspectives(4th ed.).
NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Boyer, E. L. (1995). The basic school: A community for learning. Princeton, NJ :
Carnegie Foundation for
the
Advancement of Teaching.
Brooks,
J. G., & Brooks, M.G. (1993). In
search of understanding: The case for constructivist classrooms.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
Dantonio, M. (2001). Collegial coaching: Inquiry into the teaching self (2nd ed.).
Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta
Kappa.
Dewey, J. (1997). Democracy and education: An
introduction to the philosophy of education. Riverside,
NJ:
Simon & Schustser. (Original work
published 1916)
Dewey, J. (1997). Experience and education.
Riverside, NJ: Simon & Schuster. (Original work published 1938).
DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional learning communities at work:
Best practices for
enhancing student achievement. Bloomington, IN:
National Education Service.
Girod, G. R. (2002). Connecting teaching and learning: A handbook
for teacher educators on teacher
work sample
methodology. Washington,
DC: AACTE.
Jalongo, M. R., Jalongo, M., & Elam, S. M.
(1991). Creating learning communities:
The role of the
teacher in the 21st century. Bloomington, IN: National Educational
Service.
Lieberman, A., & Miller, L. (1999). Teachers--transforming their world and their
work. Alexandria, VA:
Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Palloff, R.M. & Pratt, K. (1999). Building learning communities in cyberspace:
Effective strategies for the online
classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Peck, M. S. (1987). The different drum: Community-making and peace. New York: A
Touchstone Book.
Schon, D. A. ( 1990). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Senge, P. M., Kleiner, A., Cambron-McCabe, N.
H., Smith, B., Lucas, T., & Dutton, J. (2000). Schools that
learn: A fifth discipline fieldbook for educators,
parents, and everyone who cares about education. New
York:
Doubleday.
Sergiovanni, T. J., (1994).
Building community in schools. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Shapiro, N. S., & Levine, J. H. (1999). Creating learning communities: A practical
guide to winning
support, organizing for change, and implementing
programs.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Von Glasserfield, E. (1996). Introduction: Aspects of constructivism
curriculum theory, perspectives, and
practice. Columbia: Teachers College Press.
Wald, P. J., & Castleberry, M. S. (Eds.).
(2000). Educators as learners: Creating a
professional learning
community in your school. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice:
Learning, meaning, and identity. New York: Cambridge University
Press.
Wheatley, M. (2001). Leadership and the new science: Discovering order in a chaotic world
revised Williston,
VT:
Berrett-Koehler.
2-20-02;
Updated 6-5-03
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