A Coterminous Collaborative Learning Model: Interconnectivity of Leadership and Learning

Ilana Margolin

doi:10.26522/brocked.v21i2.278

Ilana Margolin

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https://doi.org/10.26522/brocked.v21i2.278

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Journal: Brock Education Journal	Publication Date: May 2, 2012
Citations: 3	License type: cc-by

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This qualitative ethnographic study examines a collaborative leadership model focused on learning and socially just practices within a change context of a wide educational partnership. The study analyzes a range of perspectives of novice teachers, mentor teachers, teacher educators and district superintendents on leadership and learning. The findings reveal the emergence of a coalition of leaders crossing borders at all levels of the educational system: local school level, district level and teacher education level who were involved in coterminous collaborative learning. Four categories of learning were identified as critical to leading a change in the educational system: learning in professional communities, learning from practice, learning through theory and research and learning from and with leaders. The implications of the study for policy makers as well as for practitioners are to adopt a holistic approach to the educational environment and plan a collaborative learning continuum from initial pre-service programs through professional development learning at all levels.

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In contrast to these systemic traditional structures and mechanisms that reinforce the status quo and educate for obedience and conformity, there are educators and researchers who encourage and demand profound shifts in understanding, thinking, talking, and practicing education and, in some cases, even implement them (Mitchell, Sackney, 2009)
The objective of this paper is to examine a collaborative leadership model, focused on learning and socially just practices within a change context of a wide educational partnership
Socio-cultural theory and the notion that learning and leadership occur in a community (Wenger, 1998) form the foundations and shape the perspective of our study; we applied distributed perspective as a lens for considering the coordination and interdependence of leaders' learning and actions (Spillane et al, 2001).The quality of learning, which should be the center of schooling, has been sharply criticized by researchers (Cho et al, 2009; Howard, Taber, 2010; Mitchell, Sackney, 2009) as well as by practitioners at every stage of the educational system, starting with pupils' learning and continuing through to the learning and teaching of teachers, teacher educators and administrators

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In contrast to these systemic traditional structures and mechanisms that reinforce the status quo and educate for obedience and conformity, there are educators and researchers who encourage and demand profound shifts in understanding, thinking, talking, and practicing education and, in some cases, even implement them (Mitchell, Sackney, 2009). A model that might further the goal of change is one of collaborative inquiry, focused on change and socially just practices. Such a model promises to build rich, exciting learning environments and develop passionate, engaged learners at. The objective of this paper is to examine a collaborative leadership model, focused on learning and socially just practices within a change context of a wide educational partnership. Our research question is how can an educational system develop and sustain intra- and inter-organizational leadership that promotes multi-level learning in a variety of change contexts?

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