Learning Community Research Articles

Dynamics of Female Teacher Mover in the Learning Community

Dynamics of Female Teacher Mover in the Learning Community

A Critical Systematic Review of Cultural and Community Practices in Integrated Reading and Writing Courses in Two-Year Colleges

ABSTRACT This study aimed to synthesize and critically analyze 24 empirical studies that focused on Students of Color (SOC) in Integrated Reading and Writing (IRW) classrooms in U.S. community colleges. Our review, through the cultural and community practices framing, examined IRW studies and how SOC, curriculum/institutional reform, and wise pedagogical practices for culturally diverse learning communities were portrayed. Our cultural and community practices framework was informed by culturally sustaining pedagogy and community cultural wealth framework in literacy. Through narratively reviewing studies, we generated the following six themes using our framework of cultural and community practices in classroom settings: ways to culturally diversify reading and writing text, strengthening students’ identity through curriculum, fostering community in the postsecondary classroom, supporting students’ mother tongue in the classroom, the need for diverse faculty representation, and the need for asset-based narratives in developmental education. Implications for asset-focused research and practice are discussed in postsecondary literacy spaces.

Informal Language Learning in Online Interest Communities: A Review of Selected Research Methods

Online interest groups respond to different social and emotional needs of their members. Web 2.0 allows them not only to receive and consume online content but also to participate, create, and share. Thus, these groups can also function as communities where informal language learning can occur naturally or with the help of others. This process and learning experience are worth studying, given the learner’s autonomy and, at times, the collaborative nature of this process. The objective of this article is to reflect upon English language learning in online interest-driven groups, focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of selected research methods such as virtual ethnography, grounded theory, and mixed methods. These methods may be helpful for researching informal language learning in online interest communities, as they may enable an in-depth examination and a better understanding of the researched context.

Editorial: Embracing New Horizons

In September 2024, ‘ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance’ (IJIF) has been rebranded, and its publication is being continued under a new title, ‘International Journal of Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development’ (IJIFSD), following an institutional collaboration between the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) and INCEIF University. The collaboration in the publication of IJIFSD marks the interest of both institutions in driving innovative research to create more meaningful real-world impact and support sustainable economic development in societies. The collaboration brings the combined resources and expertise of the two institutions in providing a premier platform for showcasing cutting-edge research by synthesising the principles of Islamic finance and sustainable development practices. While IJIFSD will continue to be published by ISRA Research Management Centre, INCEIF University, it will now have the added leverage of IsDBI to support its sponsorship and ensure its open and free accessibility to readers. The new title incorporates the terms ‘sustainable development’ as a strategic move to align the journal with the evolving landscape of Islamic finance that promotes global sustainability goals and, thus, results in a journal that is broader in scope and coverage. Therefore, besides focusing on the areas of Islamic economics, banking and finance and its related fields—Islamic capital markets, Islamic social finance, takāful (Islamic insurance), Islamic financial law, and Sharīʿah applications in Islamic finance—attention will also be given to the discourse on sustainability and sustainable economic development. With the expanded scope, it is expected that the journal will garner increased appeal to a wider range of authors and readers. It will also be able to reach a wider range of markets that have not yet been served, as well as have greater impact through enhanced citations. The key features of the rebranded journal therefore include: Focus: emerging trends such as green finance, impact investing, financial inclusion. Platform: fostering a community of forward-thinking scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to share insights on issues of concern. Goal: providing practical solutions for sustainable economic development and showcasing Islamic finance’s role in creating shared prosperity.

The Appreciation of Tattoo Art among Malaysian

Tattoo art, once considered a taboo in many parts of Malaysia, is increasingly being recognized as a form of personal expression and artistic appreciation. This paper explores the evolving perceptions of tattoos within Malaysian society, emphasizing the factors contributing to their growing acceptance. Historically, tattoos were often linked to indigenous rituals, gang affiliations, or negative stereotypes. However, globalization, exposure to different cultures, and the rise of social media have shifted these perceptions, fostering a more nuanced appreciation of tattoo artistry. Through interviews, surveys, and analysis of tattoo-related media content, this study investigates the diverse motivations behind Malaysians’ decisions to get tattoos, including self-expression, cultural identity, and aesthetic appeal. The findings suggest that while conservative views persist, particularly among older generations and certain religious communities, a significant portion of younger Malaysians view tattoos as a legitimate art form. This demographic shift is influenced by the increasing visibility of tattoo artists, both local and international, who highlight the skill and creativity involved in tattooing. Furthermore, the study discusses the role of tattoo conventions and exhibitions in fostering a community of appreciation and learning. These events provide platforms for Malaysians to explore tattoo designs that resonate with their personal and cultural narratives, challenging traditional stigmas associated with body art. The paper concludes by suggesting that as societal norms continue to evolve, the appreciation of tattoo art in Malaysia will likely expand, reflecting broader global trends toward the normalization of body art as a personal and artistic choice.

Instructional Leadership : Principal's Challenges and Solutions in Enhancing Students' Academic Performance

This study aims to investigate the principal's challenges and potential solutions for improving students' academic performance through instructional leadership. The qualitative approach is implemented by applying fragmentary observations, documents, and individual and group interviews The informants of this research were principals and teachers from two schools and one of the Indonesian community learning center. The data analysis technique used is thematic content analysis using ATLAS.ti software. The findings indicated that the principals' responsibilities in developing instructional leadership were categorized into five primary themes: concept, planning, program and execution, supervision, evaluation, and learning implication design. Challenges identified include schools' limited budget and the lack of teachers, students, and parents' problems. Some solutions discovered encompass optimizing the schools' budget, staff, and teachers, stakeholder collaboration and bipartite cooperation, student-teach-student, role modeling, counseling guidance, inspiring talks, and smart parenting. The principals recommended designing the school instructional leadership concept, formulating the planning, coordinating the program and its implementation, organizing the supervision and evaluation, constructing the learning implications, and identifying the challenges to secure solutions.

An Intelligent Proofreading for Remote Skiing Actions Based on Variable Shape Basis

AbstractThe current proofreading algorithms for action regulation mainly recover the 3D structure and action information of non-rigid objects from image sequences by factorization. Most of algorithms assume that the camera model is an affine model. This assumption only holds if the size and depth of the object change very little relative to the distance from the object to the camera, which is in the case of fixed-shape basis. When the object is very close to the camera, this assumption causes a large reconstruction error. This paper solves this problem by the intelligent proofreading algorithms for remote skiing teaching actions based on variable shape basis. Firstly, the improved Retinex algorithm is used to enhance the multi-frame video images of skiing actions to make the action details more prominent. Then, measurement matrix is calculated after eliminating the translation vector by coordinate transformation. Under the condition of rank constraint, the measurement matrix is decomposed by singular value decomposition algorithm, and the correct shape basis structure of 3D action features can be obtained by using the variable shape basis. Finally, by randomly initializing a parameter, the optimized parameter and the least square algorithm are used to optimize the randomly initialized parameter further. The iteration until the convergence of the objective function can be used to calculate the deformation degree of the actions. The test results show that this algorithm improves the proofreading accuracy of action regulation in skiing teaching, and the proofreading results of various uploaded sliding actions are correct, which can be applied to remote skiing teaching and community learning.

The Role of Participatory Management in Improving Teacher Performance and Student Achievement

This study explores the role of participatory management in fostering collaborative school cultures and its impact on improving teacher performance and student achievement. Collaborative school cultures, characterized by shared decision-making and collective responsibility, are essential for creating environments conducive to professional growth and enhanced learning outcomes. Participatory management, which emphasizes the involvement of teachers and staff in decision-making processes, is a key mechanism for cultivating such cultures. This research examines how participatory management practices influence teacher motivation, job satisfaction, and professional development, ultimately contributing to improved performance in the classroom. Furthermore, it investigates the connection between collaborative cultures and student achievement, exploring how teacher collaboration, professional learning communities, and joint problem-solving enhance instructional quality and student outcomes. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through surveys, interviews, and classroom observations in a sample of schools implementing participatory management strategies. The findings reveal that schools with strong collaborative cultures experience higher levels of teacher engagement, professional commitment, and instructional innovation, which positively impact student academic performance. This study underscores the importance of participatory management as a strategic approach to building collaborative school cultures that support both teacher and student success. The implications of these findings suggest that educational leaders should prioritize inclusive decision-making practices and foster environments where teachers can collaborate, share expertise, and work towards common educational goals. The study concludes with recommendations for policymakers and school administrators to adopt participatory management frameworks as a means to improve overall school performance and create sustainable, high-achieving learning communities.

Professional learning communities of school leaders within inter-school networks: opportunities and conditions for sustainable professionalization

Given the challenging and complex task of school leaders to ensure quality education, peer learning is important for both professional and school development. Structural inter-school networks are relevant in the context of collective learning. Initiating quality partnerships between school leaders sustainably is challenging. Using a mixed-methods approach, we examine professional learning communities (PLCs) as a form of formal collective learning developed within existing inter-school networks during a two-year professionalization trajectory, what the experienced (learning) outcomes are, and which variables affect sustainable long-term development. Data collection was based on online surveys and in-depth interviews. Results indicate that the quality of collective learning increased significantly during the two-year trajectory. Most explanatory of the PLC’s continued sustainability as a professional network for school leaders is the PLC’s perceived approach during the PT. The perceived facilitating role of the inter-school network influences structural choices regarding future continuation and approach. It also demonstrates the need to invest in sustainable collective learning. Further longitudinal research into the sustainability of PLCs within inter-school networks and the quality of coaches is recommended.

‘It didn’t feel like something extra we had to do; it was something we all looked forward to’ - how school-based professional learning communities can reimagine teacher professional learning for inclusive practice

ABSTRACT The development of inclusive education has become a policy priority across the world, yet the reality of enactment is inconsistent. While many barriers contribute to creating inclusive classrooms, effective teacher professional learning (PL) presents a significant challenge. Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been identified as potentially transformative models of PL but despite the growing research base on PLCs, there is limited research on their role in the context of inclusive education. We address this knowledge gap and build upon previous research that demonstrated the positive impact of a PLC on sustained PL for inclusive practice. Situated in the Republic of Ireland, PLCs for inclusive practice were developed in four schools, supported by a school-university partnership, comprising one academic and four teacher leaders. Focus group interviews with the PLC participants (n = 33) and observation of practice in two schools indicated teacher change. Of note, PLCs that transform PL for inclusive practice can be internally led when teachers are empowered through a school-university partnership. This paper strengthens the research on the potential of PLCs as transformative models of PL for inclusive practice and offers a framework that includes design principles for school-university partnerships to support the PLCs for inclusion across diverse school contexts.

Developing peace leadership: lessons from the peace practice alliance

ABSTRACT In 2020, Euphrates Institute piloted the Peace Practice Alliance (PPA), a virtual six-month program that brings together an international cohort of peacebuilders to learn peace leadership theories and develop related skills and practices. The program framework is based on integral peace leadership, which focuses on four interrelated areas of Innerwork, Knowledge, Community, and Environment. As part of an emergent field, limited research has documented the application of integral peace leadership in peacebuilder training and development programs. This paper, therefore, examines the pilot PPA program to understand the ways in which an online, global peace leadership training program can support the development of community peace leaders. Findings from interviews with 14 of the program’s first cohort of 18 peace leaders revealed that the PPA supported their development through the content of the curriculum, the creation of a strong learning community, and the dual focus on theory and practice. This paper concludes with suggestions for further improvement, including additional spaces for participant interaction and experiential learning and the creation of further training and development opportunities.

Developing intercultural sensitivity in prospective teachers: the potential role of Roma culture immersion field experience

ABSTRACT Teacher preparation programmes through cultural immersion field experiences in Schools as Learning Communities have the potential to increase the intercultural sensitivity of future teachers to provide an effective response to the needs of Roma children. This research evaluated the impact of an intercultural training programme for prospective teachers that included instruction on the situation of the Roma community in the educational system and the transformative potential of the Schools as Learning Communities project, as well as a cultural immersion field experience in a school as a learning community in a vulnerable context. An experimental research design was used that involved collecting pre and post intervention data on a total sample of 321 undergraduate students who were assigned to either a control or experimental group. Results showed that the community-based immersion experience increased the intercultural sensitivity of prospective teachers. Specifically, the intervention, which took place in Spain, had an effect on the dimensions of Respect for Cultural Differences and Interaction Confidence between the control and experimental groups, with greater initial intercultural sensitivity shown by women in the dimensions Respect for Cultural Differences, Interaction Enjoyment and Interaction Engagement. The role of schools as learning communities in contextualised training through direct interaction with culturally diverse individuals is discussed.

Herramientas TIC para la comprensión oral del inglés en diferentes contextos. Fenomenología educativa y aprendizaje significativo

Auditory skills in the teaching-learning of English are a fundamental ability when it comes to learning a second language. In this context, the present exploratory research involves an analysis of several ICT tools and their suitability for teaching auditory skills. Throughout the text, a brief description of each technological tool identified is presented to assess their characteristics and uses in various academic contexts. In methodological terms, this is documentary-based qualitative research, elaborated by means of a survey of documentary sources of proven academic value, under a perspective close to educational phenomenology, interested in describing people's learning experiences without confirmatory theoretical biases. In its general conclusions, the research showed that, in the educational field, the integration of ICT not only facilitates access to authentic and updated materials but also allows for a more personalized and continuous evaluation of students' progress. This does not mean that these tools are infallible or can respond to all the needs and expectations of all learning communities, but beyond this reality, ICTs are an option in constant development.

Disconnected Connections of Learning Beyond Formal Schooling Through Human–Computer–Human Interactions

AbstractThis article originated from a working group on “Learning beyond formal schooling through human–computer–human interaction (HCHI)” convened at the UNESCO EDUSummIT 2023 in Kyoto (Japan). A polylogue approach was adopted by engaging eight co-authors whose diverse perspectives culminated in propositions that addressed the pivotal question: How should the connections between formal, non-formal, and informal learning be considered in a digitally mediated world? Formal learning is typically structured, organized and chronologically arranged institutional learning, whereas informal learning is associated with everyday learning across contexts throughout one’s life, and non-formal learning is a hybrid of these forms of learning. Considering the growing prominence of informal and non-formal learning in a digitally mediated world, the evolving learning ecosystem calls for a recalibration of the emphasis on formal learning. In this regard, HCHI has the potential to mediate human–human interactions, thereby bridging formal and informal learning. Our articulated position is to preserve the distinct boundaries and inherent complexities of each type of learning while creating opportunities or ‘bridges’ to authentically draw on the processes of each through meaningful actions. The polylogue yielded three propositions to bridge the connections between formal, non-formal and informal learning spaces in a digitally mediated world: (a) formal education institutions can establish strategic alliances and collaborations with learning organizations beyond the formal educational system, (b) the creation of digital learning communities within formal and non-formal spaces exemplify a paradigm of operation in an unregulated, student-centric cohesive space where the educator is a co-participant, (c) the recognition of the value of informal learning experiences by formal education institutions is critical, with emphasis on the learning process rather than the product.

Does participating in online communities enhance the effectiveness and experience of micro-learning? Evidence from a randomized control trial

In the age of information explosion, people are increasingly accustomed to acquiring knowledge during fragmented periods of time, which has contributed to the growing popularity of micro-learning. However, when micro-learning takes place in non-formal or informal settings, it can be easily disrupted and may lack interaction, negatively impacting the learning experience and knowledge acquisition. This study examined the effect of learning communities on knowledge acquisition and learning experience in non-formal micro-learning settings. An 8-module micro-learning course was designed, and 80 participants were divided into an experimental group with a learning community and a control group without one. All participants completed a pre-test and post-test. The results showed significant improvements in post-test scores for both groups, with no notable difference in knowledge acquisition between them. Learners who took notes and repeatedly reviewed the learning content tended to have higher post-test scores. In addition, differences between the groups in terms of mental effort and satisfaction were insignificant. By the end of the course, the control group expressed a stronger desire to join a learning community. Community learners who made significant progress reported enjoying learning within the community, while those who did not regularly check community messages and experienced a decrease in test scores reported that excessive messaging caused distress. These findings have implications for course designers and researchers aiming to enhance micro-learning through online learning communities.

Re‐imagining professional learning communities in education: Placing teacher leadership in STEM context

Re‐imagining professional learning communities in education: Placing teacher leadership in <scp>STEM</scp> context

Out of the Mouths of Yeladim: A Strengths Based Inquiry into a Supplementary Hebrew School

ABSTRACT This practitioner study was undertaken by a teacher and an education director in response to observations that changes made to the structure of a Reform Congregation’s education program resulted in substantial positive feedback from stakeholders. Through student interviews and subsequent data analysis, practitioners identified important elements for building a successful multi-age mid-week Hebrew program that is responsive to student needs, fosters content mastery, and nurtures a joyful learning community. The eclectic pedagogical approach relies on intentional planning, differentiates learning for a diverse group of students, and is grounded in the values of student autonomy, content mastery, and connection building.

Imagining a Fuller Potential for Plain Language Summaries: A Case study of Canadian Science Publishing

Researchers are increasingly encouraged to produce plain language summaries, but are they doing so, and do these summaries meet the expectations laid out in the guidelines for preparation? To learn more about the use of plain language summaries in scholarly communication in Canada, we conducted a case study of Canadian Science Publishing (CSP), which publishes 23 journals across a range of scientific domains. The case study reveals that while the number of authors who generate plain language summaries of their research has increased steadily since CSP introduced this option in 2016, the percentage is still relatively low. In addition, the plain language summaries that are produced show similar readability scores to the scientific abstracts. We conclude by offering a number of recommendations that CSP could implement to increase the adoption and improve the readability of plain language summaries.

Teacher collaborative inquiry into practice in school-based learning communities: The role of activity type

This study contributes to growing scholarly interest in teacher-led, school-based learning communities and the characteristics of teacher dialogue and social interaction that support professional learning in these settings. Based on existing conceptual distinctions proposed in the literature, we term this type of teacher dialogue “collaborative inquiry into practice” (CLIP) and propose a systematic and reliable tool to measure it. We then employ a quantitative, comparative research design to study how different teacher team activities (i.e., video-analysis, peer consultations, and pedagogical planning) shape the extent to which teachers engage in CLIP. Fifty-four transcribed teacher meeting excerpts were analyzed with the CLIP coding scheme, assessing different aspects of inquiry-based reasoning, participation, and content. Quantitative comparisons and illustrative examples show that CLIP was lowest during peer consultations, in part because teachers were often not positioned as agents of change in such conversations. Pedagogical planning activities featured more instances of inquiry into each other's ideas. Contrary to common assumptions, collaborative video analysis activities were not characterized by increased attention to student thinking or inquiry orientation. Our findings provide new insights into teacher-led, collaborative learning in on-the-job settings, as well as practical implications for the design of school-based professional learning communities.

ECHO OEM virtual community of learning for primary care.

Health issues caused and/or exacerbated by work are common in patients seeking primary health care. Yet, primary care providers generally receive little or no training in the assessment and management of occupational injuries and illnesses. To conduct a pilot project to develop, implement and evaluate a programme to teach occupational and environmental medicine to primary healthcare providers. We followed the Extensions for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) model to connect primary healthcare providers with experts in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM). We employed an observational pre-post study design to assess changes in self-efficacy, knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards OEM. From September 2021 to June 2022, we offered two cycles of 12 sessions each. Participants came from medicine, nursing, psychology, occupational and physical therapy, chiropractic, kinesiology, social work, and pharmacy. Sixty-seven participants completed both pre- and post-ECHO questionnaires. Self-efficacy and knowledge ratings significantly increased after attendance at ECHO compared to the pre-ECHO responses. Attitudes and beliefs were unchanged in most of the items assessed. Participants rated their satisfaction with ECHO between 59% and 97%. Our pilot study demonstrated the challenges in implementing the first ECHO OEM in Canada. Findings show acceptability and satisfaction, improved self-efficacy, and small increases in knowledge, but not overall attitudes and beliefs. There is a need to understand barriers to participation and to target participants with less knowledge and experience in occupational and environmental medicine.