137

tc16 1/28/2010 11:37:05

General Session - Conference Presentation Only (no formal paper)

//Lisa Hasler-Waters, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA, hasler@hawaii.edu// //Mark Hines, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA,// //mehines@hawaii.edu// //Elizabeth Park, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA, ekpark@hawaii.edu// //Mike Travis, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA//, //mtravis@assets-school.net//
 * Building Learning Communities to Facilitate School Transformation: True Tales and Practical Guides**

Problem:

In 2008, the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools created a Schools of the Future (SOTF), a five-year, $5 million grant. The goal of this capacity building grant is to encourage and mobilize schools to transform their learning and teaching practices in support of 21st century skills. However, mobilizing such an effort across a diverse spectrum of schools was going to prove challenging. How could these organizations provide the support, training and oversight? How could the efforts of each school be combined and leveraged for everyone’s benefit? How could such a decentralized group of schools reach a common understanding for achieving 21st century transformation?

Solution:

Borrowing from E. Wegner’s (1998) work on communities of practice and leveraging Web 2.0 social networking tools, the SOTF effort began to synthesize and mobilize its ambitious efforts. It formed a three-pronged learning community where its 400+ members communicate and learn through social networking, collaborative learning opportunities, and shared conversations with 21st century experts.

Objective:

The purpose of this presentation is to explore how these members actively sustain their learning and professional development efforts as a result in participating in this unique community.

Representatives from four very different schools will discuss the impact, challenges and successes of this community and how it has influenced their own school’s transformation. They will also share practical advise for engaging in school-wide transformation.

Benefits:

Audience members will learn the elements crucial for building and sustaining a community of practice that will forge school transformation.

All Audiences web 2.0, learning communities, communities of practice, 21st century skills

This will be a panel discussion with time provided for audience participation and Q&A. Audience members will be presented with practical information for implementing an effective learning community which employs Web 2.0, collaborative experiences and open forums. Audience members will also gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities to be realized when transforming to 21st century learning and teaching practices.

All four authors/presenters are doctoral students at the University of Hawaii, Educational Technology, as well as project leaders for their respective school's 21st century transformation processes.

Additional information about authors/presenters:

• Mark Hines, Planning Member for the Schools of the Future Initiative, Technology Coordinator for Mid-Pacific Institute

• Elizabeth Park, Chaminade University of Honolulu as the consulting partner to Kalihi No Ka Oi Project (Kalihi Catholic Community of Learners: St. John the Baptist in Kalihi and St. Anthony School in Kalihi)

• Mike Travis, Project Leader, Schools of the Future Initiative and High School Mathematics/Technology Teacher for Assets School

• Lisa Hasler-Waters, Project Coordinator, Schools of the Future Initiative for the Kailua Catholic Community of Learners. Learning Coach, Hawaii Technology Academy