Section+D+Overview

=Section D – Leading in a Participatory Digital World=

// Shared leadership...is less like an orchestra, where the conductor is always in charge, and more like a jazz band, where leadership is passed around... depending on what the music demands at the moment and who feels most moved by the spirit to express the music. - Schlechy 2001 //

Technologies are changing the way people work, communicate, and learn. Increasingly prevalent are communities of practice (CoPs), professional development and research networks, blended peer collaborations, and learning communities through online courses. Despite the many labels and configurations in a participatory digital world, these new ways of connecting to advance our personal learning and collaborative work, share the common elements of mutual cooperation, emotional support, personal growth, and a synergy of efforts.

// Hargadon, educational networking :// points to the use of Web 2.0, social networking technology, and ultimately ‘educational networking’ as the start of a radical evolution in education, improving opportunities for collaborative professional development and for supporting and exploring new ideas.

// Currie, Delich, and Stacey, in cultivating communities of practice :// present a series of case studies allowing for comparison and a deeper understanding of the variables that influence community design.

// Deutsch and Smirnova, in disseminating online technologies to address contextual adaptation :// describe the experience of implementing an online workshop to illustrate how educators can engage in a process of collaborative learning and community involvement to achieve their learning goals.

// Crichton and Naseem, in blended work :// situate an exploration of multi-dimensional blended work in a unique research and development partnership spanning 4 continents and aimed at knowledge and capacity building.

// Mengalli, Valente, and Bianconcini de Almeida, in management based knowledge in education :// describe their experiences implementing an online course for educational managers to build a case for communities of practice as a means for colleagues to share, network, and collaboratively develop resources.