Interpretation of sound research is the basis for informed decision-making. Teachers create effective classrooms through the application of research-based theories to issues relating to curriculum, management, and teaching. Faculty members in higher education model principles that govern effective classrooms. Their models facilitate implementation of desirable practices by our graduates. Effective classrooms flourish where educators value and encourage personal and professional reflection and risk taking.
Electronic connections support communities that know no geographic boundaries.
A learning community is one in which members continually receive new information, reflect on such information, and reconstruct the knowledge that guides their decisions. It operates with an inclusive philosophy that seeks to empower an ever-widening circle of stakeholders within and outside its walls. Learning communities evolve, nurtured by educators who understand that fully functioning learning communities invigorate students' learning and teachers' development. Functioning within communities requires skill in collaboration, effective communication, and understanding of change processes. Through collaboration, teachers can free themselves from structures that hasten burnout and diminish their efficacy.