The aim of this research is providing a chance to reconsideration about educational authenticity for innovative school by deepening the research of learning community. learning community is considered a educational model of innovative school. They exp...
The aim of this research is providing a chance to reconsideration about educational authenticity for innovative school by deepening the research of learning community. learning community is considered a educational model of innovative school. They expect that it will regain educative power of schooling by breaking the bureaucratic formality of school education. but it is just concluded as a learning method in reality. It is caused by overlooking the correct character of educational formality and informality.
So this research tried to find the coincidences and gaps through the comparative study of the learning community with situated learning theory which has minutely explained informal education and has promoted in-depth understanding about learning as a experience and action in structured situation.
In order to do so, this research conducts following matters. The first subject of study is investigating learning community as the main issue of innovative school and researching theoretical background of learning community. The second one is researching learning with in situated learning theory and checking the role of the communities of practice in learning. The third one is finding the coincidences and gaps by comparing learning community with situated learning theory. The fourth one is finding the thought-provoking for reformation of innovative school by re-researching learning community.
This research found the coincidences between learning community and situated learning theory. First, learning community and situated learning theory are equally pointing the necessity of changement in educative culture to bring about an improved discrimination of learning. Learning community claims not only convert a teaching and learning strategy but also whole changement of school-culture, such as changing in role of student and teacher, main task of teacher and concern of teacher, and so on. Also, situated learning theory has explained the interrelatedness between culture of the communities of practice and member's learning. In this aspect, both sides don't treat learning as a matter of information delivery but consider as a matter of culture.
Second, learning community and situated learning theory equally postulate that the basis of learning and practice put in community. Learning community urges the student, teacher, educational administrator, parents of student and local resident to join and to focus on student's learning. Also, situated earning theory explains the communities of practice which is encourage learning and action by providing structured situation. In this aspect, both sides don't treat learning as a limited actions of teacher and student but count deeply learning as a being caused by function and support of community.
On the other hand, This research found the gaps between learning community and situated learning theory. First, community of learning takes functional rationality yet situated learning takes practical rationality. Learning community is based on the knowledge internalization. So they try to accomplish it by cooperative learning method and community composition. On the contrary, situated learning theory presumes that learning is embedded structured situation provided from the communities of practice. So they claim that knowledge internalization of being off the point with practice is meaningless. Situated learning is base on practical rationality which considers identity, practice knowledge, daily life itself in the communities of practice as a genuine knowledge.
Second gap is that learning community composes the dualistic nature through dividing the role in school organization such as the feature of interaction between teacher and student but situated learning theory extends the range of member's role in community through the collaboration based teaching and learning in community. Learning community usually has limitations being caused by time, place and general form of class. Because learning community is the movement in formal Schooling. These limitations are highly likelihood of separation in conduct of student and teacher. And they may bring the bureaucratic formality to education. On the other hand, informality learning of the communities of practice can pliably alternate the role of learner and teacher through the dispersion of authority. In addition, it takes not only practice embedded in main task of community but also daily life in community as factor of learning. With this, situated learning theory extends the range of member's role in community.
Eventually research draws conclusions like this. Analysed by situated learning theory, the learning community is in tune at treating the matter of learning by educational culture and community. But it dosen't fully understand the formal structure embedded in formal Schooling. For example, it develops its research in a base of functional rationality and it composes the dualistic nature through dividing the role in school organization such as the feature of interaction between teacher and student. This research expects to give innovative school the deepen insight in cooperation, learning and community. and with this view point, this research expects that they get a chance to contemplate about the learning which they can give through learning community and innovative school. In this foundation, this research expects innovative school to sublate the bureaucratic formality caused by spasticity of school organism and to enhance the flexibility in school culture and educational activities and to research the way of vitalizing of authentic educational-organism by cooperating among teachers and learners through breaking up authority.
Key word : The Innovative school, learning community, the situated learning theory, the communities of practice, social constructionism education theory