Professional Development for Cooperative Learning: Issues and Approaches

This book has two main purposes: first, to enable educators to make informed decisions and choices about selecting, implementing, and evaluating cooperative learning models with respect for the differences and diversity of goals among professionals in school communities, and second, to consider the goals of teachers' professional development in the context of organizational reforms that foster systemic school change, such as the development of learning communities. The authors encourage professional development that goes beyond inservice workshops to include multi-year development and support for teachers. They advocate that schools be administered under collaborative principles so teachers can "live the experience" that they are trying to create in their own classrooms. Professional Development for Cooperative Learning describes what works for professional development in cooperative learning and how difficult it is to bring about lasting change in school settings. Brody and Davidson focus the dialogue on the nature of professional development linked to systemic changes and the successes, failures, and challenges encountered in the process.

Booknews

Contains 16 contributions exploring models and perspectives in cooperative learning. Topics include creating sustained professional growth through collaborative reflection, the role of staff developers in promoting effective teacher decision-making, a social constructivist approach with ideas from a child development project, a case study from one school district on developing a collaborative environment through job-embedded staff development, and cooperative learning communities. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.