Education

Revisiting learning communities: innovations in theory and practice

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Research on learning communities has been largely influenced by the sociocultural turn in educational scholarship approximately three decades ago. Here, we present a wider history of research and practice on learning communities as we revisit this highly generative and central topic in the learning sciences. Using this to frame our perspective, we examine several central themes in learning communities by comparing and contrasting four cutting-edge conceptions and innovations. We conclude by asking and providing preliminary answers to three key questions in scholarship on learning communities: (1) Where are the learning and instructional sciences going? (2) Where is education going? (3) Where is the world going? Altogether, this paper can serve as an orientation to the topic of learning communities as research and practice moves forward.

Publication Title

Instructional Science

Publication Date

8-2018

Volume

46

Issue

4

First Page

489

Last Page

506

ISSN

0020-4277

DOI

10.1007/s11251-018-9467-z

Keywords

history, humanistic, learning communities, learning sciences, sociocultural, sociopolitical, spatial turn

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