COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE IN SCHOOLS

It is universally acknowledged that teachers are
critical to the enhancement of student achievement in
schools. This book highlights the significance of
teacher leaders as key knowledge workers
demonstrating understandings of how new knowledge is
created and utilised in relation to schools as
productive professional learning communities when
teachers engage in learning processes for individual
and collective professional development. The case
studies of this book focus on the dynamics of how
teachers who are engaged in a process of successful
school improvement create new knowledge and make
significant new meaning. Of particular significance
as a result of the research is the postulation of a
new image of the professional teacher one who
recognises his/her capacity for engagement in
collective, reflective practices through the
exercise of new ways of thinking and acting in
support of student achievement. This study reveals
that collective intelligence in schools is more than
just the sum of individual processes or
capabilities, it is the capacity of collaborative
individuals to collectively grasp, synergise and
create meaning together.

Autorentext

Joan Conway PhD consultant, researcher and lecturer in theFaculty of Education,University of Southern Queensland,Toowoomba, Australia. Joan engages in school-based researchinvestigating the relationship between teacher leadership, schoolimprovement and teacher professionalism.

Klappentext

It is universally acknowledged that teachers arecritical to the enhancement of student achievement inschools. This book highlights the significance ofteacher leaders as key knowledge workersdemonstrating understandings of how new knowledge iscreated and utilised in relation to schools asproductive professional learning communities whenteachers engage in learning processes for individualand collective professional development. The casestudies of this book focus on the dynamics of howteachers who are engaged in a process of successfulschool improvement create new knowledge and makesignificant new meaning. Of particular significance as a result of the research is the postulation of a new image of the professional teacher - one who recognises his/her capacity for engagement in collective, reflective practices through the exercise of new ways of thinking and acting in support of student achievement. This study reveals that collective intelligence in schools is more than just the sum of individual processes or capabilities, it is the capacity of collaborative individuals to collectively grasp, synergise and create meaning together.