TITOLO

Community of Learners
appeared on TD n°4 - Autumn 1995

Author

M. Beatrice Ligorio - Visiting scholar in the University of Berkeley (San Francisco-USA)

Open questions

The Community of Learning project concernes only sperimental courses, or it prevides the riorganization of the scolastic frame, in which it is considered ? Where are the loan and the authorization of the sperimental courses from ?

Questions to the author

Referring to Trentin's article in "TD" review, "La Telematica nella Didattica : come e quando" (TD, 2, pp. 4-17), we would like to study in further depth the change of role of teachers into learning circles. Particularly, we would like you to clear what the valence change about teacher's job means (the shift from "undoubted leader" to "partner at the same level"). We have already begun a little research about it, but at the moment we have only found information or reports of single experiences, while we are looking for more general explanations defining this kind of process.(Answer)

Key words

  • Community of learners
  • Laern to learn
  • Reciprocal Teaching
  • Multidiretional flow of the information

    Quoted authors

    Brown, Campione, Dewey, Vygotskij.

    ABSTRACT

    The Community of Learner is a way for organizing the classes to achieve interactive and collaborative learning. The goal is to develop the interchangeability of the roles and “learn to learn” skills, keeping the balance among specific competences.
    Meaning activities of the Community are:
  • Jigsaw method (it organizes the research cycle through phases)
  • The Reciprocal Teaching (procedural instructions which make easy group works)
  • Activities by computer (Browser, Quickmail, CSILE)
  • Organization of the classroom (division into groups)
    Very important is the dialogic nature of the Community; it achieves a continuos exchange between pairs about skills and it also allows explanations and widenings with experts or with research groups.