The power of teacher collaboration in Communities of Learning in New Zealand

Abstract

International Conference: Key note Title: The power of teacher collaboration in Communities of Learning in New Zealand

In the last two years New Zealand has embarked on developing a policy framework to encourage state funded schools in the same geographic area to collaborate for enhancement. A Community of Learning or Kāhui Ako is a group of education and training providers that form around children and young people's learning pathways, and work together to help them achieve their full potential. This paper will examine the policy framework for this initiative and describe some of the key outcomes in terms of how teachers are collaborating to develop leadership and networks for ongoing change and improvement. The University of Auckland has been a provider of academic and practitioner ‘experts’ who have worked in the field with teachers and leaders who are implementing these new and innovative collaborative professional learning communities across schools. The successes and challenges of this intervention to date will be shared in the presentation with time for participants to engage in some of the tools, materials and video evidence gathered.