Systems of Practice: How Leaders Use Artifacts to Create Professional Community in Schools
This article explores how local school leaders construct the conditions for professional community in their schools. This paper argues that professional community is a special form of social capital that results, in part, from the design and implementation of facilitating structural networks by inst...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Arizona State University
2003-10-01
|
| Series: | Education Policy Analysis Archives |
| Online Access: | http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/265 |
| _version_ | 1818490962257641472 |
|---|---|
| author | Richard R. Halverson |
| author_facet | Richard R. Halverson |
| author_sort | Richard R. Halverson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article explores how local school leaders construct the conditions for professional community in their schools. This paper argues that professional community is a special form of social capital that results, in part, from the design and implementation of facilitating structural networks by instructional leaders in schools. The structural aspects of a school community can be conceived as a system of practice, that is, a network of structures, tasks and traditions that create and facilitate complex webs of practice in organizations. Systems of practice are composed of networks of artifacts, such as policies, programs and procedures, which can be seen as powerful tools used by local leaders to influence local instructional practices. The system of practice framework suggests that leaders use artifacts to establish structures that facilitate the closure of professional networks among teachers, which in turns builds professional community. The leadership practices of an urban elementary school are used to illustrate how professional community has been developed through the selective design and implementation of artifacts in order to reshape the local system of practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:23:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dac408ea46ec4be0aec0aa2d1903872a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1068-2341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:23:56Z |
| publishDate | 2003-10-01 |
| publisher | Arizona State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Policy Analysis Archives |
| spelling | doaj.art-dac408ea46ec4be0aec0aa2d1903872a2022-12-22T01:39:53ZengArizona State UniversityEducation Policy Analysis Archives1068-23412003-10-011137Systems of Practice: How Leaders Use Artifacts to Create Professional Community in SchoolsRichard R. HalversonThis article explores how local school leaders construct the conditions for professional community in their schools. This paper argues that professional community is a special form of social capital that results, in part, from the design and implementation of facilitating structural networks by instructional leaders in schools. The structural aspects of a school community can be conceived as a system of practice, that is, a network of structures, tasks and traditions that create and facilitate complex webs of practice in organizations. Systems of practice are composed of networks of artifacts, such as policies, programs and procedures, which can be seen as powerful tools used by local leaders to influence local instructional practices. The system of practice framework suggests that leaders use artifacts to establish structures that facilitate the closure of professional networks among teachers, which in turns builds professional community. The leadership practices of an urban elementary school are used to illustrate how professional community has been developed through the selective design and implementation of artifacts in order to reshape the local system of practice.http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/265 |
| spellingShingle | Richard R. Halverson Systems of Practice: How Leaders Use Artifacts to Create Professional Community in Schools Education Policy Analysis Archives |
| title | Systems of Practice: How Leaders Use Artifacts to Create Professional Community in Schools |
| title_full | Systems of Practice: How Leaders Use Artifacts to Create Professional Community in Schools |
| title_fullStr | Systems of Practice: How Leaders Use Artifacts to Create Professional Community in Schools |
| title_full_unstemmed | Systems of Practice: How Leaders Use Artifacts to Create Professional Community in Schools |
| title_short | Systems of Practice: How Leaders Use Artifacts to Create Professional Community in Schools |
| title_sort | systems of practice how leaders use artifacts to create professional community in schools |
| url | http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/265 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT richardrhalverson systemsofpracticehowleadersuseartifactstocreateprofessionalcommunityinschools |