The Utopia of Learning Communities 1.1.3

To define the uptopia of learning communities, I think we must define the individual goals and individuals needs within the learning community. In some ways a person's education is furthered by teaching others. Realizations are made by the advaning of another person's knowledge. To me that's what makes the world go around. Differences and ideas and ways of doing things is what has allowed our culture to progress to where it has. Advancements are made through discussion, tag teaming, and many times even failure.

Ideas in education are always cycling. The tried and true whole language versus phoentics are schools of thought that always go through hills and valleys. Just as now the idea of learning communities is the "en vogue" route to take. However, in my mind this is a route that works. This is an idealism that exemplifies the thought that "a chord of three strands is not easily broken." There is strength in numbers and when there are those gathered together to further learning then the natural progression is in fact a great escalation in thought processes and attainment of knowledge.

With that framework I think a utpoia of learning communities can exist in many places. There not any necessarily cut and dry elements other than it meets the criteria of a learning community. It could be in a classroom, school, study group, or any number of digital learning communities. The literal definition of a learning community is a group of people that share academic goals and attitudes. That covers a plethora of things that make for a cohesive community. That covers the responsibilities and respectfulness of the members of the community. The community's purpose is to further and extend the knowledge of those involved. As long as the members feel secure, comfortable, and respected true collaboration can exist.

Finally, what qualities are needed to gain admittance? Easy... learning communites are society's way of "paying it forward." Learning communities are an individuals way to promote the process of lifelong learning. Those shared values and shared needs are the only equalizers. Race, background, age, nationality cease to matter when there is one goal in mind.