Cultivating a Culture of Learning: Contemplative Practices, Pedagogy, and Research in Education illustrates portraits of practice from a variety of teacher education programs, bringing together a rich collection of voices from diverse settings. Authors share their first-hand experience of cultivating a culture of learning as teacher educators and employing contemplative practices in their work with educators. Contemplative practices, pedagogy, and research are analyzed as essential components of cultivating cultures of learning in classrooms. Several chapters offer innovative models, pedagogy, and courses utilizing contemplative practices. The authors in this book advocate and express the importance of creating spaces where the inner life and qualities such as intuition, creativity, silence, and heart-centered learning are valued and work in partnership with cognitive and rational ways of knowing and being in the world. Authors explore challenges faced institutionally, with students, and personally. The insights and challenges shared in these portraits of practice are intended to stimulate conversation and engender future pedagogy and research in the field of contemplative education.

Creating a Learning Culture features insightful essays from industry observers and revealing case studies of prominent corporations. Each chapter revolves around creating an environment where learning takes place each day, all day - fundamentally changing the way we think about how, what, and when we learn, and how we can apply learning to practice. For the first time contemporary work on this subject appears in one volume. Three sections address key aspects of learning culture: the modern business context and the importance of learning at every juncture; the organic and adaptive approaches organizational leaders can take to design enduring success; and the expanding role of individuals within organizations and the implications for business leaders, educators, technologists, and learners. Identifying the steps companies must take to remain competitive for years to come, this book explains how learning strategies applied to all aspects of every job can provide swift returns and lasting results.

Cultivating a Culture of Learning illustrates practice from a variety of teacher education programs. Authors share their first-hand experience of cultivating a culture of learning as teacher educators. The insights and challenges are shared to stimulate conversation and engender future pedagogy and research in contemplative education.

Discover why and how schools must become places where thinking is valued, visible, and actively promoted As educators, parents, and citizens, we must settle for nothing less than environments that bring out the best in people, take learning to the next level, allow for great discoveries, and propel both the individual and the group forward into a lifetime of learning. This is something all teachers want and all students deserve. In Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools, Ron Ritchhart, author of Making Thinking Visible, explains how creating a culture of thinking is more important to learning than any particular curriculum and he outlines how any school or teacher can accomplish this by leveraging 8 cultural forces: expectations, language, time, modeling, opportunities, routines, interactions, and environment. With the techniques and rich classroom vignettes throughout this book, Ritchhart shows that creating a culture of thinking is not about just adhering to a particular set of practices or a general expectation that people should be involved in thinking. A culture of thinking produces the feelings, energy, and even joy that can propel learning forward and motivate us to do what at times can be hard and challenging mental work.

The twenty-first century is a world in constant change. In A New Culture of Learning, Doug Thomas and John Seely Brown pursue an understanding of how the forces of change, and emerging waves of interest associated with these forces, inspire and invite us to imagine a future of learning that is as powerful as it is optimistic. Typically, when we think of culture, we think of an existing, stable entity that changes and evolves over long periods of time. In A New Culture, Thomas and Brown explore a second sense of culture, one that responds to its surroundings organically. It not only adapts, it integrates change into its process as one of its environmental variables. By exploring play, innovation, and the cultivation of the imagination as cornerstones of learning, the authors create a vision of learning for the future that is achievable, scalable and one that grows along with the technology that fosters it and the people who engage with it. The result is a new form of culture in which knowledge is seen as fluid and evolving, the personal is both enhanced and refined in relation to the collective, and the ability to manage, negotiate and participate in the world is governed by the play of the imagination. Replete with stories, this is a book that looks at the challenges that our education and learning environments face in a fresh way. PRAISE FOR A NEW CULTURE OF LEARNING "A provocative and extremely important new paradigm of a 'culture of learning', appropriate for a world characterized by continual change. This is a must read for anyone interested in the future of education." James J. Duderstadt, President Emeritus, University of Michigan "Thomas and Brown are the John Dewey of the digital age." Cathy Davidson, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Duke University "A New Culture of Learning may provide for the digital media and learning movement what Thomas Paine's Common Sense did for the colonists during the American Revolution- a straightforward, direct explanation of what we are fighting for and what we are fighting against." Henry Jenkins, Provost's Professor, USC "A New Culture of Learning is at once persuasive and optimistic - a combination that is all too rare, but that flows directly from its authors' insights about learning in the digital age. Pearls of wisdom leap from almost every page." Paul Courant, Dean of Libraries, University of Michigan "Brilliant. Insightful. Revolutionary." Marcia Conner, author of The New Social Learning "Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown portray the new world of learning gracefully, vividly, and convincingly." Howard Gardner, Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education "Thomas and Brown make it clear that education is too often a mechanistic, solo activity delivered to the young. It doesn't have to be that way-learning can be a messy, social, playful, embedded, constant activity. We would do well to listen to their message." Clay Shirky, author of Cognitive Surplus "Anyone who fears, as I do, that today's public schools are dangerously close to being irrelevant must read this book. The authors provide a road map-and a lifeline-showing how schools can prosper under the most difficult conditions. It is a welcome departure from all the school bashing." John Merrow, Education Correspondent, PBS NewsHour "American education is at a crossroads. By illuminating how play helps to transform both information networks and experimentation, and how collective inquiry unleashes the power of imagination, A New Culture of Learning provides an irresistible path to the future." Joel Myerson, Director, Forum for the Future of Higher Education.

Creating a Culture of Learning is an internal strategic planning process facilitating movement toward district wide student-centered learning. The “Best Practice” subjects discussed during the planning process, and covered herein, are specifically selected to focus attention on their district and where on the continuum of the practice does their district currently stand. It then develops goals and strategies designed to “help things go right.”

Accelerated learning, isn't that just for gifted students? Accelerating the Learning of All Students: Cultivating Culture Change in Schools, Classrooms, and Individuals answers that question while providing a vivid description of what happens at the school, classroom, and individual levels when people attempt to extend efforts to accelerate learning to all students. The book begins with a definition of accelerated learning and provides a vivid description of efforts to accelerate the learning of three populations of students: those identified as gifted, those identified as low-achieving, and all students. The book then examines the assumptions shaping school, classroom, and individual efforts to accelerate the learning of all students. Written by a pair of educators, one trained in gifted and talented education and the other in cultura anthropology, this book provides teachers, parents, administrators, and researchers with insight into why we continue to fail so many students and how we can cultivate change in schools, classrooms, and individuals so that all students receive the enriched, challenging learning experiences typically reserved only for students identified as gifted.

In the bustling landscape of education, there exists a realm where greatness thrives—a place where students flourish, teachers are empowered, and a vibrant community of learners thrives. Welcome to the heart of an incredible school culture. In these pages, we embark on a journey to explore the essential elements that transform ordinary schools into extraordinary hubs of learning and growth. It's a journey guided by a simple yet profound truth: that the strength of a school lies not only in its academic achievements but also in the richness of its culture. Imagine a school where values aren't just words on a poster but guiding principles that shape every interaction and decision. Picture classrooms buzzing with excitement, where students are not just passive recipients of knowledge but active participants in their own learning journey. Envision a staff united by a shared vision, where collaboration and innovation are the norm rather than the exception. Building an incredible school culture is no small feat—it requires dedication, intentionality, and a deep commitment to the well-being and success of every member of the community. It's about creating an environment where students feel safe, supported, and valued, where teachers are empowered to unleash their full potential, and where parents and community members are partners in the educational process. In these pages, we'll delve into the strategies and practices that lay the foundation for a thriving school culture. From clarifying and communicating values to promoting inclusivity and equity, from fostering strong relationships to celebrating achievements, each chapter will offer insights, practical tips, and real-life examples to inspire and guide you on your own journey of cultural transformation. Whether you're a school leader seeking to cultivate a positive learning environment, a teacher eager to create a classroom where every student can succeed, or a parent invested in the educational experience of your child, this book is for you. Together, let's embark on a quest to cultivate excellence and build an incredible school culture—one that inspires, empowers, and transforms lives.

As indicated by the diversity of the authors' physical locations, COVID and emergency-remote teaching affected Higher-Education-Institutions at a nearly global scale. Authors in this issue come from European countries (Switzerland, Germany), North America (the USA) as well as the southern hemisphere (South Africa). Given the breadth of COVID-related (change) experiences, the insights presented in this issue can be relevant to many HEIs across the globe, notwithstanding their cultural and institutional specificities. In addition, and of high relevance to us, the articles collected here focus both on different positions or roles (students, faculty, management) as well as on different levels of teaching and learning in higher education. While most contributions focus on the student experience during COVID, others investigate faculty/instructors' perspectives including faculty development. Yet another group takes a more systemic, institutional point of view. It could be argued that higher-education research takes up a multi-level perspective when exploring change and the new normal.

This book brings together the insight and experience of successful leaders from over 60 schools on the issue of improving school culture – in their very own words. It provides the tools, practices, and examples that will help you in your own effort to improve school culture.