Cooperation, Collegiality, and Collaboration: Reinforcing the Scholar-Practitioner Model

Abstract

Implementing collaboration partnerships among diverse personnel has seen wide appeal in many professions. Collaboration activities between teacher education faculty and practicing professionals also have been proposed as necessary to the improvement of education practice. However, insufficient attention has been given to the form, character, and development of successful and ongoing collaboration between these groups. We propose that: (a) cooperation among personnel, (b) collegialify, or social equality, among all professionals involved in the activity, and (c) ongoing collaboration among teacher educators and practicing professionals in the context of (a) and (b) is necessary to effective schooling and to effective teacher education. Initially, a review of collaboration activities is provided to ground one scholar-practitioner model. Collaboration is then promoted as an effective tool to overcoming negative teacher socialization (Graham, 1991; Stroot & Williamson, 1993) and inservice isolation (Lawson, 1991; Lawson & Stroot, 1993; Templin, 1988) which respectively challenge effective public education practice. Implications of collaboration activities on the improvement of teacher education programs and school-based practice are next discussed. Finally, the significance of collaboration activities are contextualized in terms of the characteristics of mutual respect, trust, and the honest expression thereof by all participants.

Key Words:

• Collaboration
• Cooperation
• Professional Development