ABSTRACT
Schools can become learning communities if the principal is willing to launch the potential of the people who reside in these communities. Thompson, Gregg, and Niska (2004) make a compelling call for schools to form as learning communities:
Never before in the history of education has there been such a clarion call for leaders who can create a culture that fosters both adult and student learning and expands the definition of leadership to include all stakeholders in the school. (p. 4)
For learning communities to evolve and then to thrive, DuFour and Eaker (1998) believe that principals need to “create collaborative structures with a focus on teaching and learning” (p. 196). Further developing the ideas of DuFour and Eaker (1998), Polly and Hannafin (2010) note that professional learning communities “and computer-based assessments enable teachers to use student work samples and assessment data as to identify gaps in student learning, select learner-centered tasks that will address the gaps, and make instructional decisions based on evidence of student learning” (pp. 559-563).
