COOPERATION, COLLEGIALITY, AND COLLABORATION - REINFORCING THE SCHOLAR-PRACTITIONER MODEL

Implementing collaboration partnerships among diverse personnel has se en wide appeal in many professions. Collaboration activities between t eacher education faculty and practicing professionals also have been p roposed as necessary to the improvement of education practice. However , insufficient attention has been given to the form, character, and de velopment of successful and ongoing collaboration between these groups . We propose that: (a) cooperation among personnel, (b) collegiality, or social equality, among all professionals involved in the activity, and (c) ongoing collaboration among teacher educators and practicing p rofessionals in the context of (a) and (b) is necessary to effective s chooling and to effective teacher education, Initially, a review of co llaboration activities is provided to ground one scholar-practitioner model, Collaboration is then promoted as an effective tool to overcomi ng negative teacher socialization (Graham, 1991; Stroot & Williamson, 1993) and inservice isolation (Lawson, 1991; Lav:son & Stroot, 1993; T emplin, 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 discu ssed, Finally, the significance of collaboration activities are contex tualized in terms of the characteristics of mutual respect, trust, and the honest expression thereof by all participants.