Episode 16: Chasing the Magic--Rediscovering Adult Learning Communities

In this episode of Dreams of Education, Kelly Tenkely and Michelle Baldwin explore the evolution of adult learning communities, reflecting on their experiences with early online educator networks, including Twitter, blogging, and EdChats. They discuss how these spaces created opportunities for collaboration, professional growth, and innovation in education.

Kelly and Michelle examine how the landscape of professional learning has changed—how social media shifted from connection-driven to influencer- and advertisement-dominated spaces, and how structured professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools often feel forced rather than organic. They contrast this with experiences like EdCamps, Iterative Space, and The House of Genius, where informal yet intentional gatherings created rich opportunities for educators to share ideas, challenge each other’s thinking, and take action.

They also explore the idea of reconstructing learning communities, proposing models like Adjacent Possible, a gathering where diverse stakeholders—educators, business leaders, mental health professionals, and community members—collaborate on solving real-world problems in education.

Throughout the conversation, they emphasize the importance of creating inclusive, grassroots-driven spaces that foster connection, ideation, and action. They reflect on what made past learning communities powerful and consider how to recreate those conditions for the next generation of educators.

 

Follow Us:

Michelle Baldwin: Avenue 4 Learning, michellekbaldwin@bsky.social

Kelly Tenkely: Dreams of Education, KT's Place, ktenkely@bsky.social