Our global learning community in the clouds: adaptive ecological elements and practices

Research around learning community models often shows a structured and defined model to follow with the underlying assumption being if the steps are followed, the results will come. The model we offer in this paper is rather counter-cultural as it was not a specific process or practice we followed; rather, we found ourselves in a highly engaging, safe, kind, and productive learning community unlike most we have encountered in academia. We asked ourselves, “Why?” and engaged in reflection, questions, and research to define our unique community. Six themes emerged that form our ecological learning community; these themes are in motion, intertwined, and co-dependent on one another. Our model is not linear, instead, it is fluid and organic, moving from firm boundaries to more porous edges or shapes that respond to the needs of the group and communities around us to create an inclusive environment. The six themes are: 1) organic trust, safety, and belonging, 2) shared collective vision; 3) cultural humility; 4) inclusion--a commitment to diversity of perspectives; 5) shared leadership; and 6) practices in alignment with values. We offer suggestions for practices for learning communities that similarly aim to be responsive and adaptive.