A Learning Community.

The possibility of creating a "learning community" as a possible alternative or supplement to traditional indicators of community well-being is explored in relation to Australia's stability. It is argued that traditional economic rationalism-based indicators of community well-being, such as level of unemployment, frequently cause communities to develop a poor "employment self-image" that can actually create further damage by acting as the only reference point for successful communities. "Critical learning" is proposed as the basis for positive community learning. Learning in collectives is discussed as are the features of organizational learning. The concept of "communities of good practice" is proposed on the basis of Gee's seven characteristics of learning in the workplaces of the future. In the future, work will be managed by projects that will be conducted by teams of workers whose members must do the following: develop extensive rather than just intensive knowledge; shed narrow specialties and perform functions that integrate and overlap with other's functions; and understand the whole process and all functions within it. It is concluded that communities can achieve community development and/or sustainability by becoming learning communities characterized by the traits of communities of good practice. (Contains 11 references.) (MN)