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The growing strategic importance of collaboration and networking as a tool of school improvement is hampered by an absence of theoretical and practical texts. This volume aims to plug the gap in the literature with an analysis of specific case studies.

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Collaboration and networking have recently come to the fore as major school improvement strategies in a number of countries. A variety of initiatives, from government and other agencies, have encouraged collaboration and led to a lot of practical activity in this area. However, at present there are no texts in education that explore collaboration and networking from both a theoretical and practical perspective.

In this book, we aim to provide a theoretical background to educational collaboration, drawing on research and theory in policy studies, psychology and sociology, leading ultimately to a typology of networks. This theoretical base will be tested in the discussion of a number of case studies referring to specific initiatives such as the Federations programme, multi-agency collaboration and Networked Learning Communities. Lessons for practice will be drawn and presented in terms of factors internal and external to the school. The key issue of network leadership will be addressed here as well.

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Chapter 1: Introduction: Networking and collaboration: a new model for educational improvement?,- PART 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Chapter 2: Networking and collaboration as a public policy framework,- Chapter 3: Localised theories of networking and collaboration,- Chapter 4: Societal theories of networking and collaboration,- Chapter 5: Towards a typology of educational networks,- PART 2: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS:Chapter 6: Federations of schools,- Chapter 7: Networked Learning Communities,- Chapter 8: Specialist Schools Support Network,- Chapter 9: Multiagency collaboration,- PART 3: SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION,- Chapter 10: Successful networking: in-school conditions,- Chapter 11: Successful networking: external conditions,- Chapter 12: Leading networks and collaboratives,- Chapter 13: When (not) to network,- Chapter 14: Conclusion

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John F. Ehlers received his BSEE and MSEE from the University of Missouri and did his doctoral work at the George Washington University, majoring in fields and waves and minoring in information theory. A private trader since 1976, he is currently President of MESA Software (www.mesasoftware.com) and author of Rocket Science for Traders (Wiley) as well as numerous articles for Futures and Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities magazines. He has now expanded the scope of his contributions to technical analysis through the application of scientific digital signal processing techniques.

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