Abstract
Professional learning communities are promising for teacher learning and improving the quality of education. In the past decade, there has been a shift in focus from within-school to cross-school PLCs: Professional Learning Networks. Knowledge of the underlying working processes of teacher learning in PLNs is scarce. This is even more complicated for PLNs, because of organizational, geographic and professional boundaries. The purpose of this study is to explore how PLNs can function to meet their objectives and what challenges they face in their aim of achieving sustainable teacher learning and school improvement. We applied a qualitative case study design. Data were collected by means of interviews with PLN participants and external coaches, logs by external coaches, and yearly observations by the researchers. Results show how the PLN context influences the outcomes in terms of teacher learning, PLN products and application in their schools. Findings show how leadership, the perception of a shared goal, structured activities, collaboration, and facilitation and support especially appear to influence outcomes. PLNs face additional challenges in relation to within-school PLCs, in terms of knowledge transfer from the PLN back to participants’ own schools and the network as a whole. This should be acknowledged and acted upon before PLNs are even established.
Highlights
Teacher collaboration in professional learning communities (PLCs) is a promising form of professional development that improves the quality of education (Doğan and Adams 2018; Stoll 2015; Vescio et al 2008)
Research question 1 is: What are the professional development outcomes for teachers participating in Professional Learning Networks’ (PLNs): (a) In terms of the personal domain, regarding their satisfaction, knowledge, skills and attitudes related to PLN participation?
What are the professional development outcomes for teachers participating in PLNs?
Summary
Teacher collaboration in professional learning communities (PLCs) is a promising form of professional development that improves the quality of education (Doğan and Adams 2018; Stoll 2015; Vescio et al 2008). PLCs consist of teachers, and sometimes school leaders, working together to improve their teaching and students’ learning at their school (Lomos et al 2011; Stoll et al 2006). Studies have found that PLCs can lead to changes in teachers’ perceptions, and evidence has been found regarding effects on teachers’ practices and students’ learning as a result of what is learned in PLCs (Lomos et al 2011; Vescio et al 2008). There is still much to learn about the process of professional collaboration and the conditions influencing this collaboration (Gore et al 2017; Doğan and Adams 2018; Vangrieken et al 2017)
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