Effects Of Professional Learning Communities Research Articles

The role of key stakeholders in building effective professional learning communities (PLCs) in Vietnamese primary schools

Teacher professional learning communities (PLC) have been reported as an important platform for improving the quality of teaching and learning; however, building and sustaining an effective PLC is challenging. This study employed a qualitative research design, utilizing a multi-site approach to examine the role of key stakeholders in developing an effective teacher PLC at Vietnamese primary schools, where research on how PLCs are implemented, developed and sustained remains limited. The data were collected using individual in-depth interviews with 45 participants, including school principals, academic group leaders, and teachers, selected from nine schools located in three different provinces. The findings showed that principals acted as visionaries who initiated and drove the implementation of effective PLCs. Their strategic planning was crucial in setting long-term goals that guided the entire school's efforts. Academic group leaders played a pivotal role in organizing and sustaining PLC activities, acting as intermediaries between teachers and school administration staff. Teachers were central to the effectiveness of PLCs, with their proactive engagement and continuous learning being critical for success. All participants believed teachers need to change their ways of interacting with and giving feedback to each other to promote reflective dialogue, de-privatisation of practice and collaborative activities. The study also discussed practical implications for developing and sustaining effective PLCs in the Vietnamese school context, and beyond.

Role of professional learning communities in improving teachers’ job satisfaction: why does trust in colleagues and emotional intelligence matter?

ABSTRACT Though many scholars have examined the effects of professional learning communities on teachers and students globally, research in the Malaysian context is limited. This study examined the relationship between the professional learning communities and teachers’ job satisfaction, with teachers’ trust in colleagues as mediator and emotional intelligence as moderator. Data was collected from 307 teachers working at public primary schools in Malaysia. Data analysis was done using structural equation modeling with the help of the statistical software SmartPLS. Study findings revealed a direct, significant, and positive effect of the professional learning communities on teachers’ job satisfaction. Also, teachers’ trust in colleagues exerted partial mediating effect, whereas teachers’ emotional intelligence showed a negative moderating effect. The relevance of the findings and recommendations for future studies are discussed.

The effectiveness of Professional Learning Communities in the Saudi EFL context: Teachers’ Perspective

This investigation focuses on the adoption and efficacy of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) within the English Language Unit (ELU) at Taibah University. It showcases a rising trend in the engagement and perceived significance of PLCs among ELU instructors, accentuating their vital contribution to fostering professional growth and collaborative education. Nonetheless, the study uncovers varying degrees of satisfaction among teachers across different campuses, highlighting the need for a more individualized approach to implementing PLCs that suit the distinct requirements of each campus and its teaching staff. The research, conducted in 2023, encompassed gathering data from PLC sessions across Taibah University's campuses and issuing a survey to ELU teachers. A descriptive statistical approach was employed to verify the validity of the study. The findings particularly point out lower satisfaction levels among female faculty members at specific campuses, signaling urgent areas for improvement. The outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of PLCs in nurturing environments conducive to mutual support and joint learning. Instructors have suggested various improvements to augment the impact of PLCs, like incentivizing teacher involvement, alleviating time constraints, diversifying presentation methods, and focusing more on tangible classroom-related issues. Additionally, the research reveals a pronounced preference among teachers for PLCs to concentrate more on practical, real-world classroom topics rather than theoretical ones, stressing the importance of tailoring PLC activities to the day-to-day challenges faced by educators.

Teacher development in an evolving online professional learning community: an action research study

ABSTRACT Professional learning communities (PLCs) have long been regarded as effective for professional development; their operational processes, however, are largely unexplored in the literature. This paper examines the dynamic process of an online PLC by using an action research approach to explore the role of different collaborative learning methods. Data were collected using observations, field notes, interviews, video records, and various artefacts. Surveys were also used to examine the teachers’ competencies. The findings confirm the positive effects of online PLCs on teachers’ competencies and the formation of a learning culture. Moreover, each of the three collaborative learning approaches has distinct advantages for teachers at different stages of development. This result highlights that the forms of collaboration in online PLCs are subject to negotiation and change as the community develops; the potential of online PLCs should be continuously explored using process-oriented, context-sensitive methods.

Does school power distance matter for the effectiveness of professional learning communities in China? A multilevel moderated mediation analysis

Drawing upon social cognitive theory, we theorize teacher self-efficacy as a motivational explanation for the relationship between professional learning communities (PLCs) and teacher work engagement, and further posit school power distance as a boundary condition for this mechanism. With a sample of 3417 teachers in 61 schools in China, we tested the multilevel moderated mediation model, and the results showed an indirect effect of PLCs on teacher work engagement via teacher self-efficacy. Moreover, the effectiveness of PLCs was fortified in schools with low power distance. The theoretical and practical implications for PLCs research are finally discussed.

혁신중학교 전문적 학습공동체 학습조직 구축 정도 분석

This study aims to examine the disparity in the degree of establishment of a professional learning community learning organization between innovative schools and general schools in Chungnam. To achieve this research objectives, we examined the characteristics of innovative schools based on prior research and summarized the relationship between the professional learning community and Senge's learning organization theory. We also developed a questionnaire asking the degree of establishment of a learning organization in a professional learning community drawing from prior research and expert advice. The survey was conducted among middle school teachers in Chungnam and analyzed using basic statistical analysis and independent sample t-test. The main findings indicated a significant difference in the degree of establishment of a professional learning community learning organization between innovative schools and general schools. Innovative schools scored an average of 4.31 points out of 5, while general schools scored an average of 3.84 points. The difference between innovative schools and general schools was statistically significant at the significance level of 0.001. The analysis revealed that innovative schools have relatively more professional learning communities than general schools, especially in terms of team learning and system thinking. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to actively disseminate the various activities of professional learning communities centered on innovative schools to other general schools. While existing studies have discussed the effectiveness of professional learning communities, this study adds value by analyzing professional learning communities in detail within the framework of learning organizational theory. Further research are needed on the degree of establishment of a learning organization in a professional learning community for the 1st to 8th graders of innovative schools.

Effectiveness of professional learning community programmes to improve school quality

The school is a professional learning community. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of professional learning communities (PLC) in improving the quality of schools. The method used in this research is a mixed method that is carried out in two stages. The correlational method was used to examine the correlation between school quality and the implementation of the PLC programme. Experimental methods are used to examine whether PLC can improve school quality. This study involved 3 secondary schools with an average age of 14–18 years. The results show that there is a high correlation between the level of school quality and the implementation of the PLC programme. In addition, the PLC programme has proven to be effective in improving the quality of schools in terms of teacher competence and student academic results in the fields of language and mathematics. This research provides an overview for stakeholders in schools regarding the importance of collaboration among staff. The implication of this research is that school heads can apply PLC programmes to improve the quality of their schools by prioritising collaborative learning between teaching staff and students. Keywords: Community of professional learning (PLC), school quality, teacher and students’ competence.

Investigating the mediating effects of professional learning communities on the relationship between leadership practices and teacher collective efficacy: a perspective of Chinese principals

ABSTRACT This study investigated the mediating effects of professional learning community (PLC) components on the relationship between leadership practices and teacher collective efficacy from the perspective of Chinese principals. Survey data were collected from 878 school principals. The results revealed that leadership practices significantly and positively affected the five PLC components, three of which (shared purpose, collective focus on student learning and reflective dialogue) had significant positive effects on teacher collective efficacy. Shared purpose, collective focus on student learning and reflective dialogue significantly mediated the effects of leadership practices on teacher collective efficacy. The practical implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Effects of professional learning communities on teacher collaboration, feedback provision, job satisfaction and self-efficacy: Evidence from Korean PISA 2018 data

ABSTRACT Although much research has emphasised the effect of professional learning communities (PLCs) on teachers’ collaboration, feedback provision, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy, few studies have focused on South Korea’s unique context of government-led top-down policies to encourage PLCs. Using large-scale data representing all regions and sectors in Korea in the Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, this study addressed the latent means differences in factors of teacher collaboration, feedback provision, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy between groups of teachers that had and had not participated in a PLC. All of the factors investigated were found to be higher among teachers that had participated in PLCs. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

Effectiveness of Professional Learning Communities in Ghanaian Basic Schools through the Lenses of Socio-Cultural Theory

This study employed the explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to assess the effectiveness of PLCs in Ghanaian basic schools. Using proportional stratified random sampling technique, the study selected 650 respondents (400 teachers and 250 headteachers) from the basic schools in five regions of Ghana for the quantitative phase of the study. Subsequently, 30 teachers and 10 headteachers from these schools were sampled purposely for the qualitative phase of the study. An adapted version of PLACA-R (6-dimensions; α = .84-.92) from Olivier and Hipp (2010) was used to collect quantitative data whilst researchers designed an interview guide was used to gather qualitative data. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive (means and standard deviation) statistics whilst the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The study established the level of PLC activities in the basic schools is low on all the 6 dimensions of the scale except shared and supportive leadership. A good number of the basic schools have never held any PLC meetings since the curriculum was introduced. Schools that observed PLC meetings often ignore the delivery methods in the PLC manual. The study also found that female teachers practice PLC more than male teachers. The study further established that age, educational qualification and years of experience have a significant impact on the practice of PLC. The study concluded that teachers and headteachers in the basic schools lack knowledge and pedagogical skills about PLCs and their roles in the professional development of the teachers. It was recommended that the participation of PLCs by teachers and Headteachers should be used as one of the tools for teacher promotion.

Can professional learning communities promote teacher innovation? A multilevel moderated mediation analysis

This study developed and tested a multilevel moderated mediation model to examine teacher creative self-efficacy as a mediator and innovative climate as a moderator in the relationship between professional learning communities (PLCs) and teacher innovation. Using a sample of 3419 senior high school teachers in mainland China, we found that teacher creative self-efficacy mediated the PLCs-teacher innovation relationship, while innovative climate moderated the effects of PLCs on both teacher creative self-efficacy and teacher innovation. These results help clarify how (i.e., through teacher creative self-efficacy) and when (i.e., high innovative climate) the effects of PLCs on teacher innovation are strengthened.

Extent of Implementing the Characteristics of Professional Learning Communities at the UAE Special Education Centers

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are formed on the basis of the perception that collaboration among educators is an essential factor to improve and develop the learning environment and students’ outcomes (Hord, 1997; DuFour, 2004). Accordingly, the purpose of this study is twofold: First, we investigated the extent of practicing the characteristics of PLCs at special education (SE) centers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Second, we determined whether the PLC skills among SE educators vary on the basis of the type of educator, educational level, years of experience, and students’ disability. We collected our data using Google Forms and with a pre-existing and tested questionnaire (Abdallah, 2021). After collecting filled-out forms from (151) educators, we conducted descriptive analysis and inferential statistics, including Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Our results revealed that educators working with students with disabilities in SE centers have a high level of PLC skills in all domains. Educators’ educational level, years of experience, and students’ disabilities create significant differences in the practice of the PLC characteristics in SE centers. However, the type of educator has no significant difference in implementing these characteristics. Overall, this study can serve as a basis for further research on PLCs within the SE field and addresses the lack of knowledge of this topic. We conclude the effectiveness and readiness of PLCs as a new approach to handling and teaching students with disabilities in the UAE context.

District Leadership in Redefining Roles of Instructional Coaches to Guide Professional Learning Communities through Systemic Change

ABSTRACT While research suggests that effective implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) increases student achievement and that effective utilization of instructional coaches (ICs) supports teachers’ capacity, there is limited research regarding the role of ICs in supporting the system-wide change effort of PLC implementation and sustainability. This qualitative study addressed the perceptions of six ICs, six principals, and six district leaders within one large, fast-growth school district working to redefine the role of ICs to support the implementation of PLCs. Findings highlighted that district support was essential for reshaping the role of ICs from individual teacher coaches to supporting PLCs and that principals recognized how this new role was essential to developing the effectiveness of PLCs.

Enhancing cognitive presence in teachers’ professional learning communities via reflective practice

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools depends significantly on the extent of fostering teacher learning. In this explanatory case study, 16 female teachers from a girls’ high school in Saudi Arabia joined a reflective practice programme where they engaged in collaborative inquiry to solve a problem in their work. The study sought to understand how reflective practice enhances the cognitive presence levels, namely triggering event; exploration; integration and resolution, in a teacher’s PLC. Data sources included transcripts of face-to-face and online discussions and focus group interviews. Analysis of discussions revealed that the participants were capable of movement through the four levels of cognitive presence, reaching the higher levels in which knowledge is built and applied. Interviews analyses generated four themes indicating factors that contribute to the emergence of higher levels of cognitive presence during the reflective practice programme. These factors comprise focus on experience and real practice, long-term training in the school context, social cohesion and the facilitator’s role. This study provides evidence for the potential of reflective practice to support teachers’ learning in PLCs. At the same time, it calls for further research on effective methods that facilitators of reflective practice use to prompt this learning.

Exploring the effects of professional learning communities on teacher’s self-efficacy and job satisfaction in Shanghai, China

ABSTRACT This study explored the effects of professional learning communities (PLCs) on teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction in Shanghai, China. Nine hundred and eighty-two school teachers participated in a survey. The results showed that PLCs in Shanghai China were characterised by both the teacher-centric and organisation-centric components. Two teacher-centric characteristics of PLCs, namely, collective inquiry and sharing and shared purpose and responsibility, significantly and positively affected teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction. For the organisation-centric characteristics of PLCs, supportive leadership significantly and positively predicted teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction, organisational structure significantly and positively predicted teachers’ job satisfaction, and cultural barriers significantly and negatively predicted teachers’ self-efficacy. The practical implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The effects of Professional Learning Communities: An Analysis of Professional Learning Communities within schools in Gyeonggi Province

The effects of Professional Learning Communities: An Analysis of Professional Learning Communities within schools in Gyeonggi Province

Effect of professional learning communities on teachers and students: reporting updated results and raising questions about research design

ABSTRACTThis manuscript is a review and critical analysis of professional learning communities (PLCs) research using 13 empirical international studies. Our findings confirm what previous reviews have found: participation in PLCs resulted in improved teacher practice and increased student achievement. In this review, we provide detailed and specific examples of what has improved in teacher practice, and how impact on students has been documented. However, we raise concerns about the design of current PLC studies as there were methodological issues that limited the ability to interpret results. Despite promising evidence about the effects of PLCs on teachers and students, we articulate specific directions for future research designs that will improve the quality of PLC studies.

A research agenda for professional learning communities: moving forward

Professional learning communities (PLCs) as a means of raising the teaching profession are becoming more attractive in education systems seeking to improve school improvement processes and outcomes. The main intention is to increase the individual and collective capacity of teachers so as to support school-wide capacity for teaching and learning. Although international research on PLCs is relatively extensive, covering about three decades, there are still gaps in its research base; specifically on the concept of community and the effects of PLCs. In this article, we propose a research agenda for PLC research that will afford substantive theorization on PLCs which will need to be drawn from robust empirical evidence. In the proposed research agenda for PLCs, we first argue that a PLC is a multi-dimensional construct comprising three inter-dependent dimensions of ‘community’, ‘learning’ and ‘professional’. This precedential task is necessary before investigations on effects or impact (direct or indirect) of PLCs can be meaningfully and reliably carried out. We then propose a research framework for PLCs constituting three aspects: construct of PLCs; conditions–contexts of PLCs; and causalities of PLCs. Finally, we propose six aspects pertaining to methodological rigor to support PLC research.

Using Data to Alter Instructional Practice: The Mediating Role of Coaches and Professional Learning Communities

BackgroundDespite increased access to student learning data, scholars have demonstrated that teachers do not always know how to use these data in ways that lead to deep changes in instruction and often lack skills and knowledge to interpret results and develop solutions. In response, administrators have invested in instructional coaches, data coaches, and professional learning communities (PLCs) to support teachers in this process. Despite their popularity, there is limited research on the ways in which coaches and PLCs mediate teachers’ use of data and the various types of expertise brought to bear on this process.PurposeThis exploratory study examined how working with a coach or PLC shaped teachers’ responses to data in six middle schools and the factors that influenced the activities and effects of coaches and PLCs. Our intent was to deeply examine processes and identify key constructs and relationships to guide future research and practice.Research DesignOur research involved a year-long comparative case study of six low-performing middle schools in four districts that supported teacher data use via literacy coaches, data coaches, or PLCs. We draw on cultural historical activity theory and data from 92 interviews, 6 focus groups, 20 observations of meetings, and monthly surveys of case study teachers (15), coaches (4), and PLC lead teachers (2).FindingsWe found that coaches and PLCs played important roles in mediating teachers’ responses to data and were often associated with instances in which teachers used data to alter their instructional delivery (as opposed to surface-level changes in materials and topics). Further, the dynamic relationship between vertical expertise (an individual's knowledge and skills) and horizontal expertise (knowledge that is co-created through interactions and movement across contexts) may help explain the ways in which PLCs and coaches facilitated deeper level changes in pedagogy. Finally, dialogue was a central mediating practice, and school leadership and the district-level context shaped the possibility for change.ConclusionsOur research adds conceptual clarity to what types of expertise may be needed to ensure that teachers respond productively to data. The study suggests that administrators should consider multiple facets of expertise when designing interventions, recruiting coaches, assembling PLCs, and developing professional development for coaches and teacher leaders. The centrality of dialogue also suggests the need for policies and structures allowing for uninterrupted time for educators to collectively reflect on data.

Charting New Waters: Collaborating for School Improvement in U.S. High Schools

When professional learning communities (PLCs) are developed to promote the academic achievement of English language learners (ELLs), the results can benefit not only ELLs but the whole school. This article examines the ventures of three high schools that implemented PLCs as part of a Title III National Professional Development Project. The authors highlight the research on the effectiveness of PLCs and offer an operational definition for envisioning PLCs. Case studies of the three high school teams illustrate different cycles of inquiry and help readers understand how the emergence and development of professional teams improve the instruction and learning of ELLs. Using principles of effective PLCs as a framework, the authors share the challenges and successes of each team. The article concludes that effective PLCs are focused by a commitment to improve learning, informed by recognized principles, structured by the norms and inquiry processes that team members establish, and guided by school leaders who support teams and help them envision goals worth pursuing.