Implementation Of Professional Learning Community Research Articles

University−Urban High School Partnership: Math and Science Professional Learning Communities

This study focused on science and math professional learning communities (PLCs) that were implemented through a university‐urban high school partnership. These PLCs were part of mandated school‐wide, content‐based PLCs implemented as part of the reform efforts initiated in an urban school to address the school's failure to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for four years consecutively and low graduation rate (less than 25%) for male students. The key issues were (a) students had continually earned low test scores; (b) there was continuous principal turnover; (c) faculty morale was at an all‐time low, and the quality of teaching was very poor; and (d) the students were not effectively disciplined. The study examined the impact that university faculty‐led mandated PLCs have on teachers' practices and students' learning and achievement. Analysis of data revealed practices that were effective in developing and implementing these successful math and science PLCs. Three themes emerged: ethics of care, teacher agency, and aesthetics of professional interactions. Each theme contained key features that appeared to contribute to the implementation of a successful PLC.

Reflections on Teaching and Learning of Mathematics through Lesson Study and Video Critique

Teachers’ reflection is one important step in the implementation of Lesson Study. To enhance the professionalism of teachers, lesson study has become an important practice in the implementation of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) in Malaysia. “Video Critique” and “Lesson Study” are some of the tools in the implementation of PLC. As Lesson Study is newly introduced in 2011, teachers are still in the learning stage of implementing it. Among the problems teachers face is ways of making good reflections during classroom observation. Thus, this study aims to explore the ways in which excellent teachers reflect as well as their reflection level by looking at a video of teachers teaching at a school in Negeri Sembilan. The study was conducted using qualitative methods. The study participants were 17 excellent teachers, including two lecturers. Data was collected using reflective observations, documents of the participants, and recordings of the video critique sessions. Data was analysed using reflective dialogue session video documents analytical technique that has been transcribed. It was found that there are four stages of reflections: Descriptive, Dialogue Reflective, Descriptive Reflective and Critical Reflective. A majority of the excellent teachers reflected at the stage of Dialogue Reflective. Some of the excellent teachers made Descriptive Reflective, and only a few teachers succeeded brilliantly at Critical Reflective. Originality/value - This study implies a need for exposure to reflective practice during the process of observation so that teachers receive deep and meaningful feedback through practice in community learning.

What impedes the development of professional learning communities in China? Perceptions from leaders and frontline teachers in three schools in Shanghai

Using qualitative data collected from three high schools in Shanghai, this study explored the barriers to the development of professional learning communities (PLCs) in Chinese schools from the perspectives of school leaders and teachers. Results indicate that the barriers identified by teachers in the development of PLCs include insufficient collaborative time, ineffective school leadership, unfavourable accountability policy, and lack of collaborative professional culture. By contrast, school leaders regard the absence of financial power, passive teachers, an unfavourable accountability system, and shortage of external resources as the major impediments to PLCs. Moreover, both similarities and differences are observed in the perceptions of teachers and school leaders regarding the barriers to PLC development. Practical implications for the effective implementation of PLCs and suggestions for future research are also presented.

Professional learning communities in Singapore and Shanghai: implications for teacher collaboration

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been recognised as having the potential to raise the quality of teachers, teaching and student learning through structured teacher collaboration, and have been featured prominently in Singapore and Shanghai – both considered top-performing Asian societies in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Although embedded in education systems that are considered centralised, there are still significant differences. Drawing out key implications from the experiences of Singapore and Shanghai, this paper highlights the potential challenges in implementing PLCs. These challenges include heavy teacher workload, ambiguities in the understanding and implementation of PLCs, and hierarchical work structures. The discussions emanating from the comparison between Singapore and Shanghai PLCs seek to contribute towards the international literature on fostering teacher collaboration through PLCs, which has been predominantly Western-centric.

The effect of leadership styles on professional learning community

The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of school administrators’ leadership styles on professional learning community in those schools under jurisdiction of the Office of Secondary Educational Service Area 27, Thailand. A total of 3,012 samples consisted of school administrators and teachers were selected from a population of 27,459. A survey quantitative method was employed using questionnaire which was constructed by researchers as an instrument to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics like frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation, correlation Pearson Product Moment Coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results of the study indicated that all five leadership styles of school administrator were at high level particularly supportive leadership style. However reward and punishment leadership style was found to be the most unpopular leadership style. On the other hand, all the aspects of professional learning community were found to be at high level too. The highest mean score was learning enhancement and information technology whereas the lowest mean score was team empowerment. Implementation of professional learning community was significantly affected by three types of leadership style at significant level of 0.01. The significant predictors of professional learning community were reward and punishment, directive, and charismatic leadership styles. The multiple regression coefficient was 0.836 and the predictive power was 69.9 per cent. Finally, this paper also provided recommendations and suggestions for future research.

The effect of leadership styles on professional learning community

The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of school administrators’ leadership styles on professional learning community in those schools under jurisdiction of the Office of Secondary Educational Service Area 27, Thailand. A total of 3,012 samples consisted of school administrators and teachers were selected from a population of 27,459. A survey quantitative method was employed using questionnaire which was constructed by researchers as an instrument to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics like frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation, correlation Pearson Product Moment Coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results of the study indicated that all five leadership styles of school administrator were at high level particularly supportive leadership style. However reward and punishment leadership style was found to be the most unpopular leadership style. On the other hand, all the aspects of professional learning community were found to be at high level too. The highest mean score was learning enhancement and information technology whereas the lowest mean score was team empowerment. Implementation of professional learning community was significantly affected by three types of leadership style at significant level of 0.01. The significant predictors of professional learning community were reward and punishment, directive, and charismatic leadership styles. The multiple regression coefficient was 0.836 and the predictive power was 69.9 per cent. Finally, this paper also provided recommendations and suggestions for future research.

The Role of Principals in Professional Learning Communities

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to identify how principals shape the adoption and implementation of professional learning communities. The study employed a sequential mixed-methods approach in which interviews, observations, and document analysis informed survey design. Teachers were surveyed in four elementary schools about the practices and supports they received in grade-level professional learning communities. Qualitative and survey data reveal that principals influence both what teachers undertake in professional learning communities and how well they carry out these activities. The study was limited to a small sample of only four schools in two districts and relied primarily on principal and teacher self-reports. More work is needed to explore the role of principals in a broader sample as well as the relationship between district and building leadership. Findings are discussed in terms of what actions principals can undertake to sustain meaningful professional communities. This article provides guidance on how principals can influence and support teacher collaboration.

School culture and leadership of professional learning communities

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore supportive and shared leadership structures at schools as a function of school culture policies and procedures.Design/methodology/approach– A qualitative study was conducted at three secondary schools in the Midwestern USA. Administrators and teachers were interviewed, professional learning communities observed and artifacts collected to explore school culture policies, procedures and leadership in the implementation of professional learning community practice.Findings– This study concludes that school leaders must provide supportive and shared leadership structures for teachers in order to ensure a positive school culture and effective professional learning communities that impact school improvement. Leaders in schools must work directly with teachers to create policies and procedures that provide teachers the leadership structure to directly impact school improvement through professional learning community collaborative efforts.Originality/value– This study builds on the school culture and professional learning communities literature by exploring existent policies and practices in schools as unique cases. Much of the literature calls for specific case studies to identify issues in the implementation of effective practice. This study is important to the community as specific cases that may inform educational leaders on mechanisms that may be leveraged to ensure successful implementation of policies and procedures outline in school culture and professional learning community literature.

Using Organizational Learning to Increase Operational and Conceptual Mental Models Within Professional Learning Communities

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have become a ubiquitous concept within modern school reform. PLCs, which developed out of business models of learning communities, neglect to incorporate organizational learning within the PLC culture. This mixed‐methods study investigated one large urban middle school's PLC implementation. Quantitative data consisted of 52 participant responses from the School Professional Staff as Learning Community Questionnaire (SPSLCQ). Qualitative data consisted of one‐on‐one interviews. Data analysis revealed dissatisfaction with PLC experiences. This article identifies strategies that integrate operational and conceptual learning mental models for restructuring implementation of PLCs to increase the culture of collaboration between schools and districts and to enhance professional learning behaviors district‐wide. To effectuate successful PLC cultures, districts should engage in professional behaviors focused on five critical practices: ownership in decision making, reculturing the organization and professional staff, establishing organizational learning theory protocols, evaluating organizational learning theory practices, and creating a sustainability plan. Adherence to these five practices would institute operational and conceptual learning consistent with organizational learning theory and create a culture of professional learning district‐wide. Transference of this model is plausible for all organizations that seek to build cultures of success.

Examining the Professional Learning Community Practices: An Empirical Comparison from Malaysian Universities Clusters

Theoretically, the concept of Professional Learning Community (PLC) is an extended learning processes or medium to foster collaboration between job-related tasks within the particular workplace and later has significant impact towards improving the performance of human resources. Numerous studies indicate the implementation of PLC in HEI context marked an improvement of collaborative cultures that enhance the Community of Practice (CoP) and the establishment of effective teamwork among the academic staff. Using the post-positivist underpinnings, this study was designed to investigate the practices of PLC in Malaysia's three major clusters universities and later explained its positive impact towards job satisfaction of the academics. Hence, Hord's model of professional learning communities that consists of five main constructs was used as indicators to measure the effectiveness of PLC which are supportive and shared leadership, collective learning, shared values and vision, supportive and shared condition, and shared personal practice. A total of 245 academics were selected randomly in order to gather their feedbacks towards the implementation of PLC in Malaysian's university-based clusters. Descriptive analysis revealed that the university leadership of three major clusters has successfully implemented the PLC based on the responses except for the shared and sharing leadership. Additionally, regression analysis also supports that constructed hypothesis where PLC significantly contributes on the academic's job satisfaction. Therefore, research revealed that PLC that was considered as part of informal method used in institution of higher education institutions that manages to enhanced academic's job satisfaction, learning through sharing and collaborative environment, and also to the improvement of student's performance.

PENGEMBANGAN MEDIA LECTUREMAKER DALAM PEMBELAJARAN KIMIA SMA POKOK BAHASAN IKATAN KIMIA MELALUI PENERAPAN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

This study aims to provide an alternative media learning chemistry more interesting by generating LectureMAKER through the implementation of Professional Learning Community on the subject of class X Chemical Bonding semester in high school. The method used is the method of research and development (research and development). LectureMAKER development phase of this research include: needs analysis, instructional media development done in collaboration with teachers, due diligence products and product revisions. LectureMAKER development outcomes assessed by the assessment of materials and media, and also by students and teachers. The results of the analysis of test LectureMAKER obtain adequate assessment of the team of experts, teachers, and students. The results of this study indicate that LectureMAKER through the implementation of Professional Learning Community at the Institute of Chemistry, developed the material is good and worthy to serve as an alternative medium of learning in learning CHEMICAL SMA and equal to the class X.
 
 Keywords: LectureMAKER, Chemical Bonding, Professional Learning Community, Research and Development

Educational change and professional learning communities: A study of two districts

This paper documents the progress of eight middle schools, four from one school district, and four from another that were engaged in the process of implementing Professional Learning Community (PLC) concepts. The descriptive study used quantitative and qualitative information gathered in a standardized, open-ended interview with the teachers and administrators (Patton 2002). Likert scales were used for each question to provide quantitative data, while the explanations to the questions provided the qualitative data. The results of this study revealed statistically significant differences between the two districts with regard to PLC implementation. Concepts that were most crucial to PLC work such as analyzing and responding to student learning were considerably higher in one of the districts. This paper adds to our understanding of how respond to the requests/demands of implementing PLCs in their schools, including what facilitates and detracts from PLC implementation.

Singapore schools and professional learning communities: teacher professional development and school leadership in an Asian hierarchical system

While the literature on professional learning communities (PLCs) has proliferated, much of it derived from and contextualised in Anglo-American settings, the concept and practice of PLCs in Asian contexts of strong hierarchies have largely been ignored. Based on literature and documentary analysis, this paper investigates the systemic implementation of PLCs in Singapore schools. The authors seek to show first how policy developments have in effect been laying the seedbed for PLCs for some 13 years, and yet evidence suggests that teacher pedagogy has been slow to change. Secondly, Singapore educational cultural and institutional contexts are reviewed to reveal how they mediate and filter “Western” notions of PLCs. Three potential implementation difficulties are identified – high teacher workloads, ambiguity of PLC processes and their efficacy, and hierarchical system and workplaces. Conclusions and implications emphasise the importance of effective school leadership in developing PLC practices, and how societal culture and context fundamentally shape the form that PLCs take.

Virtual Professional Learning Communities: Teachers’ Perceptions of Virtual Versus Face-to-Face Professional Development

Research suggests that professional development that engages teachers in instructional inquiry over an extended time through collaborative professional learning communities (PLCs) is effective in improving instruction and student achievement. Still, most professional development is offered as short-duration workshops that are not effective in changing practice. Barriers to the implementation of PLCs include lack of shared meeting time and a shortage of teachers who share the same subject areas or common goals and interests. Convening teachers from multiple districts can alleviate this problem, but teachers are reluctant to travel for meetings due to time and cost restraints. Video-conferencing software offers a solution to these barriers while serving to foster the sense of community needed for PLCs to be effective. The researchers describe the use of Virtual PLCs in which two groups of teachers met monthly for one school year to collaboratively analyze evidence collected as part of their teacher inquiry plans. With help from a facilitator, these groups developed a relationship similar to other groups meeting face-to-face as part of the same professional development program. Analysis of the reflections of teacher-participants and facilitators revealed that teachers prefer face-to-face meetings, but that the virtual and face-to-face meetings provided teachers with similar social interactions in the PLC experience. The findings suggest that teachers perceive videoconferencing as an effective tool for facilitating PLCs when distance and time are practical barriers to face-to-face meetings. Practical considerations for developing and facilitating virtual PLCs are also discussed.

The professional learning community as subversive activity: countering the culture of conventional schooling

As the professional learning community (PLC) as a desired cultural norm gains popularity within K–12 state schools, greater knowledge of the PLC implementation process is warranted. This study reports findings from semi‐structured focus group interviews with teachers in an urban/suburban high school after one year of schoolwide professional development introducing the PLC as a schoolwide practice. Three findings emerge. First, PLC practices are countercultural to mainstream teacher practice. School leaders and external change agents introducing PLCs in mainstream schools must, therefore, approach the work not as a technical task but as cultural transformation. Second, group facilitation skill is a crucial leadership attribute for the effective cultivation of a PLC. Third, to be effective, PLC cultivation must be perceived not as an end‐to‐itself, but as the means to a clearly identified, shared, and compelling goal for student learning; otherwise, it risks being dismissed by teachers as the usual professional development noise.

It Is Simple, But Not Easy–Culturally Responsive Leadership and Social Capital: A Framework for Closing the Opportunity Gap

Instructional designers are not often found in a public school setting. However, the leadership an instructional designer can provide, especially as part of a professional learning community (PLC), could help achieve the transformational change for which many schools are looking. With the issues cited by Hoyle and Kutka (2008) in public education today, such as the drop out rate and increased necessity for remedial coursework at the college level, the need for effective instructional design practices being implemented by high school teachers is great. However, as Moallem (1998) notes, "Teachers’ use of instructional design practices is not encouraging (Driscoll, 1989; Martin, 1990). Research on teacher planning and decision-making processes (e.g., Brown, 1988; Kagan, 1992; Reynolds, 1992; Shavelson, 1983) revealed that teachers typically do not plan and provide instruction in accordance with [instructional design] procedures" (p. 38). Change is required if education is to meet the rapidly changing needs of society today. Evidence is building that change in instructive practice does not occur unless faculty become involved in leadership, including professional development and professional learning communities (Bezzina, 2006; Colbert, Brown, Choi, & Thomas, 2008; Pijanowski, 2010). The implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) in a public school requires leadership from both administration and from faculty. While it may seem counterintuitive, guidance and direction from the faculty is more important than the management of the administration. Specifically, an instructional designer would have a vital role in the success of a professional learning community striving toward transformative instructional change, and should be part of the faculty team.