Teacher Professional Learning Communities: An exploration of collaborative approaches to improvements in teaching and learning

Abstract

Over the past twenty years, there has been a paradigm shift in approaches to professional
development and to improving learning and teaching in educational settings. This shift has been
towards networks of professionals with increased focus on collective accountability, and the
practice of groups of staff working collaboratively in professional learning communities can be
seen in schools across the world. This desk-based study explores the education policy landscape
in Scotland, the prominent drivers in education and the expectation that teachers and leaders
develop collaboration and engage in learning communities. It explores the literature relating to
teacher professional learning communities (PLCs), reviews empirical studies and literature
reviews on PLCs, and develops a conceptual framework for PLC implementation within
professional settings. The insight provided by this study offers the researcher the opportunity to
present implications for leadership, for policy, and for further theoretical and practical research.
The research shows that PLCs can support positive improvements to teaching and learning
practices and to learners’ experiences and outcomes, but that certain features and conditions
have an impact on their effectiveness. From a synthesis of the literature, the researcher has
established three prominent themes worthy of consideration by leaders who wish to facilitate
PLCs: trust, collaborative culture and teacher self-efficacy. This paper concludes that leaders who
aim to develop whole school learning organisations should adopt approaches that share
responsibility, distribute leadership and build capacity for continuous improvement; that build
the culture, provide the resources and create the conditions in which professional learning
communities can flourish; and that model values and vision, with a sharp focus on improving the
experiences and outcomes of students.