Download or read book A Study of Teacher Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities in a Cross section of Public Elementary Schools written by Troy Robert Parks and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is important to support teachers and administrators in the commitments, understandings, and skills necessary to lead schools where professional learning communities (PLCs) are well established (Saphier, 2005).When schools operate as PLCs, educational professionals increase their capacity to create the results that they truly desire; new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, collective goals are set free, and people continually strive to learn together (Senge, 1990). The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions of PLCs in a cross-section of eight elementary schools in a large, urban school district in the Western United States. Data were gathered through the Professional Learning Communities Assessment-Revised (PLCA-R). The PLCA-R assesses perceptions of the PLCs based on six subscales: (1) Shared values and vision, (2) Shared and supportive leadership, (3) Collective learning and application, (4) Shared personal practice, (5) Supportive conditions-relationships, and (6) Supportive conditions-structures. Each of the subscales was rated on Likert scale ranging from 1 = Strongly Disagree to 4 = Strongly Agree; these subscales and a total score of the subscales were used as dependent variables. The independent variables that were tested in this study were: the number of years a teacher has taught, the highest level of education attainment, years teaching at their school, elementary primary grade (K-3) versus upper grade (4-6) teachers, and score differences among the eight schools. One-way ANOVAs and t tests were conducted using the independent and dependent variables in order to answer the research questions and to understand if any significant differences existed among the variables. If differences were indicated by ANOVA, post-hoc analyses were conducted to detail where the differences were found. No significant differences in PLCA-R scores were found for highest level of education and primary versus upper grades teachers. Significant differences in the PLCA-R scores were found for the independent variables of years a teacher has taught, years teaching at this school, and among the eight schools. In addition, responses to the open-ended questions suggested that teachers enjoy collaboration and want more time to work with each other. This conclusion is aligned with several studies and current research on teacher collaboration.

Download or read book Teachers Perceptions Of The Professional Learning Community As A Model Of Professional Development written by Chanie A. Peterson and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Professional Learning Community (PLC) has increasingly gained worldwide acceptance as a research- based approach to professional development for educators. Benefits of the PLC are touted by many researchers who also identify the challenges to authentic implementation of the PLC model. This action research explored teachers' perceptions of the Professional Learning Community. Data sources for this research included an anonymous online survey, in-depth one-on-one interviews and a focus group. Study participants were elementary school teachers of grades five through eight who participated in horizontal professional learning communities for at least one year. Research questions providing the framework for this study were (1) To what extent do teachers think professional learning communities have impacted classroom instruction? (2) What do teachers perceive to be the greatest challenges to effective implementation of professional learning communities? and (3) What do teachers perceive to be the greatest benefits of professional learning communities? Data from these multiple sources indicate that teachers believe that the professional learning community is a viable method of professional development that produces sustainable and positive results for teachers and students. Teachers participating in this study identified numerous benefits of the professional learning community, the most significant being collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Participants believe that the work they do in professional learning communities has impacted classroom instruction and the culture of the school. Challenges to implementation of professional learning communities stem from scheduling issues and time conflicts. Other key themes emerged from the data. For example, teachers believe that they have improved as teachers and consequently, student achievement has improved as a result of PLCs. Teachers working in PLCs share a collective responsibility for pupil learning. Teachers also believe that a school should implement and maintain both vertical and horizontal PLCs. Teachers reported that PLCs fostered better relationships between teachers and administrators and that leadership at the building level impacts the fidelity of a PLC. One other important theme is that relationship building and trust are essential components of a highly functional professional learning community.

Download or read book Exploring Teacher Perceptions about Professional Learning Communities written by Andrea Cunningham and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Teacher Educators Professional Learning in Communities written by Linor Hadar and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2016-11-10 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Teacher Educators’ Professional Learning in Communities explores teacher educators' professional development in the communal model of learning. Learning in groups has proved to be a major avenue for supporting such development and change among teachers and other professions, but one which has received sparse attention with regards to teacher educators’ development. This book aims to examine such communities in order to identify factors that promote or hinder professional learning for teacher educators. Blending research on communal learning with seven years of practical experience in these contexts, the authors present their analysis of the communal professional development process and provide a conceptual basis for understanding this type of professional learning for teacher educators. The book addresses organizational aspects of teacher educators’ learning in communities, such as creating a safe environment, group reflection, feedback and discussion about student learning. Personal professional learning aspects are also explored, including the reduction of personal isolation, the process of transition towards change, and withdrawal from the goals of the community. Finally, influences and implications for professional learning among teacher educators are discussed. Teacher educators stand at the crux of the entire educational enterprise, because of their responsibility in training the next generation of teachers. As such, their professional development is increasingly important in promoting and advancing educational practice. Integrating current literature with pictures of practice about the use of the communal model in professional development in educational settings, it will be of key interest to researchers and postgraduate students in several fields: professional development, teacher educators, and communities of learners. Practitioners who are involved with the professional development of teacher educators will also find this book extremely useful.

Download or read book Teachers Perceptions of Their Literacy Professional Development written by Patrick Suber and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2021-02-17 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Title-I schools, how adequately do administrators prepare teachers to implement new reading curriculums? The majority of students at these Title-I schools are from low-income families. Literature has indicated that families from low socioeconomic situations often depend heavily on schools to provide the foundational literacy skills their children need to become capable and lifelong readers (Teale, Paciga, & Hoffman, 2008).

Download or read book Perceptions of the Effects of Professional written by Kyra Lee Rhyne and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this study was to describe teacher perceptions of the effects of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), as designed by common planning of core subjects among high school teachers, on teacher efficacy in the public schools of North Georgia. The study sought to answer the following research questions: (1) Is there a difference in teacher selfefficacy as measured by the Teacher's Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) between high school teachers who participate in Professional Learning Communities linked with the organizational structure of common core planning and those who do not? and (2) What differences exist among teachers' description of the effects of common core planning on their teaching practices and on their self-efficacy? The first question was answered using the TSES. The second research question was answered through interviews with a purposefully selected sample of teachers. This research used mixed methods. Survey and interview data exploring teacher's educational experience in Professional Learning Communities designed with and without common core planning were collected. Survey results provide evidence of a positive relationship between classroom related components of teacher efficacy and Professional Learning Communities linked with the organizational strategy of common core planning among the unit of analysis--the teachers. This study added to the existing body of knowledge about the use of Professional Learning Communities in high schools. Implications for researchers, policy analysis, and practitioners were identified.

Download or read book Does Teachers Work in Professional Learning Communities Explain Variations in Their Students Achievement Scores written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Teachers' professional learning has been, and always will be, a critical thread of research. Over the last decade, however, the research on teacher professional learning has changed in two substantial ways. First, the way teachers learn on the job has changed. In the past, teachers attended one-time workshops, where they received information in a --sit and get" fashion. Today, teacher-learning communities are becoming more of the norm for learning on the job. In addition, today, it is also critical that teachers' learning bolster student achievement. That is to say, evaluators should be able to make direct connections between what teachers learn on the job to the impacts that learning has on their students. This study examined the relationship between teachers' perceptions of professional learning communities, student achievement, and other teacher and student characteristics. The researcher administered the Professional Community Index to 141 teachers during the 2008-2009 school year at 9 southern California schools. In addition to the Index, the teacher collected demographic data on teacher experience, education, certification, and content knowledge. The researcher merged these data with a large, longitudinal data set, which included background characteristics on these teachers' students. The data gathered included student ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English language status, prior achievement, parent education level, and absences. Results from several multiple regressions indicated that student background characteristics explained variations in student achievement. In the first regression, prior achievement scores accounted for approximately 37% of the variations in students' 2008 test scores. The second analysis indicated that once the block of student characteristic variables were controlled, the professional learning community variable explained only a nominal percentage of the overall explanation of scores. While the data for this sample suggested that teachers' work in professional learning communities had little impact on their students' scores, these results do not in anyway suggest that teacher learning is unsubstantial. The work teachers do within these communities may have influences on these students in ways that were not measured in this study or in ways that only long term research may capture.

Download or read book Teacher Perceptions of Leadership Practices and the Development of Professional Learning Communities written by Joanne Pitman and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Exploration of Teachers Perceptions of the Influence of Professional Learning Communities on Their Professional Practices and on Teacher Retention written by Tekeisha Ford Mitchell and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Five Disciplines of PLC Leaders written by Timothy D. Kanold and published by Solution Tree Press. This book was released on 2011-08-01 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Make the transition from traditional, whole-group reading instruction to the 21st century classroom by integrating three innovations that will dramatically improve elementary reading instruction: RTI, differentiated instruction, and technology. Detailed ex

Download or read book EXPLORING NORTH CAROLINA HEAD START TEACHERS PERCEPTIONS OF THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE FRAMEWORK written by Lanie Philips Holmes and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Professional learning communities, or PLCs, comprise of a group of educators, and sometimes other professionals, that meet, share their ideas, and work together to problem solve and share strategies related to teaching and working with students. This framework is widely utilized in primary and secondary educational settings, but much less is known about their effectiveness and desire to be used in the early childhood context. In this mixed-methods study, we examined the perceived helpfulness and expectations NC Head Start teachers have, regarding PLCs, through the collection of survey data (n=168). In addition to this, we examined the lived experiences of 11 NC Head Start teachers and their perceptions, beliefs, and thoughts about PLCs, specifically, as a professional development tool. The quantitative findings suggest NC Head Start teachers' perceptions of PLCs are positive. They generally agreed that participating in a PLC would be a meaningful experience that is worth their time. In addition to this, we discovered these teachers view PLCs to be helpful for identifying student needs and creating strategies to help meet these needs. Various themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis: PLCs as a tool for receiving and providing support through collaboration; mutual trust, respect, structure, organization, and supervisor involvement as key components to professional collaboration within a PLC; PLCs as a helpful tool to enhance science and food-related education; and teacher perceived limiting factors to utilizing PLCs. In conclusion, limitations of the study and implications for the field of early childhood education are shared, and suggestions for future research are stated.

Download or read book Teacher Perceptions of a Professional Learning Community written by Bo Hannaford and published by LAP Lambert Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2011-09 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many studies provide evidence that professional learning communities are a valid means for school reform in public education. These studies may be even more important since schools are facing more pressure than ever to meet high academic performance benchmarks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to discover teacher perceptions toward a professional learning community and teacher perceptions of instructional practice in a middle school in a southern U.S. state. The results of this study indicated that teachers have a positive perception of learning communities, instructional practice, effective communication, collaboration, shared leadership practices, and the use of common assessments. Teachers, principals, and superintendents may use the results of this study to promote the creation of professional learning communities. The results of this study can lead to positive social change by providing an alternative school culture encouraging a positive perception among teachers that leads to improved instructional practice which can impact student learning

Download or read book Shifting the Mindset written by Kathy L. Guthrie and published by IAP. This book was released on 2021-08-01 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Calling others in to lead for social justice has never been more important. In a world plagued by multiple and overlapping pandemics and other crises, the cost of leadership failures is constantly rising. Leadership education is responding to these challenges by centering cultural relevance, critical pedagogies, and important issues of identity, capacity, and efficacy in the preparation of emerging learners. Meeting the global demand for social justice requires thoughtful, innovative, and engaged praxes by all leadership educators. Alongside a cadre of diverse authors, we intend to shift the mindset of leadership education toward forward-thinking and holistic solutions, empowering our students to build a fairer and more equitable world for themselves and others. Shifting the Mindset: Socially Just Leadership Education widens and deepens the discourse begun in Changing the Narrative: Socially Just Leadership Education. Our contributors’ ideas occur into two parts: the first examines student social identities otherwise underrepresented in existing leadership education literature. The second portion illuminates key factors of leadership learning contexts frequently under– or unattended in both leadership education and social justice education. Every chapter includes critical considerations and practical guidance for educators striving to meet the leadership demands of an increasingly unjust world. Taken together, these thinking, planning, and acting tools augment the potential of educators who are preparing leaders under uncertain conditions. We envision this book as an essential element of the leadership learning toolkit of socially just leadership ducators at all levels, between contexts, and across varying amounts of education, influence, and experience. You are needed now more than ever before. We, once again, invite you to our ongoing fight for fairness, freedom, and a brighter future for all.

Download or read book An Investigation Of Teacher Efficacy Understandings Practices And The Impact Of Professional Development As Perceived By Elementary School Teachers written by Arnold Jeffrey White and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Professional Learning Community (PLC) has increasingly gained worldwide acceptance as a research- based approach to professional development for educators. Benefits of the PLC are touted by many researchers who also identify the challenges to authentic implementation of the PLC model. This action research explored teachers' perceptions of the Professional Learning Community. Data sources for this research included an anonymous online survey, in-depth one-on-one interviews and a focus group. Study participants were elementary school teachers of grades five through eight who participated in horizontal professional learning communities for at least one year. Research questions providing the framework for this study were (1) To what extent do teachers think professional learning communities have impacted classroom instruction? (2) What do teachers perceive to be the greatest challenges to effective implementation of professional learning communities? and (3) What do teachers perceive to be the greatest benefits of professional learning communities? Data from these multiple sources indicate that teachers believe that the professional learning community is a viable method of professional development that produces sustainable and positive results for teachers and students. Teachers participating in this study identified numerous benefits of the professional learning community, the most significant being collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Participants believe that the work they do in professional learning communities has impacted classroom instruction and the culture of the school. Challenges to implementation of professional learning communities stem from scheduling issues and time conflicts. Other key themes emerged from the data. For example, teachers believe that they have improved as teachers and consequently, student achievement has improved as a result of PLCs. Teachers working in PLCs share a collective responsibility for pupil learning. Teachers also believe that a school should implement and maintain both vertical and horizontal PLCs. Teachers reported that PLCs fostered better relationships between teachers and administrators and that leadership at the building level impacts the fidelity of a PLC. One other important theme is that relationship building and trust are essential components of a highly functional professional learning community.

Download or read book Teacher Construction of Knowledge and Perception Surrounding Professional Learning Communities written by Lori A. Smith and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today, educators, administrators, students, and community stakeholders are being asked to receive, implement, and utilize change strategies designed to improve student achievement. One such change strategy currently being utilized is that of the professional learning community. Empirical evidence capturing the voices of the teachers who construct their knowledge and perception surrounding professional learning communities is deficient in the body of literature found today. Using a narrative approach this study examined the following research questions: How do teachers describe the purpose of PLCs? What are teacher perceptions of PLCs at Ames Elementary? How do teacher perceptions of PLCs affect the implementation of PLCs at Ames Elementary? The findings of this study indicate that administrators need to provide ongoing teacher training opportunities. There must also be support provided for the staff that will ensure their ability to be able to form a strong collaborative PLC culture. The purpose for the implementation of PLCs must be clearly articulated and transparent, and the development of positive teacher leaders within PLCs is key. This paper suggests that these factors are useful in working toward implementing and sustaining a professional learning community.

Download or read book A Case Study written by Melina L. Quon and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this case study was to document teacher perceptions of how components of professional learning communities create a collaborative environment for teacher lesson sharing and improve lesson preparation to increase student achievement. Components of professional learning communities includes collaboration time with colleagues to (a) analyze student achievement data, (b) create data-driven lesson plans, (c) create SMART goals to monitor student achievement, and (d) provide time for reflection of practice. The case study utilized qualitative methodology by using a teacher survey instrument adapted from the professional learning community work of DuFour and Eaker (1998), and integrated the survey results with school site achievement data. The study found that student achievement increased 20 points in adequate yearly progress (A YP) in a school considered a low performing site. Cause-and-effect relationship was not the purpose of this study and the researcher realizes the many factors that impact and influence student achievement. However, when teachers believe that weekly time set aside for collaboration within their professional learning community provides time for lesson planning and leads to improved student achievement scores, then perhaps we have discovered something of value for this one particular school. The implications of this case study are unique to the school site and may expand professional learning communities district- Professional Learning Communities ii wide to support teacher collaboration and lesson plans sharing to close the achievement gap. KEYWORDS: collaboration, leadership, professional learning communities (PLCs),

Download or read book Teacher Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities written by Diann Wylie Marley and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study was conducted to determine the degree to which teachers in the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) schools within the South Central Region of the United States perceive that their schools are practicing the attributes of professional learning communities (PLCs). Consistent with public school PLC literature, the data analysis found that Christian school teachers perceived that all the attributes of a PLC were not being practiced in their schools.