ERIC Number: EJ1187300
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Sep
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1741-1432
EISSN: N/A
A Review of Research on Professional Learning Communities in Mainland China (2006-2015): Key Findings and Emerging Themes
Qiao, Xuefeng; Yu, Shulin; Zhang, Limin
Educational Management Administration & Leadership, v46 n5 p713-728 Sep 2018
In the last decade, there has been growing interest in professional learning communities (PLCs) outside mainstream Western contexts. In this paper, we provide a narrative synthesis of empirical studies of PLCs in kindergarten to 12th grade educational systems in mainland China published between 2006 and 2015. The review reveals five major emerging themes in the published literature: PLC characteristics; PLC practices in different regions; teacher collaboration in PLCs; the roles of university researchers; and educational leadership in PLCs. Significant progress has been identified in the enhancement of social harmony in teaching research groups, structural teacher collaboration, the construction of transregional PLCs and the complex roles of university researchers and school leaders. However, compared with the literature on PLCs in Western contexts, research on these communities in mainland China is still far from mature. The authors highlight the need for more empirically solid research on the development of sustainable PLCs in mainland China.
Descriptors: Communities of Practice, Teacher Collaboration, Foreign Countries, Instructional Leadership, Elementary School Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, Geographic Regions, School Administration, Researchers, Role
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A