The purpose of this mixed-methods phenomenological study was to investigate the relationship between professional learning community (PLC) implementation and teachers' perceptions of engagement, professional collaboration, professional growth, and ultimately collective teacher efficacy. This research study collected data from elementary school…

This article shows the research results of implementing a professional learning model based on instructional leadership practices and structured teacher collaboration. The primary purpose was to promote a collaboration model focused on developing communities of practice, formed by school leaders and teachers, focusing on instructional improvement…

Professional Growth Plans (PGPs), a model of professional development for educators, were completed in the context of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as part of a grant from a state Professional Educator Standards Board. Participants were in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and represented different educator roles in two urban…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are gaining more popularity in education, as a result, professional learning centered around adoption of PLCs is abundant. The aim of this research project is to gain a deeper understanding of how teachers' perceptions of professional learning influence their willingness to implement a school initiative,…

Utilizing a qualitative single case study approach, this study was designed to examine how teachers in an elementary school that engages in professional learning communities describe the role of reflection in their own professional learning and practice. Relying on two semi-structured interviews, this study examines teachers' perceptions…

Inequities exist in the foundations of our society, which includes education. These inequities specifically affect marginalized students in their ability to access and have opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) at the elementary level. This action research project sought to investigate and strengthen the interest in…

Background & Context: Many efforts have been dedicated to building computer science (CS) teacher capacity through offering professional development (PD) programs. Previous reviews indicated the need to offer more continual support for teachers. Recent research has shifted its focus to scaling up PD and sustaining teaching capacity by…

This explanatory design was used to develop and implement effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at Target Elementary School (TES). The theoretical framework for this study began with the assumption that there was a direct link between PLCs, student data, and self-efficacy of educator collaboration. It should be the goal of every…

The goal of the study was to examine the factors that drove early childhood teachers to accept a leadership role in professional learning communities (PLCs), their perceptions of the role's characteristics and the implications of taking on an additional role beyond the teaching of kindergarten-age children. This qualitative study included 30…

The aim of this paper is to identify the characteristics that leadership must have in order to make a Professional Learning Community sustainable. A review of the literature is carried out from a qualitative perspective allowing us to identify a set of emerging themes from the literature studied. Among the results, it is highlighted that in order…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are an essential avenue for high-quality change and work. Maintaining unity among groups with differing opinions is challenging. This mixed-methods study aimed to assess elementary teachers' current perceptions of PLCs to determine their effectiveness by answering four research questions: What are the…

A large suburban school system in the mid-Atlantic United States identified the Data Wise Improvement Process (DWIP) as a systemic strategy to achieve the district-wide goal of student achievement for college and career readiness. Elementary science teachers marginally participated in school-based instructional team meetings to analyze student…

This study investigated the relationships between professional learning communities (PLCs), teacher self-efficacy, and experiential learning. A conceptual model that connects PLC components, including shared vision, interactive reflection, and collegiality, to teacher self-efficacy was proposed, as mediated by experiential learning. The data…

The research aimed to provide a complete understanding of characteristics, facilitators, and challenges in implementing professional learning communities in multi-age schools. This study utilized a mixed-methods multiple case study design. Participants in this study were teachers from two private K-8 multi-age schools. The characteristics of…

Studies have documented numerous positive effects of mentoring, but few studies have focused on mentor education and mentors' professional development and learning. In Norway, the focus on mentoring and mentor education has been visible in political documents and teacher education for several years. However, the scale of mentor education has been…