Evaluating PK–12 Professional Learning Communities

Abstract

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have emerged as one of the nation’s most widely implemented strategies for improving instruction and PK–12 student learning outcomes. PLCs are predicated on the principles of improvement science, a type of evidenced-based collective inquiry that aims to bridge the research–practice divide and increase organizational capacity to solve pressing problems of practice. In this article, the Teacher Collaboration Assessment Rubric (TCAR) is presented in which the evidenced-based attributes of rigorous PK–12 PLCs are operationalized. The author describes how the TCAR has been used for developmental, formative, and outcome evaluation purposes in PK–12 settings. The value of the TCAR and the evaluation of PLCs in other complex organizational systems such as health care and the sciences are also discussed. PLC evaluation can help teams to focus on improvement and to avoid “collaboration lite” whereby congeniality and imprecise conversation are confused with the disciplined professional inquiry vital to organizational improvement.

Toward a practice‐based theory for how professional learning communities engage in the improvement of tools and practices for scientific modeling

“…There is ample evidence suggesting teacher learning is best supported in PLCs when (a) teachers have collaborative opportunities to reflect on teaching and learning in their own classrooms with specific artifacts such as video and student work (Gallucci, Van Lare, Yoon, & Boatright, ); (b) teachers’ learning is part of ongoing instructional improvement work rather than exposure to disconnected teaching strategies (Darling‐Hammond & McLaughlin, ; Woodland, ); (c) teachers have opportunities to test and get feedback on instructional practices (Bybee, ; Coggshall et al, ); and (d) teachers can negotiate practices and reason with perceived contextual constraints, such as the need to be in alignment with school‐improvement goals (Allen & Penuel, ; Knapp, ). High‐quality professional learning opportunities ideally support PLCs in developing a culture of inquiry with trust and open‐mindedness, curiosity about student learning and a willingness to engage in principled risk‐taking (Cochran‐Smith & Lytle, ).…”

K-12 music teacher-to-teacher collaboration in Iowa

“…The latent constructs identified by Rebecca Woodland and colleagues were Dialogue, Decisionmaking, Action, and Evaluation (DDAE;Goodlad, Mantle-Bromley, & Goodlad, 2004;Koliba & Woodland, 2009;Woodland, 2016;Woodland, Kang, & Randall, 2013;Woodland & Koliba, 2007, 2008. Researchers investigated the extent to which the tool is a valid measure of teacher collaboration by analyzing data from a survey sample of almost 600 teachers in two districts.…”

“…Woodland and colleagues noted that teachers engaged in effective decisionmaking work together to identify strategies, content, motivational approaches, and tasks with the most and least merit, worth, and effect on student learning. They then make decisions about what changes need to be made to instructional practice in order to ensure all students experience meaningful learning (Woodland, 2016). Lower level decision-making might entail choosing instructional materials, crafting discipline procedures, adopting common grading practices, etc., rather than identifying and agreeing on strategies to improve instruction and increase learning.…”

“…The cycle of collaborative inquiry fails if teachers do not enact specific actions. According to Woodland (2016), "If left up to chance, teacher collaboration may lead to action-taking that is somewhat 'shallow' or 'superficial' and less than adequate to the complexities of teaching" (p. 509). In rigorous collaborative groups, teachers implement evidenced-based instructional practices that they have explicitly determined are most likely to bring about improvements in student learning.…”

“…Finally, Evaluation completed the cycle of collaborative inquiry as presented in the TCAS and concluded the survey tool for this study. Effective collaboration entails a thorough analysis, utilizing data, which assists team members in assessing the effectiveness of their instructional practice (Woodland, 2016;Woodland et al, 2013). The evaluative stage involves collecting and analyzing both quantitative data (scores on formative and summative assessments) as well as qualitative data (notes from a classroom observation, videos of lessons, or other written student work).…”