Professional Learning Communities, Leadership, and Student Learning

Educational Technology and Its Role in Constructing Learning Communities in the Arab Region with Particular Reference to the Egyptian Context — A Descriptive Paper

“…A "Professional" is someone with expertise in a special field, an individual who has not only pursued advanced training to enter the field, but who is also expected to remain current in its evolving knowledge base [8]. The term "Learning " refers to "that active process which occurs overtime, driven by learners around meaningful issues and fueled by rich, diverse and accessible sources of information" And with regard to "Community", it is a group of learners who share the same vision and mission, having a web of diverse relationships and provides the context for the emergence of unpredictable potential [9].…”

“…Community has been defined as a group of people who are willing and able to help each other [7]. More definitions have been given to the term by other scholars [6], [8], [9]. Through surveying the concept of this term in the previous literature learning communities can be defined as those communities that are formed on basis of a solid culture of learning.…”

The effect of teacher leader interactions with teachers on student achievement: a predictive study.

“…This evolution into teacher leadership teams raised new questions about how such a configuration would fit into existing organizational structures, rules, and relationships, and how effective such groups would be in improving teaching and learning (Chrispeels & Martin, 2002). Emphasis on teacher leader teams which encouraged and facilitated job-embedded professional development determined by teachers was believed to contribute to a culture of learning for teachers and students (Thompson, Gregg, & Niska, 2004). In one study, results suggested that when teacher leader teams in different schools used similar, effective data analysis strategies, teachers' understanding of students' learning needs improved (Tempedey, 2005).…”

“…These six issues could provide a starting point for SMT developers in working with schools implementing the school management team concept. Thompson, Gregg, and Niska (2004) making. Cross-section teacher focus groups offered member checks for trustworthiness.…”

“…Cross-section teacher focus groups offered member checks for trustworthiness. Thompson et al (2004) found that all six participating middle schools viewed themselves as learning organizations. Principal interviews ascertained with specific evidence that everyone in the school was involved in learning.…”