Towards a comprehensive and dynamic conceptual framework to research and enact professional learning communities in the context of secondary education

Abstract

The past two decades research on teachers' professional development focusses increasingly on professional learning communities (PLCs). Based on a literature search a conceptual framework was developed including a comprehensive PLC-concept. Comprehensive because it takes into account the complexity of the educational context. The PLCconcept outlining 11 characteristics, is embedded in a framework, containing five external factors that influence. The framework was evaluated by interviewing educational experts. The literature search and the interviews showed a great diversity of distinct PLC characteristics and a wide range of external influencing factors. Based on expert interviews, no essential elements appeared to be lacking in the framework, moreover no other perspectives on the framework were mentioned. An additional search on recent literature confirmed the constructed framework. As yet we concluded that the developed concept is sufficiently comprehensive and feasible for conducting research on PLCs.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Entrepreneurship Education Technical Vocational Education and Training College Lecturers’: Do They Have Sufficient Knowledge of Content and Students?

“…Lecturers are ostensibly enhancing their own teaching methods by actively participating in their own and their colleagues' professional development through PLC involvement, which may ultimately lead to an increase in student learning (van Meeuwen, Huijboom, Rusman, Vermeulen & Imants, 2020). Dogan, Pringle and Mesa (2015) discovered that involvement in PLCs boosted teachers' disciplinary as well as pedagogical topic knowledge.…”

A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Effective Professional Learning Community (PLC) Operation in Schools

“…Mitchell and Sackney (2011) noted that a common vision draws together the aspirations of all affected parties, so as to ‘provide appropriate direction and alignment for the educational activities in the school’ (p. 11). Effective PLC operation is predicated upon teachers and school leaders having a shared vision to improve student outcomes (DuFour & Eaker, 1998,Hord & Sommers, 2008, Van Meeuwen et al, 2020, Vescio et al, 2008). With this shared vision in place, teachers in a PLC direct their attention towards improving instructional practices to enhance student outcome data (Beddoes et al, 2020; Vescio et al, 2008).…”

Towards a better understanding of psychological needs of student teachers during field experiences

“…The general approach of presenting a comprehensive theoretical framework and its evaluation by means of gathering empirical data is inspired by recent works from the field of teacher education (e.g. Ní Bhroin and King 2020; Ostinelli 2016;Van Meeuwen et al 2018).…”