Professional learning communities (PLCs) as learning environments for teachers: An in-depth examination of the development of seven PLCs and influencing factors

Adaptation and Validation of a Scale for Measuring the Curriculum-Based Professional Learning Community in Early Childhood Education in China

“…Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been seen as an important tool to enhance teachers' collaborative learning. The literature on PLCs shows that PLCs can facilitate teacher development (Stoll et al, 2006 ; Huijboom et al, 2021 ), improving teachers' knowledge and classroom practice (Andrews and Lewis, 2007 ) and students' achievement (Buysse et al, 2010 ; Bergmark, 2020 ; Wasik and Hindman, 2020 ). The construction of PLCs has become a centerpiece of many proposals for restructuring schools and supporting teachers' classroom practice and professional development (Newmann and Wehlage, 1995 ; Louis et al, 1996 ; Louis and Marks, 1998 ; Garet et al, 2001 ).…”

“…The description of PLCs' features presents two research paradigms. One paradigm focuses on describing the characteristics of the operational process of PLCs such as collaboration, reflection, and giving and receiving feedback (Louis et al, 1996 ; Huijboom et al, 2021 ). The other paradigm focuses on the conditions required for a well-functioning PLC such as supportive and shared leadership (Hord, 1997 ; Hord and Sommers, 2009 ), deprivatization of practice, and its results such as collective learning and shared values (Hord, 1997 ; Louis and Marks, 1998 ; Hord and Sommers, 2009 ).…”

“…Strong professional communities have a positive effect on the job satisfaction of preschool teachers because PLCs create mutual learning chances for them, allowing them to share responsibility for students, permitting them to develop the best strategy for teaching through social interaction, and designing, implementing, and improving curriculum with collective efforts (Stearns et al, 2014 ). According to Huijboom et al ( 2021 ), the concept of PLCs is a joint learning of individual and collective learning and creating collective knowledge. Important conditions that PLCs facilitate teachers' professional development include the followings: opportunity to collaborative learning, support from school leaders and experts, authorized collective autonomy, time, space and sources, teachers' teaching needs met, and organizing reflective instruction (Darling-Hammond et al, 2017 ; Huijboom et al, 2021 ).…”

“…According to Huijboom et al ( 2021 ), the concept of PLCs is a joint learning of individual and collective learning and creating collective knowledge. Important conditions that PLCs facilitate teachers' professional development include the followings: opportunity to collaborative learning, support from school leaders and experts, authorized collective autonomy, time, space and sources, teachers' teaching needs met, and organizing reflective instruction (Darling-Hammond et al, 2017 ; Huijboom et al, 2021 ).…”

“…The reason for this is that the Utopia of reform will not be transformed into daily classroom practice without the marriage of a new curriculum and teacher learning (Ball and Cohen, 1996 ). PLCs have been proved to be an effective way to empower teachers (Stoll et al, 2006 ; Huijboom et al, 2021 ). In particular, curriculum-based professional learning placed the focus on a curriculum which rooted in teachers' ongoing, active experiences and allowed teachers to experience instruction as their students will.…”