Professional Learning Community in Secondary Schools Community in Malaysia

Abstract

This paper outlines a research towards an initial assessment of the stage of the PLC in secondary schools in Malaysians secondary school with teachers as the main focus. A brief philosophy of the importance of learning organization and its development in various countries was reviewed and incorporated by the current situations, leading to the objectives and methodology for this study. The result showed the teachers can be active in their learning and improving their schools as to enhance the learning performance of the students in the first four characteristic dimensions refer to the practice of shared values, goals, mission and vision among teachers which play an important role in shaping the PLC in secondary school. Also, it reveals the importance of principals as key leaders play an important role in shaping the PLC in their respective schools as to provide support and guidance to teachers. In addition, collective learning and application dimension also has four characteristics showed teachers are more focused on their need to improve work performance and improve teaching methods. On the other hand, the secondary schools in Malaysia very much focus on the revision of the student workbook and hold a formal observation whereas, peer observations is poorly implemented. Thus, the characteristic of this dimension of practice is at a moderate level. Overall, this study has identified twenty-five properties which refer to the five (5) dimensions of practice that forms the PLC schools in Malaysia. The final stage proposes these schools have adopted the PLC which shows all the teachers work harder to ensure they continue to be implemented properly and constantly improving for a better future.

Unveiling the Practices and Challenges of Professional Learning Community in a Malaysian Chinese Secondary School

“…Teachers have to always reflect upon their teaching practices by enquiring about it from other teachers of the same expertise (Chauraya & Brodie, 2017). As Chinese students and teachers are used to drilling and repeated practice strategies (Lim, 2003), the administrators' leadership must play a role in initiating the culture of PLC in the school (Qiao et al, 2018;Vanblaere & Devos, 2016;Wang, 2016 integrating PLC as a culture of the school, the school principal has to be the pioneer in initiating the practice to be followed by the teachers (Abdullah & Ghani, 2014).…”

“…In the Malaysian school context, shared values and vision between the teachers and school leaders enable PLC to serve a purpose toward a mutually consented goal for the school's being (Abdullah, 2017). In addition, school administrators are also willing to share leadership with teachers, being leaders who practice distributive leadership and always give support to teachers in the implementation of PLC (Abdullah & Ghani, 2014). Apart from that, teachers are collaborating in PLC and they work as a team as improving the performance of students has become a collective responsibility involving all teachers as a whole (Abdullah, 2017).…”

The Relationship of Principals’ Distributive Leadership towards Professional Learning Community Practices in Gombak District (Malaysia) Secondary Schools

“…This study uses a set of questionnaires as one of the research instruments. This set of questionnaires was adapted from two studies conducted previously, namely a study by Zuraida et al ( 2016) with the title of study of the influence of distributive leadership on conflict management among school leaders and a study by Abdullah & Ghani (2014) with the study title Professional Learning Community in Secondary schools Community in Malaysia. This questionnaire method was conducted for the purpose of distributive leadership level of leaders and professional learning community practices.…”

Theory of Change: A Success or a Failure for School Improvement, a Discussion Base on Malaysian Context

“…A study by Abdullah and Ghani (2014) in Professional Learning Community in Secondary Schools in Malaysia showed that the teachers can be active in their learning and improve their schools as to enhance the learning performance of the students in the first four characteristic dimensions referred to the practice of shared values, goals, mission and vision among teachers which play an important role in shaping the PLC in secondary school. Also, it reveals the importance of principals as key leaders play an important role in shaping the PLC in their respective schools, as to provide support and guidance to teachers.…”

“…On the other hand, the secondary schools in Malaysia are very much focused on the revision of the student workbook and hold a formal observation whereas, peer observations is poorly implemented. However, the schools that have adopted the PLC shows all the teachers work harder to ensure they continue to be implemented properly and constantly improving for a better future (Abdullah and Ghani, 2014). As highlighted by Fullan, he focuses on learning, a collaborative culture with best practices, action orientation and commitments will bring results.…”