Professional learning communities : an exploration

2006·5.4 MB·English

by  InPraxis Group Inc

Professional Learning Communities:
An
Exploration
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ALBERTA EDUCATIONCATALOGUINGINPUBLICATIONDATA
InPraxis GroupInc.
Professionallearningcommunities anexploration.
:
Note: InPraxis developedthisreportforthe SchoolImprovementBranch,
BasicLearning,AlbertaEducation.
ISBN0-7785-4705-7
1. Teacherworkgroups -Alberta. 2. Teachereffectiveness -Alberta.
3. Educationalleadership -Alberta. 4. Schoolimprovementprograms-
Alberta. 5. Educationalchange-Alberta. 6. Teachers-Professional
relationships-Alberta. I. Title. II. Alberta. AlbertaEducation. School
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Table of contents
Introduction 1
Section 1: Conceptions andUnderstandings ofProfessionalLearningCommunities 3
Exploringmeaningsofprofessionallearningcommunities 3
Howprofessional learningcommunitieshaveemerged 7
Section!: Attributes and StructuresofProfessionalLearningCommunities 9
Professional learningcommunitiesinthecontextofthe schoolcommunity 9
Recurringattributes 11
Implications forimplementation 17
Embeddingprofessionallearningcommunities inschoolculture 19
Professionallearningcommunities ascollaborativecultures 21
Modelsandstructuresthatinfluenceprofessionallearningcommunities 23
Leadershipasacriticalfactor 28
Thelinkbetweenprofessionaldevelopmentandprofessionallearningcommunities 31
Criticalareas ofsupport 33
Sections: Benefits ofProfessionalLearningCommunities 37
Exploringthebenefitsofprofessionallearningcommunities 37
Linkingbenefits andeffectivenessto sustainability 41
Conclusion 43
AnnotatedBibliography 45
Endnotes 71
ProfessionalLearningCommunities: AnExploration TableofContents/iii
©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada 2006
ProfessionalLearningCommunities: AnExploration
©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada
Introduction
Thispaperexploresresearchandliteraturerelatedtoprofessionallearningcommunities (PLCs) and
describestheirattributesandstructures,theimpactofdifferentenvironments inwhichprofessional
learningcommunities canbesustainedandthebenefits forstaffandstudents.
ProfessionalLearningCommunities: AnExploration Introduction/I
©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada 2006
ProfessionalLearningCommunities: AnExploration
©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada
Section 1
Conceptions and Understandings of Professional Learning
Communities
Theconceptionofschoolsaslearningcommunities isbroadeningunderstandings ofthe interactions and
relationshipsthatexistwithinthe schoolenvirormient, andhowthose interactionsandrelationships
impactlearningwithbothstudentsandstaff. There is increasingattentiongiventothetypes of
enviroimientsthatexistwithinschools, andtheneedtoarticulatechange,reformandimprovement
initiativesaroundthecontextofimprovedstudentachievementwithinsuchlearningcommunities.
Exploringmeaningsofprofessionallearningcommunities
Learningcommunities focusontheprocesses oflearningandgrapplewithquestionsofwhat,whenand
howlearningshouldtakeplace. Learningcommunitiesplaceanemphasisontheorganizational
structures,relationships andnatureofindividualswithinanorganization. Theyexpandunderstandings of
waysthatcommunitymembers canworktogethertofacilitatechangeandschool improvement.
Marzano's (2003)researchonwhatworks inschoolsreinforcestheimportanceofauthenticityin
collaborativeculturesbyreferencingFullanandHargreaves' descriptionofcollegiality. Authentic
interactionsthatincludeopenlysharingfailures andmistakes, demonstratingrespectandconstructively
analyzingandcriticizingpracticesandprocedurescharacterizecollegiality. Marzanoprovides aresearch-
basedlinkbetweencollaborativeculturesandorganizationalclimate, andschooleffectiveness and
increasedstudentachievement. He says"studiesthathavefoundastatisticallysignificantrelationship
betweenschoolclimateandstudentachievementhavefocusedoncollegiahtyandprofessionalism."* He
definescollegialityandprofessionalismas "themaimerinwhichstaffmembers inthe school interactand
theextenttowhichtheyapproachtheirworkasprofessionals."^Hisdefinitionisbasedon studiesthat
identifyfactorsthatimpactstudentachievement, includingleadership, cooperation, sharedvisionand
goals,practice-orientedstaffdevelopmentandalearningorganization.^
Senge (2000) stressestheneedto seethe"learningorganizationapproachtoeducation"asmorethanjust
talkingandworkingingroups,butratherinvolvingeveryone"inexpressingtheiraspirations,building
theirawarenessanddevelopingtheircapabilitiestogether.""^
ProfessionalLearningCommunities: AnExploration Section 1 /3
©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada 2006
Senge's learningorganizations involvethefivekeydisciplinesof:
• organizationallearning: personalmastery
• sharedvision
• mentalmodels
• teamlearning
• systemsthinking.
Learningorganizationshaveparallelstothewaysthatcurrentliteratureconceptualizesprofessional
learningcommunities(PLCs).
Althoughanumberoftermshaveevolvedfromtheconceptsofcommunityandlearningcommunityto
describetheconceptofPLCs, definitionsmostoftencentreonagroupofprofessionalswhofocus on
learningwithinasupportive, self-createdcommunity. Theterms learningcommunities, communities of
practice,professionalcommunities oflearners andcommunitiesofcontinuousinquiryandimprovement^
are foundthroughoutliteratureandresearchon schoolreformandimprovement. Theytypicallyreferto
the similarprocesses andcommonattributesofPLCs. AsHord(1997)notes,thereisnouniversally
accepteddefinition. Instead, definitionscentreonattributesorcharacteristicsthattransformagroupof
professionals,workingtogether, intoaPLC. Hord'sreviewofPLCs findsfivekeyattributesor
dimensions emergefi-omtheliterature: supportiveandsharedleadership, sharedvaluesandvision,
collectivelearningandapplicationoflearning, supportiveconditions andsharedpersonalpractice.
Morrissey's(2000)workextendsHord's identificationofthedimensions ofPLCstoincludethebenefits
ofestablishingthem;thelinkbetweenPLCs, school improvementandincreasedstudentlearning,
achievementandgrowth; thecentralityofcapacitybuildingandthenecessityforsupport.^
Ratherthan becomingareform initiativeitself, aprofessionallearningcommunitybecomesthe
supportingstructureforschools to continuouslytransform themselvesthrough theirown internal
capacity.^
Morrissey(2000,p. 10)
4/Secfion 1 ProfessionalLearningCommunities: AnExploration
2006 ©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada
TheworkoftheAlbertaTeachers' AssociationwithPLCs in sixAlbertaschoolsreiteratesthe cultural
andprofessionalchangesthatresultwhenteachers andadministrators focus onbuildingcapacityandtrust
withincollaborativecontexts.^ Broaderconceptionsinvolvetheneedtoconsiderthecognitive and
proceduralprocessesthatoccurineffectivePLCs. TheincreasingcallfortheestablishmentofPLCs has
impactedbeliefsandviewsaboutthenatureofteaching, learningandknowledge.
Oneofthesebehefs involvesasituativeperspective^onlearning. Thisperspectiverecognizesthat
cognitionandlearningtakeplaceincontextsthatareinteractiveandrelatedtoindividuals, organizations
andsystems. Situationaltheorists say"thatthephysicalandsocialcontexts inwhichanactivitytakes
placeareanintegralpartoftheactivity, andthattheactivityisanintegralpartofthe learningthattakes
placewithinit. Howapersonlearnsaparticularsetofknowledgeandskills, andthe situationinwhicha
personlearns,becomesafundamentalpartofwhatis learned."^^ Theperspectivefocuses onhow
"varioussettingsforteachers' learninggiverisetodifferentkindsofknowing."^^
BestPractice: PutnamandBorkodescribeprojectsthatbroughtteachers,university-basedresearchers
andstaffdeveloperstogethertocreatediscoursecommunities.^3
IntheCommunityofLearnersproject(WineburgandGrossman,1998; Thomas, Wineburg, Grossman,
MyhreandWoolworth,1998)high-schoolteachersofEnglishandhistorygatheredwithuniversity-
basededucatorstoreadbooks,discussteachingandlearning,anddesignaninterdisciplinary
humanitiescurriculum. Centraltothisworkwastheideathateachparticipantbringsunique
knowledgeandbeliefstoaprofessionallearningcommunity.Preliminaryfindingsindicatethatan
intellectualcommunityforteachersdevelopedwithinthehighschool,collegialityamongfacultywithin
andacrossdepartmentswasenhanced,andthecurriculumoftheschoolwasaffected.Membersofthe
universityteamgainednewinsightsaboutthetime,effortandtrustrequiredtoreformtheprofessional
cultureofteaching(Thomasetal.,1998).
Inanotherproject,Goldenbergandcolleagues(GoldenbergandGallimore,1991;Saunders,Goldenberg
andHamann,1992)workedwithagroupofteacherstoelaboratetheconceptofinstructional
conversation—amodeofinstructionthatemphasizesactivestudentinvolvementingoalandmeaning-
orienteddiscussions. Together,participantsdevelopedprinciplesofinstructionalconversationsfor
elementaryclassroomsastheyengagedininstructionalconversationsthemselves.Goldenbergplayeda
criticalroleinguidinginstructionalconversationswithteachers,whiletheteachersbroughtintimate
knowledgeoftheirownclassroomsandteachingpracticestotheconversations(Saundersetal,1992).
Theconsensus ofunderstandingaboutPLCs centresprimarilyonthequalities andattributesneededto
consideragroupofprofessionals,workingtogether,asaPLC. Conceptions andunderstandingsrevolve
aroundrelationships andconnectionsbetweenallindividualswhoarepartofschoolanddistrictsettings.
ProfessionalLearningCommunities: AnExploration Section 1 /5
©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada 2006
Withinalearningcommunity, thelearningoftheteachersisas importantasthelearningofthe
children.... Weassume, therefore, thatalearningcommunityconsists inagroupofpeoplewho takean
active, reflective, collaborative, learning-orientedandgrowth-promotingapproach towardboth the
mysteriesandtheproblemsofteachingandlearning.^'*
MitchellandSackney(2000,p. 2)
—
Themultipleenvironmentsforprofessionallearningthatcurrentlyexist differentorganizational
structures andpriorities, alternatemethodsforcollaborationandcommunicationinprofessional
developmentapproachesandaligningprofessionaldevelopmentwithelements suchas districtpohcyand
—
curriculumneeds stresstheimportanceofconsideringthewaysinwhichlearningtakesplaceinthe
schoolenvironmentthroughdifferentlenses.'^Theselensesincludeviewingtheteacheras aprofessional
andrecognizingtheimportanceofaconstructivistandinquiry-based stancetoteacherlearning.
Recentresearch on teachingandlearninghasestablishedthatteachingandlearningisnota
simplecauseandeffectrelationship, butratheracomplexprocess inwhich learningisco-
constructedbyteachersandstudents inaspecificclassroom contextwith instructionatanypoint
in timereflectingtheteacher'sanalysis ofthevariouselements inplayatthatmoment... The
complexityofteachingandlearningis incompatiblewith thenarrow, short-term, episodic,
special-projectfocusofmuch oftraditionalstaffdevelopment.^^
Reitzug(2002,p. 2)
PLCs arenotlimitedtoonegrouporasingledimension. Theymayinvolvedifferentgroupswithinthe
schoolauthoritywhohaveasimilarfocus andneed.
PLCscan beschool-based, districtbased, cross-districtornational; themembership ina
particularPLCisdeterminedbyitsfocus. Forexample, agrade-levelteamofteachersmayform
aPLCtofocuson improvingtheirabilityto coordinatetheirstudents'curriculum; amultigrade
groupofteachersmaycollaborateonways to ensureacoherentlearningpathwayfortheir
students; agroupofmath teachersmayworktogethertoadoptandimplementanew
mathematicsprogram in ways thatbestbenefittheirstudents; teachersandadministratorsmay
meetasaPLCto learnandsupportinnovativeteachingstrategies;principalsorsuperintendents
mayconcentrateonmoreeffectiveways tohandletheparticularchallengesoftheirroles; a
schoolsystem maymeetregularlywithcoredistrictrepresentatives to improveoperational
effectivenessandto buildcapacitytosupportschoolanddistrictefforts to improveschools;
groupsmayformacrossdistricts, oftenaspartofanationalschoolreform initiative, tofocuson
common issues in theirwork.^^
AnnenbergInstitute (2003,p. 2)
6/Section 1 ProfessionalLearningCommunities: AnExploration
2006 ©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada