Fostering teachers' professional development through collaboration in professional learning communities

Abstract

Emerging models for continuing professional development of teachers engage teachers in a collaborative learning through professional learning communities (PLC) as a way to spur their professional development and empowerment, and correspondingly, lead to positive changes in teaching practices and student learning. Learning communities are created in these collaborative models where teachers debate theoretical principles, share insights about their teaching and learning, design new instructional strategies, experiment new ideas in classrooms and reflect on results. Models such as Wenger's "community of practice", Hord's Professional Learning Community, Katz and Earl's collaboration model and Pedder and Opfer's professional learning model will be described. Schools can support teacher learning by promoting collaboration, team learning and collegial dialogue among staff, creating continuous learning opportunities, instituting systems to learn and to share learning. This study explored how a South African primary school succeeded in implementing and developing a PLC culture to empower its teachers to improve their learning and that of their students. Key factors in the success of the school's PLC were the leadership of the principal, who acknowledged the necessity for a collaborative learning culture, and the fact that the school had strong and experienced teaching staff who were committed to quality teaching and learning.