Teacher collaboration under the model of professional learning communities

Abstract

Collaboration among peers is recognized as a practice that strengthens teacher training. Hence it is necessary to move towards systematic collaboration that addresses issues around the practice of teaching, and that makes the work done in the classroom more open, in order to develop a professional learning community. This paper uses a mixed study of multiple cases to analyse the possibilities for establishing educational collaboration among working teachers. The cases come from three schools in Chile: teachers were asked to complete a questionnaire (PLCA-R) and two discussion groups with teachers and administrative staff were held. The findings indicate that these cases offer limited opportunities for classroom observation, feedback or peer mentoring practices. However, the study found a positive view of informal dialogue between teachers for sharing ideas aimed at improving student learning. It concludes that collaboration requires sufficient distribution of material resources and methodological resources to encourage cooperation between peers, as well as a strengthening of leadership that encourages the development of workplace training.