An Inquiry into the Influence of Professional Learning Communities on English Language Arts Teachers' Pedagogical-Content Knowledge

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Autor/in	Pittman, Pamela Kay
Titel	An Inquiry into the Influence of Professional Learning Communities on English Language Arts Teachers' Pedagogical-Content Knowledge
Quelle	(2015), (204 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ph.D. Dissertation, North Carolina State University
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	978-1-3397-6076-6
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; English; English Teachers; Language Arts; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Focus Groups; Interviews; Observation; Communities of Practice; Faculty Development; School Districts; Teacher Attitudes; Teaching Methods; Educational Change; Teacher Collaboration + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; English language; Englisch; English language lessons; Teacher; Teachers; Englischunterricht; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Sprachkultur; Pädagogische Kompetenz; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Beobachtung; Community; School district; Schulbezirk; Lehrerverhalten; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Bildungsreform; Lehrerkooperation
Abstract	Teaching is an ever-evolving profession, one in which teachers must stay abreast of recent research and trends to continually deepen their knowledge and refine their skills. Therefore, teachers need high quality professional learning opportunities to help them master the content they teach and strengthen their teaching skills. Professional learning communities (PLCs) offer teachers one way to collaborate and engage in professional learning when utilized as professional development. This study examined English Language Arts (ELA) teachers' experiences in district-mandated PLCs as a form of professional development. These PLCs followed the Professional Learning Communities at Work™ (DuFour & Eaker, 1998) model. This study also explored the affordances and limitations of these PLCs for developing these teachers' pedagogical-content knowledge (PCK). Using a case study method, the researcher collected data from focus group interviews, personal interviews, PLC observations, and observations in the teachers' classrooms. Shulman's (1987) concept of PCK framed the findings of the study. This study describes ELA teachers' participation in two types of PLCs--a subject area (ELA) PLC and a grade level PLC. Three themes emerged about teachers' experiences in the PLCs. First, teachers met in an underdeveloped, underutilized ELA PLC. Teachers followed PLC meeting protocols, or proper meeting format, but did not engage in collaborative inquiry, the means for growth for members of PLCs (DuFour & Eaker, 1998). Next, teachers had inconsistent perceptions about PLCs. Teachers' reported PLC topics of conversation did not mesh with PLC meeting observations. There was no observed change in instructional practice as a direct result of teachers' PLC involvement. Third, teachers experienced imbalanced data collection and data use. Teachers collected many forms of student achievement data from various assessments, and this data collection drove classroom practices, but teachers did not use this data to evaluate and change instruction. Themes about the potential affordances of these PLCs for the development of teachers' PCK included a space for collaboration and the sharing of content knowledge, teaching strategies, and resources; a supportive environment; and data-driven instruction. Themes about the limitations of these PLCs for the development of teachers' PCK included time, follow through, teachers' limited experiences with collaborative inquiry, ineffective data analysis, and missed opportunities for collaborative inquiry. This research is important because of the potential to inform how teachers learn together in PLCs and the extent to which the PLCs support the development of teachers' PCK. According to Shulman (1987), PCK influences student learning outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01