Teacher Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities on the Instructional Climate At Flintville Elementary School in Lincoln County, TN

• Main Author: Golden, David
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University 2017
• Subjects: Professional Learning Communities; Collaboration; Leadership; Action Research; Educational Leadership; Educational Methods; Other Teacher Education and Professional Development
• Online Access: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3179; https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4593&context=etd

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore teacher perceptions of Professional Learning Communities on the instructional climate at Flintville Elementary School in Lincoln County, Tennessee. Participants in the study included five teachers, the evaluation supervisor, and one parent from Flintville Elementary School. Through the analysis of interviews and a review of documents collected from Professional Learning Communities (PLC) meetings in grades Pre-K through 8, the investigator was able to extract meaning and code the data into categories that led to an understanding of the perceptions being researched. Professional Learning Communities at Flintville Elementary School have changed the instructional climate concerning teacher collaboration and teamwork as well as attitudes of teachers regarding students. The data from the interviews and documented PLC meetings indicated that teachers were working together to develop and analyze common assessments, cultivate individual student growth and success, and reach the standardized testing goals for the school. As a result of PLCs, teachers were having professional conversations on improving student achievement and increasing teacher effectiveness, which indicated a climate change. Teachers were also using PLC meetings as a source for developing in-house professional development activities. Teachers were developing skills in the school based PLC meetings that would allow them to conduct professional development activities. The results of this study were intended as a reference for schools that may be involved in the future implementation of Professional Learning Communities as a tool for changing instructional climate and as a way to improve student achievement through collaboration among teachers.