A high school’s collaborative planning PLC initiative

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Amanda Jane Barbour Fields (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Ulrich Reitzug

Abstract: One constant finding in the research literature is that notable improvements in education almost never take place in the absence of professional development. What continues to perplex many educational leaders is how to organize and structure meaningful learning opportunities for teachers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine a high school’s collaborative planning PLC initiative in an effort to learn more about this method of job-embedded professional development and gain insight about the effective working of PLCs in a high school setting. The case study involved a close examination of three professional learning communities at one high school. The case school was selected because the school had experienced success with their collaborative planning PLCs as a means of professional development. Twelve teachers were interviewed as well as seven non-teacher participants. Observations of PLC collaborative planning sessions were conducted as well as a thorough analysis of collaborative planning guides completed since the onset of the initiative. The goal of this study was to deepen my understanding of this job-embedded professional development approach and the implications for practice for others considering implementing similar initiatives.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2016
Keywords
Job-embedded, PLCs, Professional Development
Subjects
Professional learning communities
High school teachers $x In-service training

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