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Many school districts are creating professional learning communities (PLCs) in which teachers are grouped for the purpose of collaboratively examining ways to improve student learning. PLCs are based on the assumption that actively engaging teachers in professional conversations will increase their knowledge and enhance student learning. This case study sought to gain insight into these conversations through the lens of deliberative democratic theory. According to this theory, if participants (i.e. teachers) offer reasoned opinion expressions and are inclusive of all group members, then they will be challenged to revise their viewpoints, leading to instructional change. The study involved observations of and interviews with three PLCs comprised of elementary, middle, and high school teachers within the same district. It was determined that these groups casually deliberated by sharing opinions on resources and teaching strategies that could be used with students. They listened to one another, shared personal experiences, asked questions, participated equally, and engaged in the topics of discussion to inform their own professional decisions. The teachers reported sharing instructional resources and strategies as a benefit of participating in a PLC, although the implementation of those resources was strongly influenced by a teacher's self-efficacy with the strategy. Teachers also reported the difficulty they experienced in deeply analyzing student data, not wanting to make a judgment about a group member's past performance. Overall, teachers stated that their perspectives were expanded based on the deliberations they held.

Effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) contribute to the overall improvement of student learning when a system-wide, leadership-based approach from the district and school level is applied by aligning a common vision, goal, and purpose. Despite a government-led implementation of PLCs province-wide in New Brunswick schools over ten years ago, the efficacy of PLCs in one particular New Brunswick school district has demonstrated little evidence of effectiveness or improvement. A district leadership team employed an Internal District Instrument (IDI) survey to measure areas of strength and barriers as it relates to its PLC formation and growth. Additionally, the team collected pre and post perception survey data from twenty teachers (n=20) during a summer learning session on building and sustaining PLCs. IDI survey results indicated that the district leadership team was seeking help in the domain of professional growth and development and that teachers and administrators were finding PLCs to be ineffective, to lack direction, and to fail to meet teacher-learning needs.

Abstract In 1985, professional learning community (PLC) pioneers, Shirley Hord, Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker undertook an exploration of the concept of teachers working in small groups or learning communities. Participants in these initial learning communities shared common experiences, ideas, practices, and developed strategies to address issues they faced in their work with students (Hord 1997; DuFour & Eaker 1998). This concept was supported by McLaughlin and Talbert (1993) when they suggested that, given the opportunity for collaborative inquiry, veteran teachers will share the wisdom they have gained through experience in a way that allows improved teaching practices for all involved. In 2000, Senge, Cambron-McCabe, Lucas, Smith, Dutton and Kleiner, reported that the, "learning organization approach to education" needs to be more than just talking and working in groups. It needs to involve everyone "…in expressing their aspirations, building their awareness and developing their capabilities together" (Senge et al., 2000, p. 5). Over time this learning community concept became known as the professional learning community, or PLC (Hord, 1997). DuFour & Eaker (1998), Lieberman and Pointer-Mace (2009), Darling-Hammond (1996) and Bryk and Schneider (2003), all contended that these professional learning communities have the capacity to transcend reform movements and result in continuous improvement in schools. Over time, many school districts and their leaders have modified the professional learning community concept. They have done so to such a degree that they may no longer achieve, fully, their originally desired or anticipated results. In July 2011, the Minnesota legislature passed House File No. 26 (HF 26), a revision of the statewide teacher evaluation system. This legislation brought about numerous changes to Minnesota Statute 122A.40, subd. 8. One of these changes was the promotion of PLCs in public schools. Even though much has been written about PLCs and their intended uses, limited research was found regarding whether or not PLCs are being implemented consistent with best practice, as identified in research, in the public schools of Minnesota. This study will examine the level to which the key characteristics of PLCs, as identified by DuFour, DuFour, Eaker and Many (2010) are being implemented in Minnesota public schools. It also identifies the barriers encountered by public school districts in implementing PLCs. The conceptual framework for this study was derived from the work of DuFour et al. (2010), in their book, Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (2nd Ed). The purpose of the study is to examine professional learning communities in public schools in Minnesota using the characteristics identified by DuFour et al. (2010). While PLCs are now recommended in all public schools by Minnesota State Statute, there are no studies which examine whether or not these PLCs are being implemented effectively based on best practices described in research. This study attempts to determine if PLCs are in fact being implemented effectively, based on best practices described in research, by: describing and contrasting the characteristics of PLCs employed in public school districts in Minnesota, the districts' duration of use of PLCs, and district barriers teachers and administrators have encountered when implementing PLCs.

This article reports on the generational perspectives of two science teachers working in one urban school, a 38-year veteran and a second-year teacher. Despite numerous opportunities to work together, these teachers argued more than they collaborated. This research shows that at least some of the tension can be explained by the generational perspectives each brought with them to the classroom, perspectives that have been brought to the forefront by the recent demographic shift in the urban teacher workforce. Each teacher's generational perspective is presented within a framework of technical culture, service ethic, and professional commitment. Implications for recruitment and retention are discussed.

In order to address the ecological and social problems of sustainability in our modern times, citizens need to be empowered with an understanding of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts and practices. Furthermore, STEM must be democratized and taught in life-giving and life-sustaining ways that include all students instead of the small fraction of "high achievers" and limited to the "potential" scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. At present, K-12 students and their teachers rarely have the opportunity to learn beyond their concrete school walls and to reconnect with nature, exacerbating their disconnection of STEM from real life and hence sustainability. We believe that engagement with school grounds and gardens and the very soils on which learning takes place can provide simple yet authentic day-today educational experiences that can bring mindfulness of lessons related to the cycles of life and death and to the interplay of justice and power in our communities. To transform teaching and learning in the classroom, teachers need different learning experiences that provide them with the time, space, and appropriate supports to translate their learning into teaching practice making education relevant to life. School gardens provide a rich context for learning both for teachers and students by embracing experiential, integrated, and collaborative learning. This study highlights an example of a summer program that involved teachers in hands-on education related to STEM in the learning gardens at four low-income schools in southeast Portland representing the growing ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity of the districts in the metropolitan area. Teacher voices capture the essence of learning STEM in the learning gardens, and also address issues of social and environmental justice.

When it comes to gifted and talented education, once a student has been identified as gifted,educators make it a priority to push them to higher levels of thinking. Higher thinking is one of thedesires of these gifted students, however the emotional needs of gifted students can often be lost asthey are driven to focus on their academic abilities (Johnson, 2001). Often times the assumption aboutgifted students is that they come from a two parent home and that they will make good grades nomatter what. The following modified verbatim examples will show the impact of not meeting theemotional needs of gifted students. The first case study, by Kayleen Williams, points out how giftedstudents often comedown on themselves too hard when they come across their first academicchallenge (Edmunds, 2005). The following three case studies, by Emily Sketch, Nima Tahai and KristiRutter, show how gifted students often have to find a source of motivation after being engaged in giftedprograms for a relatively long period. The final case study, by Kelli Cohen, reveals how a student almostcompleted his graduate studies with unidentified social problems. They will also demonstrate thetransformation that takes place when the person within the gifted child is ministered to.

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the current and desirable state of the management for creating professional learning communities (PLCs) of schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) 2) to analyze strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the management for creating PLCs of schools under the BMA and 3) to develop management strategies for creating PLCs of schools under the BMA. The study was mixed method research. The samples were 209 schools under the BMA. The instruments used in this study were the questionnaire and the strategic evaluation form of feasibility and appropriateness. The data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, PNIModified and content analysis. The results showed the following: 1) the current state of the management to create the PLCs of schools under the BMA was overall at a high level ( = 4.10). When considering each attribute, shared leadership and shared decision-making were the highest average ( = 4.31). The desired state of the management to create the PLCs of schools under the BMA was at the highest level overall ( =4.69). When considering each attribute, shared leadership and shared decision-making were the highest average ( = 4.72). 2) The strengths were the shared leadership and shared decision-making and the shared vision, mission and goals; the weaknesses were collaboration and shared practice, the collective learning through inquiry, reflective dialogues and application of learning and the supportive conditions respectively. The technology was considered as the opportunity and the economic, the political and the social aspects were considered as the threats. 3) Five management strategies were developed including (i) To promote collaborative culture and shared practice; (ii) To promote collective learning and application of learning; (iii) To develop teachers' capacities and to increase the effectiveness of the structural support; (iv) To raise the quality of shared vision, mission and goals; and (v) To ...

Providing high quality learning experiences outside the classroom requires professional educators and educational programme designers to continuously improve their knowledge, skills and attitudes toward teaching and learning. This chapter describes long-term professional development courses designed and implemented by botanic gardens across Europe. The programmes were established as part of a European Union funded project (INQUIRE). They were designed to encourage school teachers and botanic garden educators to establish interdisciplinary learning communities. The participants in the course were asked to make their tacit knowledge more explicit, share it and adopt positive attitudes towards theory-based instruction as well as use reflective practice as tools for improving their educational programmes. Learning in a collaborative network is a special mode of knowledge production which values knowledge that is embedded in social structures within and between individuals. To gain more insight into these structures and eventually use this knowledge to scaffold the social process most effectively, Social Network Analysis was used. This approach enables the course instructor to identify particular individuals in the group who are recognised as 'hubs' and 'authorities' by others and therefore impact the whole community. The process of making social interactions visible may help to improve professional development offers in the future.

This study investigated teacher and principal perspectives regarding how principal leadership responsibilities influence the functioning of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). PLCs are a concept and a structure through which schools can address and respond to the myriad social, political, and technological forces that educators face today. By utilizing principal leadership responsibilities associated with second order change as a basis for identifying the needs of PLCs, data was gathered to analyze and inform principals in how to determine the needs of their PLCs. Such information can then be used to develop a school improvement plan to meet PLCs at their current level of functioning, and focus on addressing the specific needs of each PLC in a targeted manner that employs differentiated leadership designed by principals to positively impact teaching and learning. The purpose of this embedded case study was to examine how teachers and principals describe the influence of principal leadership responsibilities on PLCs. The case study was conducted at a class AA high school in Montana consisting of five principals, 95 teachers, and approximately 1830 students in the initial years of PLC implementation. The primary sources of data collection were: teacher and principal focus group interviews, document analysis, researcher's journal, and the use of archival collective efficacy data. Findings suggest the importance of clear ideals and beliefs; an emphasis on the need for principals to support teachers in differing ways; varying interpretations of principal leadership responsibilities between PLCs as well as between principals and teachers; and various levels of PLC functioning. As principals seek to develop and implement continual school improvement plans to enhance teaching and learning, they must understand the needs identified by their PLCs and develop a differentiated leadership plan to utilize principals' time, talents, and resources to meet those needs and support positive PLC functioning. Recommendations ...

The Danish vocational colleges are challenged with implementing new laws, meet the political ambition due prevent a future lack of skilled workers and reduce costs. In addition, younger pupils attend the colleges because of new approaches to recruiting and the building of bridges from lower secondary education to colleges. Furthermore, colleges merge to balance the budget due to economic conditions. Such challenges are part of the context for a team at a social and healthcare college that is introduced to the idea of professional learning communities. The methodological approach is action research using observations and interviews. The results show how a team use reflective dialogue to meet some of the challenges, use differentiated teaching, and how a sub-team cooperate regarding rules in the classroom. It is discussed how the idea of professional learning communities supports the implementation of changes.

Acknowledgments -- Table of Contents -- About the Authors -- Foreword -- Introduction -- Chapter 1 -- Chapter 2 -- Chapter 3 -- Chapter 4 -- Chapter 5 -- Chapter 6 -- Chapter 7 -- Epilogue -- Appendix A -- Appendix B -- References and Resources -- Index