wk 6

The value of PLCs

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Professional learning communities provide tremendous benefits to the teacher-student dynamic with the overall value of enhancing the learning experience. The PLC model promotes a systematic check and balance on school improvement in terms of categorizing teachers in terms of course level or interdisciplinary teams. The current literature on PLCs views the critical issue is determining the degree of autonomy to give participants in terms of structure and direction of collaboration (Blitz, 2013). This gives way to differential instructional strategies which ensure students with learning difficulties achieve the expected learning outcomes as their counterparts.

Main topic

It is imperative that the PLC be fully integrated into the education system as it fills up the loopholes of the traditional approach which individualizes the learning experience. Therefore it is critical to integrate PLCs in the learning experience as it offers long term benefits to teachers and learners and thus more studies should be dedicated to foster quality assurance.

Improves performance of teachers

PLCs improve performance levels of teachers which trickle down to students as it promotes collaboration. Gray et al. (2015) asserts that trust and structure are critical to the success of PLCS with structure contributing a larger share. Pang and Wang (2016) reiterate that PLCs are widely endorsed as the best framework for reforms and better performance in schools. Research evidence suggests that a PLC offers. The PLCs encourage teachers to work together to improve learning outcomes through organizing themselves into teams through which they discuss solutions. Teachers in this regard are expected to develop curriculums, relevant assessments and metrics for continuous improvement within their teams enhancing better performance.

Improves students performance

The improved academic proficiency of students confirms that PLCs are essential to their learning process. According to Mintzes et al. (2013) based on a study of a control group, there was a positive correlation between self-efficacy in elementary science learning and sustained PLCs. However, there is need for more research needs to gain more wisdom on the relationship between teachers' belief in their skill levels for PLCs and their effectiveness (Roberts, 2010).PLCs encourage continuous improvements on the learning process which ensures that teachers give adequate attention to all students including those with learning difficulties. In particular, PLCs allow teachers to develop curriculums and learning strategies which foster positive feedback thus giving students more confidence in doing well in tests and projects.

Conclusion

In conclusion, PLCS are valuable to the dynamic education sector owing to technology advancements. As more students are exposed to online learning, it is imperative for the stakeholders to develop and implement good instructional designs with strong support base of PLCs.

References

Blitz, C.(2013). Can online communities achieve the goals of traditional professional learning communities? What literature says. U.S Department of Education, 1-37.

Gray, J., Kruse, S., & Tarter, C. J. (2016). Enabling school structures, collegial trust and academic emphasis: Antecedents of professional learning communities. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 44(6), 875-891.

Mintzes, J. J., Marcum, B., Messerschmitt-Yates, C., & Mark, A. (2013). Enhancing self-efficacy in elementary science teaching with professional learning. Journal of science teacher education, 24(7), 1201-1218.

Pang, N.S. & Wang, T. (2016). Professional learning communities: research and practices across six educational systems in the Asia-Pacific region communities. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 36(2)

Roberts, M.L. (2010). Improving Student Achievement through Professional Learning Communities. Educational Administration,42.