Relations among resources in professional learning communities and learning outcomes

This study focused on two professional learning communities (PLCs) situated in literacy education practica courses. How four PLC resources (colleagues, facilitators, readings, and videos) were related to outcomes, including teachers’ learning, teachers’ application of this learning, and subsequent students’ learning, was examined. Participants included 18 in-service teachers and the 21 children they taught. Data included 537 teacher reports of learning, 102 lesson plans, 195 teaching session videos, and 21 reader reports, which were used to identify outcomes and the resources that supported these. A multilevel structural equation model was used for analysis. Findings highlight the unique contributions of each resource for supporting specific PLC outcomes. For example, video was the most effective resource for supporting teachers’ application of learning to their teaching, and when this occurred students were significantly more likely to learn as well. Implications for more strategically providing these resources in PLCs are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.