Professional Learning Community in Senior Teacher Educators' Practice: Seven Areas of Contribution

• In Event: 63.047 - Teacher Educators' Professional Learning in Communities: A Promising Strategy

Abstract

Objectives
The current study examines the way in which senior teacher educators in their later career experienced both leading and participation in different professional learning communities (PLC) throughout their career, and the PLCs' contribution to their professional lives.

Theoretical framework
Professional Learning Community (PLC) is becoming a significant component of teacher education culture around the world. Engaging in PLC has implications to the professional experience of teacher educators (Lee, Zhang & Yin, 2011; Williams, Ritter & Bullock, 2012). Participation in PLCs also characterizes the professional lives of senior teacher educators. Their career requires integration of several fields of activity, such as research and publishing, teaching and mentoring, participating in committees, leading initiatives and filling administrative positions (Williams, 2016). In light of their experience in various fields of work in parallel, this unique group is involved in participation in and establishment of PLC cultures in a broader perspective than less experienced colleagues. They have the opportunity to examine the potential of PLCs as participants and leaders of internal-institutional professional groups, and as policymakers as well. Although the literature indicates the practical and functional aspects of these processes (Popp & Goldman, 2016; Servage, 2008), only a few studies describe how PLCs empower senior teacher educators (Vanblaere & Devos, 2016).

Methods and Data sources
This study used a qualitative approach for data collection and analysis. Data was collected through interviews with 15 senior teacher educators (associate professors) from six teacher-education colleges in Israel. A thematic analysis of the narrative data (Guest, Macqueen and Namey, 2012) led to the mapping of seven areas of contribution of PLCs which were divided into the personal career experiences and the experiences of collegiality in the institution.

Results and significance
Regarding the aspect of personal career experiences, three areas were raised as a potential energizing force of the PLC: (a) strengthening of the connection between different fields of activity (e.g. teaching- research- administration nexus); (b) dealing with scarcity of knowledge; (c) promoting professional agency and empowering teacher educators to leave a legacy. Regarding the aspect of collegiality in the institution, four areas were noted: (a) creation of new useful expertise in the institution, (b) opportunity for sharing "stage and spotlights" with earlier career colleagues, (c) increasing the sense of belonging among novice teacher educators; and (d) intellectual and intercultural cross fertilization. The discussion raises similarities and differences between these findings and the literature on PLC in international and broader context of higher education and offers highlights for its future implementation. This study contributes to a cross-sectional view of PLCs as a significant part of senior teacher educators' career experiences.

Author

• Mary Gutman, Ariel University