The Case of China: Promoting Teacher Leadership through Professional Learning Communities

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: The Challenges and Possibilities of Teacher Leadership: International Perspectives

Abstract

Internationally, teacher leadership has garnered attention focused on its connotation, the factors that influence it, its practical significance, its development models, and its cultivation (Wei, 2022). As for China, in 2005, Hong Kong scholars Hui King-fai and colleagues introduced the concept of teacher leadership from the United States in their book Teacher Leaders and Teacher Professional Development. Since then, research on teacher leadership has become popular in China, but it has mainly focused on conceptual and comparative studies of teacher leadership, with only a few empirical studies, and the research is at an incipient stage (Wang & Zhu, 2020).

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have been recognized as a significant force in fostering teacher leadership and enhancing educational practices (Hord, 1997). Internationally, scholars have explored enhancing teacher leadership through PLCs. Goldzung (2021) examined PLCs’ impact on early career teachers’ understanding of teacher leadership. Cano (2022) explored the ability of coaching and data processes within a PLC framework to enhance teacher leadership and culturally responsive practices through an action research approach. However, in China, research on teacher leadership development has been scarce, especially from the perspective of PLCs. The unique educational, cultural, and institutional context of China presents challenges and opportunities for teacher leadership. This study aims to explore how the development of teacher leadership can be fostered in the context of PLCs by enhancing teachers’ professional capital. Specifically, it explores the mechanisms through which PLCs support the development of professional capital and how these mechanisms contribute to the emergence and growth of teacher leadership in the Chinese educational context.

This study identifies several unique aspects of teacher leadership development in China. Firstly, the cultural emphasis on collectivism and hierarchical structures in Chinese schools often requires a more collaborative and top-down approach to teacher leadership development, which is distinct from the more individualistic and bottom-up approaches often seen in Western contexts (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2013). Secondly, the policy support from the Chinese government for educational reform and teacher professional development provides a unique environment that both facilitates and shapes the development of teacher leadership. For example, national programs aimed at cultivating master teachers and improving educational quality through PLCs are specific to the Chinese context (Wang & Zhu, 2020). Lastly, the unique collaborative models in China, such as partnerships between teaching-research officers and teachers, and the integration of university expertise with school practice, offer distinct pathways for teacher leadership development that are not commonly found in the international literature.

Overall, this research contributes to the growing body of literature advocating for the integration of PLCs as a transformative mechanism in teacher leadership development. By situating its research within the unique Chinese educational context, the study offers valuable perspectives on how systemic and cultural factors shape the process of empowering teachers as leaders. It serves as a foundation for future research and a practical guide for policymakers, school leaders, and educators aiming to foster a collaborative and leadership-driven teaching environment.

Authors

• Qi Xiu, South China Normal University

• Kailun Zhou, South China Normal University