Connections Among Leadership, Professional Learning Communities, and Teacher Collective Efficacy

• In Event: We Are All in This Together: Distributed, Shared, and Collaborative Leadership

Abstract

Through transformational leadership principals can promote teacher professional learning communities (PLCs) and strengthen teacher collective efficacy (TCE)—both of which research has shown enhance student learning. Less well understood in the literature is how these three critical variables interact. This study aims to close this gap by investigating the relationship between transformational leadership, TCE, and PLC drawing on 181 surveys from eight schools in one district that systematically implemented PLCs. Results demonstrate a positive and statistically significant relationship between transformational leadership, TCE and PLCs. The findings suggest that transformational leadership positively affected TCE and PLC and that well-functioning PLCs lead to increased TCE, and in concert, these constructs can contribute to improved student achievement.

Author

• Robert H. Voelkel, University of North Texas