Understanding Professional Learning Communities in a Middle Years Setting: A Case Study

Tipping, Shannon C.

Understanding Professional Learning Communities in a Middle Years Setting: A Case Study

dc.contributor.advisor	Simmons, Marlon
dc.contributor.author	Tipping, Shannon C.
dc.contributor.committeemember	Spencer, Brenda L.
dc.contributor.committeemember	Brandon, Jim
dc.contributor.committeemember	Jacobsen, Michele
dc.contributor.committeemember	Smith, Cathryn
dc.contributor.committeemember	Brown, Barbara A.
dc.date	2020-11
dc.date.accessioned	2020-06-26T17:13:56Z
dc.date.available	2020-06-26T17:13:56Z
dc.date.issued	2020-06-12
dc.description.abstract	I conducted this qualitative case study to provide a deeper understanding of educational leaders’ perceptions of professional learning communities and their impact on student learning in a middle years school setting. Educational leaders are essential to the development of environments that create the foundational elements of trust, collaboration, and a school culture that facilitate the creation of professional learning communities. Even with numerous research studies and extensive leadership literature on how to effectively implement professional learning communities, a gap exists between the theoretical conceptualization and the practical implementation of professional learning communities. In this case study, I drew from Merriam’s (1998, 2009) guidelines for case study methodology. In order to collect data, I conducted one-hour semi-structured interviews with two administrators and six teachers, collected documents and artifacts, maintained a reflective research journal, and compiled field notes. These methods enabled me to respond to the research question: How do educational leaders in a middle years setting perceive the impact of professional learning communities on student learning? The data were analyzed, and I identified four emerging themes. First, there are varying and multiple definitions of a professional learning community among participants. Second, the role of leadership is essential in establishing the appropriate conditions for a professional learning community practice. Third, the professional learning community practice could benefit student learning. Finally, challenges arise in the areas of staffing, sustainability, creating time, and contextual nuances in the implementation of a professional learning community. The knowledge gained from this research could strengthen educators’ understanding and knowledge about the leadership involved in the practical application of professional learning communities.	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Tipping, S. C. (2020). Understanding Professional Learning Communities in a Middle Years Setting: A Case Study (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.	en_US
dc.identifier.doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/37953
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/1880/112223
dc.publisher.faculty	Werklund School of Education	en_US
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary	en
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.	en_US
dc.subject	Leadership	en_US
dc.subject	professional learning	en_US
dc.subject	professsional learning communities	en_US
dc.subject	student learning	en_US
dc.subject	trust	en_US
dc.subject	collaboration	en_US
dc.subject	school culture	en_US
dc.subject	middle years	en_US
dc.subject	French Immersion dual track	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Education	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Education--Administration	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Education--Bilingual and Multicultural	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Education--Curriculum and Instruction	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Education--Teacher Training	en_US
dc.title	Understanding Professional Learning Communities in a Middle Years Setting: A Case Study	en_US
dc.type	doctoral thesis	en_US
thesis.degree.discipline	Education Graduate Program – Educational Research	en_US
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary	en_US
thesis.degree.name	Doctor of Education (EdD)	en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopy	true	en_US