Implications of Teacher Participation in a Professional Learning Community on Teacher Effectiveness

The purpose of this study was to discover how, if at all, teacher participation in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) influenced their overall effectiveness in the classroom. Specifically, this study examined how, if at all, the participation in the PLC influenced Algebra 1 teachers’ instruction, assessment, and response student data. Trends in educational research indicate the need for more teacher collaboration and are placing a greater focus on teacher evaluation. A PLC is a form of professional development that could address both of these issues. A review of literature illustrated the success that PLCs had with providing teachers the forum in which to collaborate in order to improve student learning. Using a focus group, individual interviews, and teacher evaluation ratings, the researcher investigated the role the PLC played on improving teacher instruction, assessment, and overall effectiveness. The three major themes identified from the data were improved instruction, improved assessment and increased collaboration. The results of this study showed that the participants felt their overall effectiveness had been positively impacted by their participation in the PLC. All participants earned evaluative ratings of either proficient or distinguished as measured by PVAAS, which demonstrated their overall effectiveness in the classroom