The Implementation of Professional Learning Communities in West Tennessee Secondary Schools and Their Influence on Teacher Job Satisfaction

Of the six Professional Learning Community (PLC) dimensions theorized by Hord, the 307 secondary school teacher respondents in this study suggested that two dimensions—namely, “Shared Personal Practice” and “Supportive Conditions: Structures”—tended systematically to be underrepresented at their schools. The under representation was irrespective of their schools’ categorization as either high- or low-achieving. As anticipated, statistically significant positive relationships were observed between all six PLC dimensions and the mean on a 20-item measure of “satisfaction with teaching.” However, when the means on the six PLC dimensions were simultaneously entered as predictor variables into a multiple regression model using “satisfaction with teaching” as the criterion, the only PLC dimension that proved to significant relationship with the outcome while controlling for the other five was “Shared and Supportive Leadership.” As with the means on the PLC measure, a schools’ status as either high- or low-achieving did not appear to moderate the strength of relationship the six PLC predictors and the “satisfaction with teaching” criterion. Moderating effects were tested by examining each pair of correlations individually using the Fisher r to z transformation as well by creating six interaction terms and including them in a hierarchical multiple regression model. Implications of these outcomes for school leaders who wish to improve the effectiveness of PLCs at their schools are discussed in the final chapter