An exploration teacher learning of Grade 12 Life Science teachers in a professional learning community in a dist[r]ict cluster.

Abstract

Professional development and teacher learning within professional learning communities (PLCs) has been at the forefront of research to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools. The aim of this research study was to explore teacher learning of grade 12 Life Science teachers in a professional learning community in a district cluster. In addition, this study aimed to examine how Grade 12 Life Sciences teachers learn in a PLC and how it contributed to their professional development. The study draws on Reid’s quadrants of teacher learning and Desimone’s framework of professional development, to understand and interpret teacher learning in PLCs and how it leads to teacher professional development. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and was located within the interpretive paradigm. A case study research design was used in this study. Purposive sampling was used to select five life science teachers as the participants for this study. Data generation methods included semi-structured interviews with five life science teachers and observations of two PLC cluster meetings to triangulate the data. Data was analysed using thematic analyse. The findings of the research study revealed that teachers learnt both individually and collaboratively in the PLC. The study showed that PLCs contributed to teachers’ professional development, and enhanced their knowledge, skills, teaching strategies as well as their confidence, motivation and commitment. The study also revealed that insufficient time, conflict and unwillingness to learn were barriers to teacher learning in the PLC. The findings highlight that PLCs create spaces for teacher learning and contribute to professional development. The study also draws attention to the need for virtual teacher learning to take place to allow teachers to engage more often. The study recommended that teachers attend professional development workshops during the school holidays to overcome the challenges of time as these encouraged teacher collaboration and development.