Teacher Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities : A Study of the Relationship Between Professional Learning Communities and Teacher Instructional Practices

A key component of the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ five-year strategic plan includes professional learning practices. Incorporating collaborative teams as part of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) within our schools is essential to achieving the outcomes outlined in the strategic plan. This research study considers the impact of collaborative teams within the PLC structure on teacher instructional practices. The goal of this research study was to determine whether PLCs have an impact on teachers’ abilities to refine their instructional practices based upon the results of data, student needs, and ongoing collaboration with their colleagues. The effectiveness of the PLC intervention at Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy was determined based upon three research questions: How do PLCs ensure that teachers make changes to instruction based upon the results of data and student needs? What role do professional learning communities have in the future academic success of students? Have professional learning communities provided ongoing opportunities for teachers to work with colleagues to refine teaching practices? A quantitative approach for data collection was used throughout this research study, and the two data collection instruments used were the SoCQ and the PLCA-R. The analysis of data collected suggests that teachers at Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy are implementing collaborative practices as part of the PLC intervention and making changes to instruction based upon the collective learning that is occurring with their collaborative teams.