The Role of Professional Learning Communities on Teacher Professional Development: A Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence
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| Title: | The Role of Professional Learning Communities on Teacher Professional Development: A Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Justo M. Lemesaya |
| Source: | International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies. 2026 18(1):26-36. |
| Availability: | Academic Journals. e-mail: IJEAPS@academicjournals.org; Web site: http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/IJEAPS |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 11 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses |
| Descriptors: | Literature Reviews, Communities of Practice, Cooperative Learning, Professional Identity, Culturally Relevant Education, Faculty Development, Teacher Improvement, Reflection, Educational Strategies, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Educational Benefits |
| ISSN: | 2141-6656 |
| Abstract: | This review article synthesizes qualitative evidence on the role of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in supporting teacher professional development. Drawing on 20 empirical studies published between 2018 and 2025; the paper employs a meta-ethnographic approach to integrate findings and generate new insights. The synthesis identifies seven interrelated functions of PLCs: enhancing pedagogical reflection, fostering collaborative learning, strengthening professional identity, promoting culturally responsive teaching, facilitating distributed leadership, improving content knowledge, and cultivating inquiry-based mindsets. Collectively, these themes demonstrate how PLCs provide sustained, context-sensitive, and teacher-led opportunities for growth that extend beyond traditional professional development models. The review highlights the importance of trust, leadership support, and cultural responsiveness as key enabling conditions for effective PLCs. It concludes that PLCs, when embedded in school contexts and grounded in collaboration, offer a transformative model for continuous teacher learning, with significant implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to enhance instructional quality and student outcomes. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1506097 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This review article synthesizes qualitative evidence on the role of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in supporting teacher professional development. Drawing on 20 empirical studies published between 2018 and 2025; the paper employs a meta-ethnographic approach to integrate findings and generate new insights. The synthesis identifies seven interrelated functions of PLCs: enhancing pedagogical reflection, fostering collaborative learning, strengthening professional identity, promoting culturally responsive teaching, facilitating distributed leadership, improving content knowledge, and cultivating inquiry-based mindsets. Collectively, these themes demonstrate how PLCs provide sustained, context-sensitive, and teacher-led opportunities for growth that extend beyond traditional professional development models. The review highlights the importance of trust, leadership support, and cultural responsiveness as key enabling conditions for effective PLCs. It concludes that PLCs, when embedded in school contexts and grounded in collaboration, offer a transformative model for continuous teacher learning, with significant implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to enhance instructional quality and student outcomes. |
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| ISSN: | 2141-6656 |
