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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
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
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  Data: The Role of Professional Learning Communities on Teacher Professional Development: A Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Educational+Administration+and+Policy+Studies%22"><i>International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies</i></searchLink>. 2026 18(1):26-36.
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  Data: Academic Journals. e-mail: IJEAPS@academicjournals.org; Web site: http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/IJEAPS
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  Data: 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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