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Understanding the complexity of teacher interaction in a teacher professional learning community

2015; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 39; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/02619768.2014.994058

1469-5928

Ellen Sjoer, Jacobiene Meirink,

Diverse Educational Innovations Studies

In this study, we examine a professional learning community of primary school teachers developing a joint school-based curriculum for science and technology (S&T) education. Team meetings were observed over the course of one school year and the participating teachers and school head were interviewed. An essential factor in the team’s collaboration was its ability to achieve synthesis, that is, the extent to which the teachers were able to abstract from concrete experiences in S&T education in order to formulate and develop a shared vision and curriculum. They exchanged many examples and were able to create a shared idea highlighting critical elements in their approach to teaching this school subject. However, the teachers experienced difficulties in determining the level at which a school-based curriculum should be defined. The outcomes of this team’s collaboration are discussed in terms of leadership and the aims of the S&T innovation.