This descriptive case study closely examined a professional learning community in an Arkansas middle school. The site was selected because the school was removed from the state's school improvement list after implementing professional learning communities. The purpose of the study was to determine how the design of a professional learning community impacts teacher instruction in a middle school setting. The literature reviewed included historical perspective, definitions and characteristics of professional learning communities, teacher professional development, and teacher effect on student achievement. Eight teachers, one principal, and one instructional facilitator were interviewed about the professional learning communities in their school. The interviews focused on the characteristics of professional learning communities and the perceived impact of professional learning communities on instructional practices. Observations of professional learning community meetings were conducted, and related documents were also reviewed. The data revealed that a culture of collaboration, data-driven decisions, and supportive leadership impact instruction. Combined, these three factors created the conditions for teachers to build their capacity and provide better instruction to students. The data also revealed that the annual school-wide book studies were an important aspect of professional development for the teachers at this school; many described it as the most beneficial professional learning community strategy utilized by the school.
","abstract_html":"<p>This descriptive case study closely examined a professional learning community in an Arkansas middle school. The site was selected because the school was removed from the state's school improvement list after implementing professional learning communities. The purpose of the study was to determine how the design of a professional learning community impacts teacher instruction in a middle school setting. The literature reviewed included historical perspective, definitions and characteristics of professional learning communities, teacher professional development, and teacher effect on student achievement. Eight teachers, one principal, and one instructional facilitator were interviewed about the professional learning communities in their school. The interviews focused on the characteristics of professional learning communities and the perceived impact of professional learning communities on instructional practices. Observations of professional learning community meetings were conducted, and related documents were also reviewed. The data revealed that a culture of collaboration, data-driven decisions, and supportive leadership impact instruction. Combined, these three factors created the conditions for teachers to build their capacity and provide better instruction to students. The data also revealed that the annual school-wide book studies were an important aspect of professional development for the teachers at this school; many described it as the most beneficial professional learning community strategy utilized by the school.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Turner, Carol Jeanette"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Penner-Williams, Janet","Lo, Wen-Juo"],"advisors":["Holt, Carleton R."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:24Z","subjects":["Professional learning communities","Teacher leadership","Teacher professional development","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Educational Leadership","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/10","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Penner-Williams, Janet","Lo, Wen-Juo"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Holt, Carleton R."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Turner, Carol Jeanette"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2015"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-03-17T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Professional learning communities","Teacher leadership","Teacher professional development","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Educational Leadership","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/10"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This descriptive case study closely examined a professional learning community in an Arkansas middle school. The site was selected because the school was removed from the state's school improvement list after implementing professional learning communities. The purpose of the study was to determine how the design of a professional learning community impacts teacher instruction in a middle school setting. The literature reviewed included historical perspective, definitions and characteristics of professional learning communities, teacher professional development, and teacher effect on student achievement. Eight teachers, one principal, and one instructional facilitator were interviewed about the professional learning communities in their school. The interviews focused on the characteristics of professional learning communities and the perceived impact of professional learning communities on instructional practices. Observations of professional learning community meetings were conducted, and related documents were also reviewed. The data revealed that a culture of collaboration, data-driven decisions, and supportive leadership impact instruction. Combined, these three factors created the conditions for teachers to build their capacity and provide better instruction to students. The data also revealed that the annual school-wide book studies were an important aspect of professional development for the teachers at this school; many described it as the most beneficial professional learning community strategy utilized by the school.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Impact of Professional Learning Community Design on Teacher Instruction"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Penner-Williams, Janet","Lo, Wen-Juo"],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Holt, Carleton R."],"dc:creator":["Turner, Carol Jeanette"],"dc:date":["2015"],"dc:date.available":["2016-03-17T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This descriptive case study closely examined a professional learning community in an Arkansas middle school. The site was selected because the school was removed from the state's school improvement list after implementing professional learning communities. The purpose of the study was to determine how the design of a professional learning community impacts teacher instruction in a middle school setting. The literature reviewed included historical perspective, definitions and characteristics of professional learning communities, teacher professional development, and teacher effect on student achievement. Eight teachers, one principal, and one instructional facilitator were interviewed about the professional learning communities in their school. The interviews focused on the characteristics of professional learning communities and the perceived impact of professional learning communities on instructional practices. Observations of professional learning community meetings were conducted, and related documents were also reviewed. The data revealed that a culture of collaboration, data-driven decisions, and supportive leadership impact instruction. Combined, these three factors created the conditions for teachers to build their capacity and provide better instruction to students. The data also revealed that the annual school-wide book studies were an important aspect of professional development for the teachers at this school; many described it as the most beneficial professional learning community strategy utilized by the school.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/10"],"dc:subject":["Professional learning communities","Teacher leadership","Teacher professional development","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Educational Leadership","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching"],"dc:title":["Impact of Professional Learning Community Design on Teacher Instruction"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:24Z"}