The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of professional learning communities by comparing practices and strategies of content and grade level teams in middle schools. Utilizing data from student assessment, comparison of teams in this middle school was conducted to determine practices and conversations that have an impact on teachers’ decisions about student learning. Understanding phenomenon that drives effective decision-making processes in teams of teachers creates an environment where shared leadership produces professional learning communities that are sustainable and systemic.
A qualitative approach was conducted in the form of a case study to capture themes relevant to teachers’ thoughts about effective and ineffective team experiences. Using interviews, focus groups, and observations, themes were compared through open-coding and gathering of team minutes/notes. Triangulation of these data revealed themes relevant to creating effective teams by focusing on; curriculum, team dynamics, leadership, professional development, and personal influences that effected teachers. These themes were found to be the most impactful elements when designing and sustaining professional learning communities in this middle school setting.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of professional learning communities by comparing practices and strategies of content and grade level teams in middle schools. Utilizing data from student assessment, comparison of teams in this middle school was conducted to determine practices and conversations that have an impact on teachers’ decisions about student learning. Understanding phenomenon that drives effective decision-making processes in teams of teachers creates an environment where shared leadership produces professional learning communities that are sustainable and systemic. </p> <p>A qualitative approach was conducted in the form of a case study to capture themes relevant to teachers’ thoughts about effective and ineffective team experiences. Using interviews, focus groups, and observations, themes were compared through open-coding and gathering of team minutes/notes. Triangulation of these data revealed themes relevant to creating effective teams by focusing on; curriculum, team dynamics, leadership, professional development, and personal influences that effected teachers. These themes were found to be the most impactful elements when designing and sustaining professional learning communities in this middle school setting. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hancock, James Kevin"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lasater, Kara A.","Pijanowski, John C."],"advisors":["Bengtson, Ed"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:40Z","subjects":["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/3057","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lasater, Kara A.","Pijanowski, John C."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Bengtson, Ed"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Hancock, James Kevin"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2018"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-02-06T08:00:00Z"]},{"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":["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/3057"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of professional learning communities by comparing practices and strategies of content and grade level teams in middle schools. Utilizing data from student assessment, comparison of teams in this middle school was conducted to determine practices and conversations that have an impact on teachers’ decisions about student learning. Understanding phenomenon that drives effective decision-making processes in teams of teachers creates an environment where shared leadership produces professional learning communities that are sustainable and systemic.
A qualitative approach was conducted in the form of a case study to capture themes relevant to teachers’ thoughts about effective and ineffective team experiences. Using interviews, focus groups, and observations, themes were compared through open-coding and gathering of team minutes/notes. Triangulation of these data revealed themes relevant to creating effective teams by focusing on; curriculum, team dynamics, leadership, professional development, and personal influences that effected teachers. These themes were found to be the most impactful elements when designing and sustaining professional learning communities in this middle school setting.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Refining Effective Instructional Strategies through Professional Learning Communities"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lasater, Kara A.","Pijanowski, John C."],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Bengtson, Ed"],"dc:creator":["Hancock, James Kevin"],"dc:date":["2018"],"dc:date.available":["2024-02-06T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of professional learning communities by comparing practices and strategies of content and grade level teams in middle schools. Utilizing data from student assessment, comparison of teams in this middle school was conducted to determine practices and conversations that have an impact on teachers’ decisions about student learning. Understanding phenomenon that drives effective decision-making processes in teams of teachers creates an environment where shared leadership produces professional learning communities that are sustainable and systemic.
A qualitative approach was conducted in the form of a case study to capture themes relevant to teachers’ thoughts about effective and ineffective team experiences. Using interviews, focus groups, and observations, themes were compared through open-coding and gathering of team minutes/notes. Triangulation of these data revealed themes relevant to creating effective teams by focusing on; curriculum, team dynamics, leadership, professional development, and personal influences that effected teachers. These themes were found to be the most impactful elements when designing and sustaining professional learning communities in this middle school setting.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3057"],"dc:subject":["Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Educational Leadership","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching"],"dc:title":["Refining Effective Instructional Strategies through Professional Learning Communities"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:40Z"}