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Reflective Practices In Professional Learning Communities: A Case Study Of The Missouri Professional Learning Communities Project, Mary Ann Burns
Reflective Practices In Professional Learning Communities: A Case Study Of The Missouri Professional Learning Communities Project, Mary Ann Burns
Dissertations
ABSTRACT Dewey (1933) provided the foundation for reflective practice in education with the notion that learning is not in the doing, but rather it is in the thinking about the doing that creates learning. Evidence is growing about the importance of reflection for improving teaching and learning practices to increase student achievement (York-Barr, et al., 2006). The professional learning community (PLC) has become the new catchphrase as schools engage in systems-change efforts for school improvement. DuFour, Eaker, and DuFour (2005) call professional learning communities the “most powerful strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement” (p.7). If reflective practice is a means …
Professional Learning Communities In Improved Illinois Elementary Schools: The Value Of Professional Learning Communities For Leaders Of Illinois Elementary Schools Formerly In "No Child Left Behind" Status, Steven James Thomas
Dissertations
The "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 has created a system, which potentially labeled 82% of US school as "failing" in 2011. Consequences for failing schools go beyond public ostracism to the release of numerous staff and school leaders or the closing of the school. Reforms to prevent these consequences come in two forms, structural and cultural. Structural reforms in schools are often include hiring staff or implementing new programs. Often structural reforms only focus on non-proficient or nearly proficient students. Cultural reforms change the way staff educate all students. One …
The Role Of Professional Learning Communities In Developing And Using Common Formative Assessments, Diane Gmitro Betts
The Role Of Professional Learning Communities In Developing And Using Common Formative Assessments, Diane Gmitro Betts
Dissertations
The goal of professional learning communities (PLC) is for teachers to come together to discuss and examine student learning and ultimately to make instructional changes that can lead to improved student learning. The formative use of assessments that are commonly agreed upon by this community of teachers is believed to enhance their improvement efforts. This study used a multi-case study qualitative approach to examine how elementary teachers working within a PLC apply the tenets and utilize the structure of DuFour, DuFour, Eaker and Many's (2006) PLC model to develop and use common formative assessments as a means for improving learning. …