| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 教育政策與行政研究所 === 103 === The Shortcut to Professionals:
A Case Study on Professional Learning Community of Chinese Independent School in Malaysia
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to understand the operation of teachers’ professional learning communities (PLCs) in Lotus Chinese Independent School in the past four years. The research aimed to explore how PLCs practices affected teachers’ professional growth in Lotus Chinese Independent School, including their professional capacity and sense of identity as teachers working in a Chinese Independent School.
The research was a case study based on first-hand observation, document reviews, interviews with ten teachers and administrators in Lotus Chinese Independent School, and the resarcher’s reflection notes.
The findings of the study were the following. Lotus Chinese Independent School adopted top-down leadership to promote the goal of providing students equal learning qualities. Led by various subject leaders, PLCs were built through cooperation, shared practice, and shared leadership. Senior teachers’ willing to take part also played a significant role to smooth the process.
In addition, three obstacles (on the levels of institution, individual, and society, respectively) of the operation of PLCs were spotted. On the bright side, PLCs improved teachers’ professional capacity and advanced the professional conversations between senior teachers and less-experienced ones. It trimed the time needed for new teachers to fit in. On the down side, however, there were obstacles on both the levels of institution and individual which weakened teachers’ sense of identity as Chinese Independent School’s teachers.
Based on these findings, suggestions are generated for the administrators, senior teachers, and new teachers of Lotus Chinese Independent School, as well as for other Chinese Independent Schools interested in starting their own PLCs and for the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (UCSCAM) on this regard. Suggestions for further studies are provided.
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