Building community in online EdD programs can be a challenge, and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of doing so. In this essay, we will situate community building within the larger Community of Inquiry framework and focus on the element of social presence. By understanding more about the various aspects of social presence,…

This study addresses gaps in the research about the effect of professional development (PD) quality on effective instruction by taking a broad perspective when defining professional learning of teachers and by providing a theory-based explanation for effective instruction. Using a large-scale data set, Teaching and Learning International Survey…

This manuscript is a review and critical analysis of professional learning communities (PLCs) research using 13 empirical international studies. Our findings confirm what previous reviews have found: participation in PLCs resulted in improved teacher practice and increased student achievement. In this review, we provide detailed and specific…

Professional learning communities have long been considered a powerful form of collaborative professional learning, as the Learning Communities standard in Learning Forward's Standards for Professional Learning attests (Learning Forward, 2011). This focus on communities can engage teachers in ongoing professional dialogue and examination of…