This paper focuses on the development of professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools, which are communities of educators tasked with improving student learning outcomes. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the paper explores the central tenets of an effective PLC and contributes a definition of the concept to address much of…

Test-based accountability (TBA) draws on a managerialist ideology that emphasises standards, constant measurement, and external motivation for improvement. It stands in sharp contrast to the idea of professional learning communities (PLCs) that aim to mobilise teachers' internal motivation and willingness to cooperate with peers to facilitate a…

This paper explores the reflections of occupational therapy academics about the experience of kindness in academic and professional life. Data were derived from a reflective group conversation in the context of a larger overarching research project exploring occupational therapy academic development. The findings elaborate how kindness and care…

To address the great challenges facing humanity, humans need to feel united as inhabitants of the Earth, to feel that their future is tied to the future of all living beings, and that the universe contains all levels and all relationships that encompass its parts. To achieve this requires widening knowledge of the interconnection and…

The aim of the study is to examine how lesson study activities affect primary school preservice teachers' noticing of students' misconceptions. A qualitative research approach was adopted and action research method was used. The study was conducted with 9 primary school preservice teachers. The data were obtained from the observation form, video…

The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to investigate the relationship between college teachers' perceptions of the professional learning community and teacher self-efficacy. Drawing on quantitative data from a sample of 367 college teachers in Inner Mongolia in China during the 2023-2024 school year, the research investigated the…

This investigation of student and instructor representations of molecular orbitals (MOs) uses the knowledge from a community of practice to build collective pedagogical content knowledge of student understanding of molecular orbital representations in the foundation-level inorganic chemistry course. Participants were asked to sketch the bonding…

This paper reports on a key representation, a triple number line, designed as part of the first author's doctoral study. The study sought ways to represent multiple constructs of fractions in the context of merging music and mathematics to support learners' understanding of fractions. A problem scenario was designed guided by Realistic Mathematics…

While formal early career mentoring is considered significant for faculty success, few universities have instituted programmatic mid-career mentoring. We review the reasons mid-career mentoring is important especially for under-represented (URM) faculty and consider the ways the entrenched model of one-on-one mentoring can fail URM faculty. We…

This paper reviews theories regarding online learning communities in higher education and their relevance to online degree programs. While these theories are used extensively to promote and maintain community within online courses, little attention has been placed on broader factors that can influence perceptions of online community. Based on our…

This paper explores the enterprises artist-teachers in adult community learning (ACL) engage with and how these form their identity. This is significant to consider as artist-teachers in ACL are overlooked in the published literature. ACL is comprised of community-based learning delivered by local authorities and general further education…

Purpose: Learning power is crucial in today's rapidly changing world, yet its application to teachers is under-explored. This study delved into the investigation of teacher learning power and examined how it matters in the relationship between teachers' experiences in lesson study and the adoption of constructivist pedagogy.…

Teaching is a complex collection of creative actions with ongoing consequential choices and decisions; therefore, it necessitates educators' ongoing reflection. As educators who currently serve art teacher candidates at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, a small public university in the rural Northeast, the authors constantly seek to rework…

Pedagogical metacognition, or the reflective and reflexive actions associated with teaching practice, strengthens the planning, monitoring, evaluation, and adjustment of teaching in higher education faculty. Learning communities are optimal environments to foster this active teaching reflection. This study incorporated pedagogical metacognition…

The professional learning of academics working in UK higher education (HE) can be a complex enterprise occurring across a multitude of (in)formal learning encounters, challenging academics to negotiate and prioritise their time and the opportunities available to them. This study investigates the professional learning of academics in UK HE,…