What is a professional learning community?

A professional learning community is an inclusive group of people, motivated by a shared learning vision, who support and work with each other, finding ways, inside and outside their immediate community, to enquire on their practice and together learn new and better approaches that will enhance all [participants’] learning.

Stoll, Bolam, McMahon et al., 2005, page 1

In education, a “professional learning community” (PLC) is the context in which people involved with and concerned about schooling work collaboratively to learn how they can improve student learning. There is no universal definition or description of a professional learning community. However, a range of researchers have attempted to identify the specific characteristics of professional learning communities that are effective in sustaining improvements in student learning. While their terminology may differ, many of the characteristics they identify and the learning principles on which they rest seem to be similar. In addition, the characteristics and principles seem to be the same whether they are applied to professional learning communities in schools, inservice teacher education, or at the government level. This appendix draws on research evidence to identify and attempt to describe some characteristics of effective professional learning communities and their implications for inservice teacher education.

The following characteristics seem to be typical of effective professional learning communities:

• Commitment to learning for all

• Collaborative relationships among community members

• Shared values and vision

• Reflective and iterative inquiry

• Participation in networks and partnerships

• Commitment to sustainability and capacity building.

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