UMD Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/3

New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a given thesis/dissertation in DRUM.

More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.

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Subject: search.filters.subject.professional learning communities

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    Teachers' Perceptions of the Sources of Collective Efficacy in an Organizational Environment Conducive to Collective Learning
    (2011) Williams, Letitia Marion; Mawhinney, Hanne; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Collective teacher efficacy has emerged as a significant predictor of student achievement and is theorized to influence teachers' actions in ways that improve student learning. Bandura's theory of efficacy formation posits that efficacy beliefs are formed from the perception and interpretation of four sources of efficacy. This qualitative study explored the organizational antecedents of collective teacher efficacy, specifically, how the organizational context of the school, conceptualized as a professional learning community (PLC) influenced teachers' perceptions and interpretations of the sources of efficacy. Teachers were interviewed and observed interacting with faculty and administrators. The study found that the PLC conditions shared vision, collective learning, and shared and supportive leadership had the most significant impact on teachers' collective efficacy beliefs. In addition, the student demographic, predominantly minority, low-income students, influenced how teachers conceptualized the teaching task and how they assessed the competence of their colleagues. Individual-level attributes such as years of teaching experience also accounted for differences in teachers' perceptions and interpretations of efficacy sources. Finally, the study found support for the importance of the principal's role in the development of teachers' collective efficacy beliefs.
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    A CASE STUDY OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGY TO ESTABLISH SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
    (2005-08-01) Haas, Jacqueline Cordes; Mawhinney, Hanne M; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    A Case Study of the Actions Taken by a School District in Planning and Implementing a Strategy to Establish School-Based Professional Learning Communities Abstract This case study focused on the actions taken to create school-based professional learning communities during a two-year period of planning and implementation by a mid-sized, suburban school district located in the State of Maryland. The study examined the implementers' perceptions of the actions taken by the district. Archival documents and databases were utilized during secondary analysis of district actions. Analysis using a social systems model revealed that during both planning and implementation periods district actions were directed largely to structural, political, cultural, and individual system approaches of supporting change. Analysis of transcripts from structured interviews with members of instructional leadership teams in a sample of ten of the 50 schools in the district was conducted. The study found that a difference existed between the perceptions of district leaders and school-based leaders on the extent of use and the helpfulness of various district actions, thus highlighting the importance of addressing differential needs of schools. Despite differences, implementers were generally positive about the actions the district took. The study found differences in the degree of progress made by the ten study schools in the development of the conditions of professional learning communities. Possible explanations are presented for differences in progress made by each of the ten study schools. Findings reinforce the value of using a heuristic model for analysis of systemic initiatives. Recommendations include that districts use intentionality in designing actions to address differentiated school needs. It is further recommended that districts implement systemic inquiry-based self-study practices. Suggestions for future research include exploration of the relationship between professional learning communities, collective efficacy, and student achievement.