Teachers' Professional Learning Communities in China A Mixed-Method Study on Shanghai Primary Schools

The book investigates how Chinese professional learning communities (PLCs) shape the professional practice of teachers and their psychological well-being. Adopting a mixed research approach, the author explores the influence of PLCs on teachers’ self-efficacy, commitment and job satisfaction in a number of schools in Shanghai, China. The study contributes to our understanding of PLC outcomes from the Chinese perspective, enriches our knowledge of how PLCs promote teachers’ psychological well-being, and also sheds light on how the practices of PLCs can be influenced by various institutional and socio-cultural forces. The book will be of interest to academics and students studying professional learning communities, teacher professional learning and professional development, school effectiveness and school improvement, and Chinese schooling.

1. Introduction 2. The concept of professional learning communities and itseffects on teachers 3. Understanding professional learning communities in a Chinese context 4. Testing a conceptual model to understand the development of professional learning communities in China 5. The relationship of professional learning communities with teacher efficacy, commitment and job satisfaction 6. How professional learning communities affect teacher efficacy, commitment and job satisfaction in Chinese schools7. Barriers to the development of professional learning communities in Chinese schools 8. Concluding remarks

Jia Zhang is an associate professor at the College of Education, Zhejiang University. Her research interests include teacher development, educational leadership and school improvement. Her recent publications appear in Educational Management, Administration & Leadership, Teachers and Teaching, and Educational Studies.