How can professional learning communities influence teachers’ job satisfaction? A mixed-method study in China

ABSTRACT

This mixed-method study explored the influences of professional learning communities (PLCs) on teachers’ job satisfaction in China. A questionnaire survey was administered to 488 teachers in 16 primary schools in Shanghai to examine the effect of PLCs on teachers’ job satisfaction. Follow-up qualitative interviews with 10 teachers were conducted to explain the reasons behind such effects. The results show that the organisation-centric characteristics of PLCs, comprising supportive leadership, organisational structure and cultural barriers, have significant and positive effects on the teacher-centric characteristics of PLCs (i.e., collaborative inquiry and sharing and shared purpose and responsibility), which further significantly and positively predicted teacher job satisfaction. The practical implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Professional learning communities
• teacher
• job satisfaction
• China

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Humanity and Social Science Youth Foundation of Ministry of Education of China under Grant No. 19YJC880131.

Notes on contributors

Jia Zhang

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 Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, Educational Management, Administration & Leadership, and Asia Pacific Journal of Education. ORCID: 0000-0002-7107-7545

Rui Yuan

Rui Yuan is an assistant professor at the Department of English Language Education, Education University of Hong Kong. From September 2020, he will be an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education of the University of Macau. His research interests include teacher identity and action research. His publications have appeared in TESOL Quarterly, Journal of Education for Teaching and Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice.