A historical review of professional learning communities in China (1949-2019): some implications for collaborative teacher professional development

ABSTRACT

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have been recognized as a promising infrastructure for teacher professional development and student achievement. There has been increasing research interest in PLCs outside mainstream Western contexts. Based on literature and documentary analysis, this paper outlines the historical development of PLCs in mainland China over the past seven decades. It further analyses the continuities and changes in the development of PLCs in mainland China since its establishment. The main changes identified include increased administrative duties, a shift in the orientation of collective work, and increased integration with other professional development efforts, though PLCs in China remain a top-down teacher collaboration strategy for their professional development. Lessons from the development experiences of China highlighted in this paper enrich the global discussion of PLC implementation for promoting teacher professional development across different educational systems.

KEYWORDS:

• Professional learning communities
• china
• collaborative professional development
• teaching research system
• history

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Peak Discipline Construction Project of Education at East China Normal University.

Notes on contributors

Licui Chen

Licui Chen is a postdoctoral fellow in the Faculty of Education at East China Normal University. She obtained her PhD at the University of Hong Kong. Her main research interests include teacher professional development, educational policies and reforms, and school improvement.