Developing a pan-university professional learning community

Abstract

Professional learning communities (PLCs) support students’ learning in pre-tertiary education, but have not been sufficiently explored at the tertiary level. Drawing on the literature on PLCs across broader educational contexts, we explore the development of a PLC within our University using analysis of survey responses and through document analyses. Key themes from our data collectively reveal the core features of our evolving PLC – Building community; Ground-up design; Creating a safe space – and demonstrate both the broader impacts of the community and the on-going challenges faced as we seek to develop a sustainable PLC. Recommendations for academic developers interested in the development of PLCs within their contexts are offered.

Keywords:

• Professional learning communities
• learning communities
• academic development
• professional development
• tertiary teaching

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge other current members of the PLC steering group: Beth Smith (Information Technology Services); Chris Eichbaum (Victoria Business School); Diane Ormsby (Biology); Jan Stewart (Student Learning); Amanda Gilbert (Centre for Academic Development); Kevin Gould (Biology); Marcus Harvey (Library); Stephen Marshall (Centre for Academic Development); Stuart Brock (Philosophy); Tane Moleta (Architecture); and Walter Langelaar (Design).We thank the community members, as without their active engagement there would be no PLC. We appreciate the commitment towards our PLC demonstrated by the University’s senior leadership team, including on-going funding for PLC activities and this research project.