The purpose of this study is to classify types of school-based Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) based on the levels of their operational foundation and implementation process, and to analyze the influencing factors for each type as well as the...
The purpose of this study is to classify types of school-based Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) based on the levels of their operational foundation and implementation process, and to analyze the influencing factors for each type as well as the differences in operational effects across these types.
The study utilized data from the second year of the "Seoul Education Longitudinal Study 2020," analyzing 310 elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul. For the research methods, Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), Multinomial Logistic Regression, and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were conducted using SPSS 29.0 and JAMOVI 2.7.6 software.
The major results of the study are as follows. First, school-based PLCs were classified into three types according to their operational foundation and implementation process levels: the "Activated Community Type," the "Stable Community Type," and the "Low-Activity Community Type."
Second, teachers' personal and psycho-social characteristics, such as instructional efficacy, morale and enthusiasm, and work conflict, had a significant influence on the PLC types.
Third, among the structural and cultural characteristics of schools, school level, role conflict (teacher climate), student atmosphere (student climate), and open communication (principal leadership) were found to affect the PLC types.
Fourth, significant differences were found in operational effects—specifically teacher professionalism and instructional quality—among the PLC types, with the "Activated Community Type" demonstrating the highest levels.
These results are significant in that they derived types of school-based PLCs based on operational foundation and implementation levels and attempted various analyses based on these classifications. The findings suggest the need for a multifaceted approach, including institutional support for activating school-based PLCs, the establishment of customized support systems for each school, the fostering of teacher leaders, and the construction of regional cooperative networks.