Understanding Teacher Learning in Professional Learning Communities in China: Experiences from a Shanghai Junior Secondary School

By: Licui Chen

Sign Up Now! Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into Bookshare to access this title. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles.

Synopsis: Based on six-month fieldwork in a junior secondary school in Shanghai, this book qualitatively investigates the implementation of Teaching Research Group (TRG) practices and teachers’ different professional learning experiences within the structure of TRGs. The author situates teacher professional learning in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) within broader historical, social, and cultural contexts and further suggests that the practice of TRGs reflects the Chinese approach of balancing the seemly complex dualities (e.g., commitment and control, collaboration and authority, individual and collective approaches) in educational settings. This book supplements the present knowledge base on PLCs in the context of China and thus enriches the global discussion on constructing effective PLCs for teacher professional learning and development. Scholars and students studying teacher professional learning and development, professional learning communities, school improvement, and Chinese schooling would find this book helpful.