We contend that the notion of critical friend is a legitimate consideration with respect to considering how to most effectively encourage professional relationships that support and enhance professional learning and development (PLD). This paper will firstly consider an overarching framework of professional relationships and define…

Amidst societal, demographic and educational changes, teachers are expected to engage in professional development and learning (PDL) throughout their careers. This study explores school teachers' mental models about their work in the framework of Senge's learning organisation, aiming to support their PDL during curriculum reform and organisational…

This article presents a review of 70 empirical articles focussing on professional learning communities (PLCs) for teachers in the Global South. The review highlights an upward trend in the quantity of the publications on PLCs from 2010 onwards. The evidence suggests that PLCs could be initiated as a result of a mandate, a project of professional…

Changes in society demand constantly evolving education systems. Teachers' practice is crucial to the successful implementation of educational reforms. A major obstacle for practicing teachers in implementing reform mathematics is that they have not experienced it themselves as learners. Consequently, teachers require extended, practice-based…

After outlining the central role of leadership for individual and interorganisational learning in sustainable Professional Learning Networks (PLN), this article describes Austria's professional learning environment and professional learning (PL) within this changing field. In order to meet urgent institutional requests for sustainable PL, new…

Teacher professional learning workshops have been frequently used to prepare in-service and pre-service teachers for effective use of technology in education. Evaluation of these workshops is crucial to identify the effectiveness of these programmes in terms of improving teaching skills, increasing knowledge, changing attitudes, and developing…

At a time of increasing global uncertainty, it is critical that school systems succeed at transforming their educational aims and practices. This article focuses on the Chilean System of Educational Quality Assurance as a policy case aimed at expanding the purpose of education by incorporating indicators of social and personal development (ISPD)…

The concept of professional learning communities (PLCs) has received considerable attention in research as well as in school practice since the late 1990s. PLCs have been positively associated with a variety of outcomes for both teachers and students, but differences in the way the concept is operationalised, and the fact that most of the research…

This article discusses teachers' moral learning in professional learning groups and corresponding challenges for teachers' moral professionalism. A professional learning programme aimed as understanding the moral dimension of teaching was conducted. A framework for moral learning was developed based on a review of the literature of teacher…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have become the gold standard of teachers' professional learning. However, their success is far from guaranteed. Little is known regarding the processes that groups of learners undergo to become fully-fledged PLCs. This study followed a teachers' PLC over three years. It shows how the facilitator learned to…

Since facilitators are considered to be crucial actors in teacher teams, the aim of this study is therefore to explore, observe and characterise actions of facilitators by means of detailed video-observations of facilitators during teacher-team meetings. Results show that facilitators' actions vary from passive-absent and passive-waiting to…

A networked learning community (NLC) comprises teachers from different schools engaging collaboratively in purposeful and sustained professional learning. Networked learning entails the construction of knowledge that is new to the members of the group by tapping their collective practitioner knowledge and the public knowledge base. Members can use…

The cultivation of teacher leaders is key to addressing the intersecting and complex challenges the field of education faces. Over the past two years, we have participated in a group we call the Teacher Leadership Collaborative (TLC). The TLC is a community of educators -- from preservice to highly experienced -- committed to equity-oriented…

Early career teachers (ECTs) face numerous challenges during their transition from preparation programmes into professional employment contexts. Social media platforms have created many new opportunities for teachers' ongoing professional learning by putting them in contact with other teachers from anywhere in the world. However, being connected…

There is strong evidence that professional learning in schools can positively impact learner experience and outcomes. This conceptual paper draws on key literature focused on understandings of high-quality professional learning and what makes an excellent environment in which to learn. This literature informed and spoke to the sense-making of our…