The Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) model can be used to explore how faculty prioritize learning about and adopting new pedagogical approaches. Here, we use the DOI framework to contextualize biology faculty perceptions of a professional development (PD) program designed to help them create a full semester course-based undergraduate research…

Since 2016, Park School in Denmark has consistently used Japanese lesson study as an approach to the professional development of its mathematics teachers. The school has moved beyond the initial adaptation of lesson study, and no longer includes external support. In this article, I investigate how three groups of teachers participated in the…

Purpose: Lesson studies, a methodology originally developed in Japan, has been used in an increasing number of contexts, both in relation to initial teacher training and in the context of ongoing professional development. However, the research reported on the use of lesson studies in the training of physical education teachers is very limited. The…

As schools face increasing student achievement accountability, many educators have turned to school-level professional learning communities (PLCs) as a possible solution. The challenge is that many schools are not implementing PLCs with fidelity. It is imperative that school leaders assess PLC practices to ensure that critical components are being…

A traditional faculty member's job function involves both teaching and research. However, unlike in K-12 education, the majority of faculty members have little to no formal training on teaching methods prior to entering the classroom. This study focuses on implementing Lesson Study as a form of professional development in higher education to…

In 2019 the world experienced a medical emergency that impacted education across the world. Several states in the United States had professional learning communities introduced into their schools as a means to enhance academic achievement prior to COVID 19. In order to show support to the schools and increase student achievement, a state…

This qualitative phenomenological study aims to explore teachers' perceptions of professional learning communities and how they feel it impacts their effectiveness as secondary mathematics teachers in two instructional domains--content knowledge and pedagogy. Teachers spend a substantial amount of their time engaged in Professional Learning…

This paper focuses on the development of professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools, which are communities of educators tasked with improving student learning outcomes. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the paper explores the central tenets of an effective PLC and contributes a definition of the concept to address much of…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore how teacher coaching was implemented across eight schools. Design/methodology/approach: A subjectivist epistemological position was adopted as the most appropriate for this study, and a qualitative approach to methodology, data collection and analysis was used within an evaluative multiple case…

Lesson Study is a rapidly growing and increasingly popular teacher professional development approach and is valued for its cyclical, classroom-based and collaborative nature. Mostly used in primary and secondary education, Lesson Study has only recently been applied to the context of initial teacher education focussing on pre-service teachers'…

Background Study: Previous systematic reviews concluded that online professional-learning communities (OPLCs) have positive effects on teachers' development, but explored neither the technological affordances that make this possible nor the potential negative impacts of technology use in OPLCs. Objectives: The aim of this study is to…

The problem was that professional learning communities (PLCs) have not focused on topics relevant to teachers of students with developmental disabilities, limiting these teachers' professional development (PD) and their students' educational opportunities. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore whether fifth grade…

This article aims to explain how social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can be useful setting for effective professional learning communities (PLCs) for physical educators. It also pinpoints the opportunities and challenges of using social media for PLCs and provides recommendations for physical educators and physical education teacher…

Discipline-based education research (DBER) constitutes bridging theoretical knowledge and educational practice to advance learning while accounting for the contextual features and nuances that are important to a discipline. DBER literacy enables faculty members to understand and apply evidence-based instructional strategies to advance student…

Purpose: This study explored high school teachers' perceptions and collaborative learning experiences in integrating information and communication technologies (ICTs) in teaching using lesson study (LS) whilst engaging in teacher professional development (TPD). Earlier forms of TPD were often theoretical, and teachers had difficulty in applying…