The concept of "professional learning community" (PLC) has been suggested as a tool to improve teachers' professional competency and students' learning outcomes since the mid-1990s. In such a community, teachers can share their individual practices with the aim of searching for "good practice" based on the outcome of collective…

The 2007 "Top of the Class" report on the Inquiry into Teacher Education in Australia found teacher induction failure and high attrition rates were endemic in most Australian states. Mentoring was advocated as an important mechanism for countering the debilitating drain attrition exerted on the profession (more than 30% within the first…

Connecting with other education professionals is important in supporting teacher learning. Teachers in remote locations in Australia experience a professional isolation due to geographic isolation that makes it difficult to engage in sustained collaborations with other teachers. In a national project ICT was used to assist these teachers by…

This article describes the formation and evolution of a successful collaboration titled the "Master Technology Teacher", a professional development program that focuses on training teachers how to use technology in classroom instruction. Partners in the collaboration include inservice and preservice teachers and university content area…

Dynamic Ecological Analysis (DEA) is a model of practice which increases a teams' efficacy by enabling the development of more effective interventions through collaboration and collective reflection. This process has proved to be useful in: a) clarifying thinking and problem-solving, b) transferring knowledge and thinking to significant parties,…

This study examined technology implementation practices associated with student learning gains. Interviews and observations were conducted with staff at schools where teachers using reading or mathematics software with their students attained above-average achievement gains and at schools where software-using teachers had below-average gains. The…

Several researchers have studied the impact of collaboration between the learners on their cognitive levels, but few studies have been carried out on the impact of collaboration between the teachers. The aim of our research is to study the effects on the knowledge levels of learners of collaborative construction of learning objects created by the…

The person most critical to the success of teachers is the building principal. The person most critical to student learning is the teacher. Too often, though, principals and teachers lack the time, resources, and sometimes the skills and abilities to focus on student learning. Principals and teachers in school with limited financial and human…

This article reports on the small-scale evaluation of a school-based action research project, focusing on the creation of teaching materials aimed at developing tools for multilingualism for pupils aged 7-14. This three-year project was launched in September 2004 in 12 state primary schools and two secondary schools in two local authorities in the…

This study investigates the influence of a school's pre-existing social resources on the implementation of a comprehensive literacy-coaching program (Content-Focused Coaching [CFC]). Elementary schools were randomly assigned to receive a CFC-trained coach (n = 15 schools) or to continue with the literacy coaching resources that are standard for…

A restructured postgraduate teacher education programme is described specifically with regard to its commitment to prepare educators to work effectively with deaf and hard-of-hearing children in inclusive settings. The focus of the paper is on the design and development process rather than on the evaluation of the outcomes. Background information…

This article addresses a program model developed to address the professional development needs of content teachers who work with English language learners (ELLs) and offers recommendations for teachers, administrators, school districts, state agencies, and institutions of higher education, to address job-embedded professional development needs.…

The purpose of this study was to assess, plan, and implement a budget building process through collaboration with the stakeholders of a targeted school district. The research question of this study was, "Will allowing the stakeholders more input, autonomy, and collaboration during a budget building process build a team environment and…

This article discusses a new approach to knowledge translation using Web 2.0 technologies in an online Community of Practice (CoP). The purpose of the CoP is to promote wisdom-based action, a process that encourages people to engage with knowledge, match it to their own values, vision, and contexts, make a well-informed decision, and act on that…

At a recent conference sponsored by the National Science Teachers Association on Professional Learning Communities in Science, I was reminded how crucial it is for teachers to continually examine their practice. As one new to teaching physics, you may be overwhelmed by the task of helping your students develop accurate understanding of the…