TY - JOUR
T1 - An exploratory study of Chilean early childhood teachers’ professional learning communities
AU - Guerra, Paula
AU - Figueroa Céspedes, Ignacio
AU - Zamora, Pablo
AU - González, María Paz
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 TACTYC.
PY - 2023/4/4
Y1 - 2023/4/4
N2 - Researchshows that Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) foster teachers’professional learning. However, there is little knowledge about theirimplementation among early childhood (EC) teachers in Chilean andLatin American contexts. This article seeks to characterize two PLCscomposed of EC teachers and to analyse, from the participants’perspectives, the experience as a professional learning process. Froma qualitative perspective, a multiple case study was developed. 27 ECteachers participated, 12 from PLC 1 and 15 from PLC 2. Datacollection included nonparticipant observations, interviews and focusgroups. Data were analysed by an open coding process based ongrounded theory. The results show that each PLC highlighted differentaspects related to pedagogical practice, self-care practice, trustand close relationships, and institutional validation. From theteachers’ perspective, PLCs contribute to professional learning, interms of fostering complex and critical reflective practice, andcollaborative conceptual learning that promotes not only knowledgeacquisition and construction but is also empowering for teachers.Practical and investigative implications are discussed.
AB - Researchshows that Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) foster teachers’professional learning. However, there is little knowledge about theirimplementation among early childhood (EC) teachers in Chilean andLatin American contexts. This article seeks to characterize two PLCscomposed of EC teachers and to analyse, from the participants’perspectives, the experience as a professional learning process. Froma qualitative perspective, a multiple case study was developed. 27 ECteachers participated, 12 from PLC 1 and 15 from PLC 2. Datacollection included nonparticipant observations, interviews and focusgroups. Data were analysed by an open coding process based ongrounded theory. The results show that each PLC highlighted differentaspects related to pedagogical practice, self-care practice, trustand close relationships, and institutional validation. From theteachers’ perspective, PLCs contribute to professional learning, interms of fostering complex and critical reflective practice, andcollaborative conceptual learning that promotes not only knowledgeacquisition and construction but is also empowering for teachers.Practical and investigative implications are discussed.
KW - Professional learning communities
KW - cognitive mediation
KW - early childhood education
KW - pedagogical practice
KW - professional development
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85152394721&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09575146.2023.2198164
DO - 10.1080/09575146.2023.2198164
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85152394721
SN - 0957-5146
JO - Early Years
JF - Early Years
ER -