Professional Learning Communities in Theory and Practice

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Facilitator(s)

• Matthew Watts, Tidewater Community College
• Kristen Gregory, East Carolina University

Why?

Faculty in higher education are no stranger to the insular behavior at many institutions. Too often we struggle to improve our teaching alone rather than work with our colleagues. This may be why many of us seek out Process Education as not just a source for theory but as a community of practitioners. In this experience we hear about the case study of a multi-disciplinary learning community formed at TCC under the guidance of a colleague and researcher and focused on disciplinary literacy. We will analyze the theory and practice of learning communities and provide the first steps for forming our own.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the activity participants will

1. Understand professional learning communities in the context of higher education
2. Understand how disciplinary literacy can be used to improve teaching and learning in their discipline

Performance Criteria

Participants will identify research areas they are interested in that would benefit from a professional learning community and create plans for implementing it among their colleagues.

Resources

• What Is a “Professional Learning Community”
• Doing and Teaching Disciplinary Literacy with Adolescent Learners: A Social and Cultural Enterprise
• TCC PLC - Mission and Goals
• TCC PLC - Schedule

Technology Requirements

• Break-out rooms in Zoom

• Discussion threads:

• Critical Thinking Questions
• Plans for devloping a professional learning community

Plan

Before the workshop

• Read
1. What Is a “Professional Learning Community”
2. Doing and Teaching Disciplinary Literacy with Adolescent Learners: A Social and Cultural Enterprise
   


• Post answers to the Critical Thinking Questions
  1. What is a professional learning community?
  2. How are professional learning communities different from the learning communities we strive to create in our classes? How are they the same?
  3. What is the role of Disciplinary Literacy in your teaching/learning?
  4. What are the benefits and challenges for creating a LC within your discipline? Across disciplines?
  5. Is the Academy of Process Educators a professional learning community? If no, how could we become one?

During the workshop

• Introductions
• In small groups:
  • Share either a past experience with a Learning Community or thought and impressions about Learning Communities.
• As a whole:
  • Share insights
  • Present overview of the TCC Learning Community that focused on Disciplinary Literacy
  • TCC PLC - Mission and Goals
  • TCC PLC - Schedule
• Back in small groups:
  • Come up with a plan for a learning community for your group. Identify the shared interest(s) that the learning community will focus on.
• As a whole:
  • Share plans for learning communities with the larger group.
• Closure and point to session assessment

After the workshop

• Assess the Workshop