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Interaction in teacher PLCs represented as music: how would that sound?
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) can be an effective way to enhance teacher professional development; yet how so? And, what if one uses music to represent teacher interaction? In the study, conducted by Marieke Thurlings and Marloes Hendrickx from TU/e (Eindhoven School of Education, main investigators) and Perry den Brok from WUR (Education and Learning Sciences group, supervisor) interactions in PLCs were videotaped, analysed with complex techniques such as orbital decomposition. PLCs showed different interactional patterns, depending on how teachers reported the success of the PLC and its focus.
The lesson from this study is that for a meaningful conversation it is not enough to sit together in a PLC, like in an orchestra where musicians each play a musical piece in their own style; or even when they each play a different piece at the same time. A good conductor is needed, in terms of a facilitator, who invites the participants to delve deeper, and to make the conversation a harmonic whole. Check the video for the presentation of the study at the EARLI 2021 (online) conference including musical fragments that were composed and registered especially for this project!
The research reported here was funded by the ‘Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek’ (Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek (NRO) 405-14-300-015); we also thank the musicians that wish to remain anonymous!
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