Date of Award
2008
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Education Specialist (EdS)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Dr. Linda Dorn
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine how professional learning communities influence the three levels of self-reflections in teachers: procedural or literal, theoretical or conceptual, and moral or ethical. The study used an inductive analysis design with the researcher as the primary instrument of data collection and analysis. Data collection included formal and informal observations, field notes, teacher reflections, teacher quotes, interviews, reflection journals and audiotapes of team meetings. Data were coded using open coding, and a thematic approach for data analysis was employed. The subjects of the study were five first grade teachers who participated in literacy team meetings for a period of 7 months. Findings from the study indicated that three of the five participants remained at the procedural level of reflective thinking and two of the participants moved to the theoretical/conceptual and moral/ethical levels. The study concluded that the most reflective teachers engaged in reflective practices with greater consistency, including writing in reflection journals, setting professional learning goals, collaborating with peers, reading professional texts, and taking university classes.
Recommended Citation
Costantini, Robyn, "The Influence of Professional Learning Communities on Teachers' levels of Self-reflections" (2008). Theses and Dissertations. 156.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/156
