Exploring the role and possibilities for a professional learning community in Higher Education

: insights from an English language centre in Oman

Abstract

The concept of professional learning communities (PLCs) is widely researched and of growing interest internationally. In Oman, some research has been started recently at the school level. However, at the time of this study, no research has been conducted at the higher education (HE) level. Hence, the study took place at one university in Oman through an action research project lasting one semester. It aimed at establishing and evaluating a PLC to understand the first-hand experiences of the members of this community. The study used interpretivism and social constructivism in order to deeply analyse members’ interactions and perceptions of the PLC. Data were collected via utilizing three tools: preliminary documentary analysis of the reports produced by Staff Development Committee, observations of PLC meetings, and semistructured interviews during and at the end of the semester.

The findings showed positive attitudes towards the PLC where the members could sense a supportive environment with considerable mutual respect and trust. All members were happy sharing their classroom practices, challenges and reflections, and learning from one another. Overall, the members found professional development (PD) sessions fruitful and they encouraged establishing a PLC along with the current PD program because the PLC directly spotlighted their needs. Although the members indicated the great potential of creating a sustainable PLC, their participation was challenged by several factors such as workload, time constraints, and technical issues. The members suggested many solutions to make the PLC a successful learning experience such as gaining managerial support, having more members with an assigned leader, being more active and going deep in professional learning. The findings of the study were discussed in light of pertinent literature and the Omani context. Implications for policy makers and educators were drawn from the findings.

Date of Award	3 Oct 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Robin Shields (Supervisor) & Lucy J Wenham (Supervisor)