A qualitative study on the implementation of professional learning communities in secondary schools

The aim of this study is to scrutinize the opinions of teachers and administrators in the province of Elazig on the practice of professional learning community in secondary schools. The study group of the research consists of 12 administrators and 40 teachers working in secondary schools in the city center of Elazig. The data used in this research were collected through semi-structured interview forms. As a result of the research, school administrators and teachers stated that cooperation has developed a lot in schools that have the quality of professional learning community. It was determined that the teachers working in these schools developed positive relationships with each other and their administrators. It has been found that managers show supportive leadership behavior. Participating teachers and administrators asserted that positive attitudes and behaviors such as love and respect developed between teachers and students. The majority of the participant administrators stated that the schools they work in are professional learning communities. However, the majority of the participating teachers stated that their schools can not be considered as a professional learning community. While participating school administrators indicate that school administrators have a enough competence to lead a professional learning community, participating teachers stated that school administratiors do not have enough skills to lead those communities. Regarding the attitudes of the teachers working at the school towards being a member of the professional learning community, both the school administrators and the teachers who participated stated that the teachers at the school had a positive attitude. Participating school administrators stated that the physical and economic conditions of the school should be improved, professional development studies should be carried out, and awareness should be raised regarding what should be done in order for schools to become a professional learning community. Besides, participating teachers stated that a positive school climate should be created, physical and economic conditions should be improved, and cooperation should be supported.