MOET Moet Myint Lay & Anikó KÁLMÁN

Impact of a Professional Learning Community on the Professional Development of Teacher Educators in Myanmar

Introduction

Establishing a Professional Learning Community (PLC) eliminates teacher isolation, enables instructors to manage their professional development requirements, and encourages collaboration for professional development (Hellner, 2008). It has been proven that teachers gain knowledge by learning from one another as part of their daily practice (Dufour, 2011) while professional development in the classroom is designed to support teachers in learning from one another as part of their everyday teaching practice. Instructional strategies and professional development can be improved by using PLCs (Linder et al., 2012).

A teacher's performance is one of the most important factors affecting student achievement. Teachers' performance is establishing and maintaining a learning environment for their students by applying their knowledge and abilities. Several studies have shown that professional learning communities enhance teachers' and students' academic performance and abilities (Anderson, 2004). Research has demonstrated that professional learning communities improve staff commitment to the school's mission and goals, reduce teachers' tendency to work alone, create shared responsibilities for students' development, and improve the teachers' understanding of their subjects (Vescio. et al. 2008).

In addition, teacher professional development becomes valuable when viewed as a tool for growth integrated into the job and not as a separate in-service (Kruse, 1993; Louis, 2006). This type of professional development is provided by PLCs at work. A thriving learning community develops over time by building professional connections and putting students' needs ahead of personal concerns. A significant and long-lasting school transformation can be achieved by schools that value and support teacher development (Lieberman, 1995a). Educators who place a high value on professional advancement and personal development are at the center of this culture, environment, and collaboration cycle.

Literature Review

DuFour (1998) defines PLC by categorizing each word into its component phrases. For example, a "professional" is an "expert". "Learning" means "to learn" and "to practice continuously". "Community", as described in the quote from the book of McLaughlin and Davidson (1994), means something different for everyone. For some, it is a safe space where they can work together to survive. For others, it is an emotional community with close friends where they can share and be emotionally supported. Some see the community as a place of personal growth.

Successfully implementing and participating in a PLC benefits both teachers and students. Participating in PLCs allows instructors to combat isolation by allowing them to work with peers and concentrate on enhancing student achievement (Lieberman, 1995b). Teachers who participate in PLCs can interact with their peers and enhance their teaching by considering suggestions and observations made by others. Together, teachers can create engaging lessons that hold students to high standards, increase their learning, decrease absences, and reduce achievement gaps in specific subject areas (Hord, 1997). Many academics and professionals (Many, 2009; Louis et al., 1996; Saphier, 2005) who work in schools have contributed to the knowledge about PLCs. PLCs provide a way to improve education, but the work made possible by PLCs leads to teacher professional development and student academic success (Peterson et al., 1996).

The Professional Learning Community (PLCs), a discussion group for educators, aims to support teacher professional development and improve student learning proficiency. The issue with most PLCs is member travel time and distance (Wang et al. (2017), Giglio and Palmieri (2017), Tang & Lam (2014), Lim & Lee (2014)). To co-design lesson plans and professionally evaluate the teaching and learning management outcomes of teachers from local conventions, those working in the field of education have, however, formed groups (Blitz, 2013). Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are becoming increasingly popular among academic staff at Rajabhat universities across Thailand. These colleges produce and prepare pre-service teachers specifically for the nation's schools. In the next 20 years (2017-2036), they will have incorporated the PLC idea into one of the new university policies for regional community development. The second issue with university policy relates to the growth and effectiveness of teachers (TTC, Phuket Rajabhat University, (2017).

According to DuFour et al. (2010), a PLC is a community engaged in "an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve" (p. 11). Participation in professional learning communities enhances the collective capabilities of educators. Only increasing the capacity of a few teachers will not create systemic school improvement. Teachers must focus on daily, ongoing learning so that every teacher can provide more individualized and precise instruction to students (Fullan et al., 2006).

Theoretical framework

For a learning community to truly build new knowledge, it must discover and learn about that knowledge and apply and share it. This process goes beyond acquiring practical knowledge. As Hord (2004) emphasizes, it is about actively seeking out and reading about new practices and, most importantly, applying them to improve student outcomes. In professional learning communities, teachers and administrators actively participate in continuous learning. They actively engage in their education. They are open to learning new things. Together, they search for new knowledge and ways to apply it to their work. Hord (2004) explored the importance of the community's five professional learning community areas for (1) Supportive and Shared Leadership, (2) shared values and vision, (3) collective learning, (4) supportive situations, and (5) shared personal practice. (Figure 1)

Figure 1. The Five Dimensions of a Professional Learning Community

(author adapted from Hord ,2004)

1. Supportive and Shared Leadership: According to Hargreaves et al. (2006), "professional learning communities do not primarily focus on the quality of distributed leadership" (p. 127). Instead, administrators and teachers discussed teaching challenges, identified issues and worked together to find solutions.

2. Shared values and Vision: Little (1990) underlines the significance of a shared vision among teachers. This shared vision becomes the responsibility of standards-based education and assessment, inspiring teachers to align their efforts with the educational goals of the school community.

3. Collective learning: A professional learning community involves all school staff members learning new skills and applying them to their work. Collaborative learning creates opportunities for problem-solving. It builds trust between principals and teachers, strengthening their commitment to education and development. (Hord, 1997)

4. Supportive situations: Two conditions are necessary to develop professional learning communities. According to Hord (1997), They are structural and supportive conditions.

5. Share personal practice: One aspect of shared personal practice is visiting and observing teachers across the classroom. Hord (1997) examined teachers' classroom behaviors and noted that they should provide feedback and observe other teachers in the classroom. This helps build the individual and the community.

Conceptual Framework of the Study

The study about the PLC practices comprised five main activities that are basic components of PLC and were considered as independent variables. The components consist of (1) supportive and shared leadership, (2) shared values and vision, (3) collective creativity, (4) supportive situations, and (5) shared personal practice. The dependent variable is whether teachers' professional development occurs in the PLC practices. The researcher, on the other hand, took into account demographic factors. In determining teachers' professional development, teachers' experience in a significant field of study or a teaching program are essential factors, as well as their age and current teaching specification subjects at the College. The College's optional fields of study and teaching specialization serve as intervention variables. A relationship between both dependent and independent variables would be established.

Figure 2. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Problem Statement of the Study

Myanmar is Southeast Asia's largest nation, strategically located between China, India, and ASEAN. In 1948, Myanmar had one of the highest adult literacy rates in the region, at almost 60% (UNESCO, 2006). As a result of the 1962 military coup, the education system has declined over time. Myanmar ranks last in the countries' league table regarding educational outcomes and investment (Ministry of Education, 2015; UNESCO, 2015). Building a high-quality education system is a process that takes time. Myanmar is working on several short-term and long-term initiatives to improve the educational landscape.

In 2001, the Government of Myanmar demonstrated its commitment to education reform by adopting the 30-Year Basic Education Plan (2001-2031, Fiscal Year 2001-02-31). This comprehensive roadmap outlines the country's long-term vision for its education system, instilling confidence in its strategic planning and commitment to improvement. The MSDP (Myanmar et al. Plan) of 2018-2030 recognizes that the education system plays an essential role in the development of the economy. The role of an education system in shaping the human resources of a country cannot be overstated. In the case of Myanmar, it is not just a matter of educational development but a crucial factor in the country's economic growth. The urgency and significance of this issue must be addressed (MSDP-2018-2030).

To achieve this, the commitments in the NESP (National et al. Plan) of 2016-2021 are focused on promoting more equitable access to education and improving the quality of students' outcomes. As mentioned above, the MOE has initiated improving teacher education and management to enhance student learning outcomes in Myanmar's schools and educational institutions. It includes having enough qualified teachers in each school to meet the MOE's minimum teacher-to-student ratio and qualification standards. MOE needs help deploying qualified teachers, especially in remote rural areas (MOE, 2015).

Teachers have reported various logistical problems, including insufficient teachers, overpopulation of students (not enough student-teacher ratios), limited space, a lack of teaching materials, and a lack of time. Additionally, they have reported a need for more compatibility between the Child-centered approach (CCA) and the examination system (Lall et al., 2013, p. 1). Lwin and Ye (2021) examined a professional learning community for private teachers at Inspiration Academic Center, a private boarding school in Myanmar. They found that teachers who are less willing to accept other teachers' ideas but have strong leadership skills in sharing learning and practice are more successful in collective learning. Therefore, teachers need to develop good relationships with other teachers and accept suggestions from others. In addition, principals need to create professional learning environments and support teachers. Research on professional learning communities in colleges of education in Myanmar needs to be conducted. However, more research needs to be done on teacher education communities in Myanmar as well. This study is important not only for teachers' professional development but also for Myanmar's educational development.

Research Aims and Questions

This study aims to assess the level of teacher comprehension of the PLC in Myanmar related to their professional development. The purpose of the PLC study is to support the continuous professional development of the teachers in Myanmar and to enhance their teaching abilities.

The main questions of the study are:

• What are teacher educators' perceptions of PLCs' influence on their professional development?

• Are there any variations in the teacher educator's professional development in professional learning communities regarding their personal factors?

• Is there any significant relationship between professional learning communities and the professional development of teacher educators?

Methodology

Population and Sample

A rigorous process led to the selection of seven colleges from the 25 esteemed education colleges in Myanmar as our representative samples. Among the 25 education colleges in Myanmar, 70 teacher educators (male teacher educators = 20, female teacher educators = 50) from four education colleges in Upper Myanmar and three education colleges in Lower Myanmar were included in this study. Utilizing a simple random sampling method, 70 teachers were chosen to form the desired sample size for this quantitative study, ensuring the study's validity and reliability.

Instrumentation

Questionnaires were used as a research instrument to conduct this study. This research will be based on a quantitative analysis using the Olivier, Hiff, and Huffman (2010) Professional Learning Community Assessment, revised as a critical research tool for data collection. The quantitative survey consists of two sections. Items in Part 1 of the survey will gather background information (demographic data) on participants. Part 2 of the survey will include a 5-point Likert-type scale to rate their practices in professional learning communities (PLCs). A literature review identified the benefit of PLCs for the professional development questionnaires. The questionnaire was translated from English to Myanmar so that the participants could better understand the questionnaires given to them. Therefore, the questionnaire was cross-checked by two experienced experts who translated it into Myanmar language. The questionnaire was divided into three parts.

The first part of the questionnaire consists of 8 items for demographic data. The second part of the questionnaire included (37) items with five dimensions related to PLCs. These items were rated on five-point Likert scales ranging from 1 to 5 (1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=neutral, 4=Agree, 5=Strongly Agree). The second part of the questionnaire for PLC on professional development included ten items rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 (1=Always, 2=Often, 3=sometimes. 4=Rarely, 5=Never). In this study, the researcher used the professional learning method.

The primary tool used in this study was community assessment, as mentioned in Olivier, Hiff, and Huffman (2010). The reliability coefficients (Cronbach α) were 0.90 for professional learning communities and 0.89 for teachers' collective efficacy. The questionnaires used in this study were considered very reliable. This survey is sufficient to be used in this study. The following Table 1. displays the Cronbach's alpha value of this study:

Table 1. Current Cronbach's Alpha Values of the Instrument in this study

The professional learning community assessment questionnaires and efficacy of professional development had reliability values .928 and .822, respectively, as indicated in Table (1). Consequently, these questionnaires are considered reliable.

Table 2. Result of the factor analysis of this study

The researcher utilized EFA for significant correlation of the data in order to assess the data's suitability for factor analysis. The data has a significant relationship if the KMO value is .903 and Bartlett's test significance level is less than 0.05. Therefore, it can be seen that there is a correlation between the variable and other variables. Bartlett's Test of Sphericity and KMO value are appropriate in this study.

Procedure

First, the relevant literature was studied, the necessary information was obtained, and the tool was carried out under the supervisor's guidance. After that, advice and guidance were obtained from 2 education experts in Myanmar. The questionnaire was distributed to the teachers of the selected education colleges. All questionnaires were collected two weeks later, and the response rate was 100%.

Data Analysis

The collected data were analyzed using Descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA, and Pearson Product Moment correlation by SPSS statistical software (version 28) for the perceptions of teacher educators in their professional learning communities.

Findings

Research Question One

One research question aims to identify teachers' perceptions of PLC's influence on their professional development at Education College in Myanmar. A five-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the participants' perceptions. For question one, teachers were asked to provide their views based on five PLC dimensions.

Table 3. Mean and Standard Deviations of Professional Learning Community (n=70)

Scoring Direction: 1.00-1.80=Very Low, 1.81-2.60=Low, 2.61-3.40=Moderate, 3.41-4.20=High, 4.21-5.00=Very High

Table 3. shows the results of teachers' perceptions of the professional learning community. The total mean scores of teachers' perceptions towards the professional learning community were (3.64), in the range of 3.41-4.20, and were interpreted as high according to data interpretation criteria. The five dimensions ranked from the highest to the lowest mean score were collective creativity (4.34), shared values and vision (4.11), shared supportive Conditions (3.98), shared personal Practice (3.10), and supportive conditions got the lowest mean score of 2.69.

Research Questions Two

Research question two is to study the variations in teacher educators' professional development in professional learning communities regarding their factors at an education college in Myanmar. The participants' factors were evaluated on eight questions. The respondents' demographic information, such as their age, significant areas of their study, details of their current teaching activities, and respondents' teaching experiences, is involved.

Table 4. Mean Values and Standard Deviations of Teachers professional development

on PLCs rated by their Age

Scoring Direction: 1.00-1.80=Very Low, 1.81-2.60=Low, 2.61-3.40=Moderate, 3.41-4.20=High, 4.21-5.00=Very High

Table 4 indicated that teacher educators of all ages practiced their professional development on PLCs at a generally high level. The following tables present the findings for the research question (2).

Table 5. ANOVA Results of the Level of Efficacy Among Teachers Based on Their Age

*p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<0.001, ns= no significance

Table 5 shows a significant difference in teacher professional Development on PLC (F (3,66) =10.938, p=.000).

Table 6. Mean Values and Standard Deviations of Teachers professional development on PLCs rated by teaching experiences

Scoring Direction: 1.00-1.80=Very Low, 1.81-2.60=Low, 2.61-3.40=Moderate, 3.41-4.20=High, 4.21-5.00=Very High

Table 6. revealed that teachers in all years of teaching service practiced PLCs at a high level, and among them, teachers with 6-10 years of teaching experience and more than 20 years of teaching service had the highest mean value.

Table 7. ANOVA Results of the Level of Efficacy Among Teachers Based on their teaching experiences

*p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<0.001, ns= no significance

According to Table 7, it was found that there were significant differences based on their teaching experience of teacher professional development on PLC (F(6,63)=2.267, p=.041)

Table 8. Mean Values and Standard Deviations of Teachers professional development on PLCs rated by their position

Scoring Direction: 1.00-1.80=Very Low, 1.81-2.60=Low, 2.61-3.40=Moderate, 3.41-4.20=High, 4.21-5.00=Very High

Table 8 indicates that tutors with a high level of professional development in PLCs, as well as lecturers and professors, practiced PLCs at a high level. Then, the moderate level of professional development in PLCs is associate professor.

Table 9. ANOVA Results of the Level of Efficacy Among Teachers Based on their position

*p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<0.001, ns= no significance

According to Table 9., there were significant differences based on their position in teacher professional Development on PLC (F(3,66)=2.428, p=.049).

Table 10. Mean Values and Standard Deviations of Teachers professional development

on PLCs rated by their fields

Scoring Direction: 1.00-1.80=Very Low, 1.81-2.60=Low, 2.61-3.40=Moderate, 3.41-4.20=High, 4.21-5.00=Very High

According to Table 10, the mean values of BA, BSc, MA, and MSc degree holders, BEd and MEd degree holders in PLC practices, and PhD holders indicated that all the teachers practised PLCs for their professional development at a high level.

Table 11. ANOVA Results of the Level of Efficacy Among Teachers Based on their qualifications

*p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<0.001, ns= no significance

Table 11 shows that PLC (F (2,67) = 7.493, p=.001) is statistically significant based on their qualifications in teacher professional development.

Research Question Three

The third research question is to determine the relationship between the professional learning community and their professional development at education colleges in Myanmar. The data was analysed according to the nominated variables using a statistical software. The correlation between PLCs and professional development was analysed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The results of the Pearson product correlation are presented below, which illustrates this point.

Table 12. Result of Pearson Product Moment Correlation (n= 70)

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

According to the data presented in Table 8, the result showed that professional learning communities and teachers' educators' professional development at Education Colleges in Myanmar were positively moderately correlated (r =. 459**, p <.001).

Discussion

Teacher educators from Education College in Myanmar applied the five domains of the professional learning community with a mean value of 3.60. The teachers' responses about the test items indicate that collective learning and the application of collective learning are practiced at a very high level. Collaborative learning activities can improve student achievement and develop problem-solving and interpersonal communication skills. The survey highlights teachers' perceptions of the importance of preparing them for future academic and professional development.

There was a high level of shared and supportive leadership. Most teacher educators think that leadership is an essential factor in professional development. Based on data analysis and research findings, most teacher educators believe that leadership is shared with them. The researchers found that specialized subject leaders discussed with experienced and novice teachers and shared power and authority for their respective activities. Their leadership skills were enhanced and nurtured in their school.

Furthermore, educators engaged in the practice of shared values and perspectives to a high level. In this study, the principals focused on teachers' academic achievement, supporting decision-making about the instructional process in education college, and supporting the requirement of the teaching-learning process. The responses to the questionnaire indicated that they shared ministry and departmental guidelines and co-created the vision and mission of the education college. However, the principal and teacher educators' interest in allowing them to attend professional training that enhances their teaching is low, according to the requirements of the teachers.

Teacher educators in this study practiced shared personal practice, which is 3.10 at moderate levels. Data analysis of the findings from this study revealed that teachers actively participate in professional development activities, share the results of their teaching practices, and provide positive feedback related to teaching practices. However, some teachers could be more vital in cooperating due to a lack of time and willingness to accept other teachers' comments and suggestions among colleagues. Therefore, school principals should schedule sufficient time to visit and review each teacher's classroom behavior effectively and encourage cooperation to improve the College's functioning.

In designing PLCs, the extent of the enabling supportive conditions is also essential. According to research findings argue that most teachers have positive, caring relationships with their school community. They believe that if a good relationship between principal and teachers, teacher and teacher, teachers and students, they can build a good community of mutual respect and trust and overcome difficulties together. PLC activities can be more beneficial to teachers if school leaders understand and support them.

Evidence from the Professional Learning Community Literature using a qualitative case study, primary school teachers' perceptions of PLC's effectiveness and professional growth and development were examined from previous literature. Effective PLCs occur through collaboration, where the primary goal is for students to learn through continuous teacher learning (Van Driel & Berry, 2012). Although the literature reveals the academic implications of this practice for students (DuFour et al., 2008), few studies show that participating in PLCs leads to professional development for teachers and improved collaboration among teachers (Van Driel & Berry, 2012).

Many researchers and scholars in schools (Many, 2009; Louis et al., 1996; Saphier, 2005) have contributed to the body of knowledge about PLCs and generally agree that PLCs are an effective way to improve teacher and student performance. PLCs, with their collaborative nature, provide a vehicle for developing instructions. Teacher professional growth, school development, and student achievement result from implementing PLC (Peterson et al., 1996).

In the study of differences in teachers' personal factors on the professional development of teachers in PLCs, according to the research results, the age of 21-30 years obtained a very high value of 4.60. As they get older, they think their teaching experience is enough and become less interested in continuing to learn. However, it's crucial to emphasize the importance of continuous learning to keep educators motivated and inspired to keep improving.

In addition, if one looks at the teaching experience, the more the teaching experience, the more successful teaching and learning are than with participants with less teaching experience. In comparison with the position opportunity, it is seen that to be more successful in teaching in any position, they need to improve their skills. The degree qualification of the teachers is also necessary for academic success and professional development.

A teacher's educational level, significant areas of study, and teaching experience are the most critical factors in determining the quality of teachers. Thus, it influences the level of effectiveness of a teacher educator. As mentioned above, most researchers agree that age, experience, qualifications, and skills are essential for developing the teaching-learning process. According to the results, Practical knowledge and actions are necessary in determining the teacher's professional development effectiveness.

Thus, Goodwin (1999) identified teaching experiences as one of the crucial foundational skills in an effective teaching process and professional development. The most significant factors in determining the quality of teachers and their teaching are teacher education and professional training.

According to Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001), teachers' experiences with achieving achievements will increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning activities. On the other hand, due to the negative aspects of teachers' teaching abilities, there may be instances of teachers' ineffectiveness. The findings of the Tschannen-Moran study indicate that experienced teachers (having teaching experience for more than five years) had higher grades than junior teachers (having teaching experience for less than five years). Furthermore, it is consistent with Stoll. El's (2003) perspective is that teaching experience can influence the effectiveness of professional development.

In this study, the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to find a relationship between teachers' practices in professional learning communities and their professional development in teaching and learning in Myanmar. This research showed a moderate relationship between the professional learning community and improved teacher learning quality in our education college in Myanmar. Professional learning community practices should be used to enhance the teacher educator's collective efficacy and professional development for better student achievement results.

The previous study by Goddard et al. (2004) stated that a professional learning community may positively affect numerous teachers' professional development and increase student achievement. This study highlighted implementing professional learning community practices for College of education teachers to develop the students' improvement and involve the professional learning community to encourage attention to improve their academic achievement and professional development. Schools that value and nurture teacher expertise are catalysts for rational and sustainable school reform.

Conclusions

The study's findings helped better understand the relationship between the level of PLC practice and teachers' effectiveness in the teaching and learning process in form six dimensions and Myanmar's teacher education system. Teacher educator's performance was identified as one of the critical factors in the success and excellence of each College. It has also been proven that other factors that affect the success of College, such as the College's leadership, peer relationships, classroom environment and classroom management, teaching and learning supervision, and teacher training, must be addressed. The findings will be helpful as a guide in formulating plans and strategies to improve the education college's capacity further. Studies have found that best practices must be shared to spread the benefits of excellence. The findings are also consistent with PLC practices that should be in place in all education colleges, as well as the openness and transparency of school communities. The findings support the findings of Louis and Kruse (1995), who stated that teacher collaboration and self-evaluation are standard practices in PLC. Thus, PLC practices are not a formal evaluation process but a regular effort by colleagues to help each other. It is a cherished practice based on the knowledge that any progress towards quality education requires the collaboration of the professional learning community.

Limitation of the Study

This study attempted to study the practices of the professional learning community of teacher educators from the College of Education. The researcher used only seven education colleges in Myanmar. Therefore, the result cannot only cover all education colleges in Myanmar. This study should be conducted extensively and with in-depth sampling. In addition, research on how professional learning communities' impact instructional practices and the conceptualization of the relationship between student learning and professional learning communities and teachers' well-being is needed. To strengthen the concept of PLC among teachers, it becomes imperative for all administrators to clearly explain the methods and objectives of implementing PLC, especially among principals and teachers. The noble values contained in the concept of PLC need to be embedded in all levels of the teaching and learning environment in Myanmar so that it would become a well-received culture.

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