Exploring the Characteristics of Professional Learning Communities in China: A Mixed-Method Study

This mixed-method study explored the characteristics of professional learning communities (PLCs) in Chinese schools. Informed by the existing literature on PLCs, the authors conducted a questionnaire survey of teachers in seven schools in Shanghai to explore the characteristics of Chinese PLCs. Follow-up qualitative interviews were also conducted to examine the underlying reasons for such characteristics perceived by teachers. Results show that PLCs in the Chinese schools can be conceptualized in terms of collaborative learning, professional competency, facilitative leadership, structural support, and cultural barriers, which can be attributed to school education system, traditional social cultures, and ways of teacher recognition. Practical implications as well as suggestions for future research are also provided.