dc.contributor.author	Sims, David M.
dc.coverage.spatial	Georgia	en_US
dc.coverage.temporal	2016-2021	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2022-04-05T18:29:51Z
dc.date.available	2022-04-05T18:29:51Z
dc.date.issued	2021-12
dc.identifier.other	36FC6EBC-5862-2B96-4AA7-D43D45EEA46C	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/10428/5376
dc.description.abstract	One of the biggest problems facing American educators is the challenge to increase student achievement in the era of accountability and high stakes testing (DuFour et al., 2016). Student test scores and achievement remain stagnant across south Georgia (GADOE, 2018a; GADOE, 2019b). One reform used by schools to help increase student achievement is the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). PLCs help increase the efficacy of teachers, which is the most crucial factor contributing to an increase in student achievement (DuFour et al., 2016; Goddard et al., 2004; Hattie, 2017; Tschannen-Moran & Barr, 2004). This phenomenological study was conducted to explore the professional practice of PLCs by examining the life experiences, career experiences, PLC-related experiences, and perceptions of middle schools principals in rural south Georgia in regards to student achievement. The narrative of participant experiences and perceptions created a potential roadmap for other middle school leaders to implement PLCs. Participants for this study were identified from rural south Georgia middle schools using maximum variation purposeful sampling (Maxwell, 2013; Patton, 2015). The researcher collected participant data using a series of interviews, observations, and document analysis (Seidman, 2013). At the end of data analysis and coding, four major themes emerged from this study: PLC Processes, Capacity within Schools, School Culture, and Student Achievement. After analyzing participant data, I concluded schools that employ PLCs as a professional practice for teachers experience professional growth in teachers and academic growth in students. The study’s participants, regardless of the PLC framework used in their school, all had positive experiences and perceptions of PLCs and their resulting impact on students, teachers, and capacity within school. Keywords: Professional Learning Communities, Principals, School Capacity, Leadership, Professional Growth, Student Achievement	en_US
dc.description.tableofcontents	Chapter I 1 -- Overview 1 -- Statement of Problem 1 -- Purpose 4 -- Significance 4 -- Research Questions 7 -- Conceptual Framework 7 -- Professional Learning Community Concept Map 9 -- My Experiential Knowledge 10 -- Existing Theory and Research 12 -- Summary of Methodology 15 -- Limitations 16 -- Summary of Chapter 17 -- Definitions of Terms 17 -- Chapter II Literature Review 21 -- A History of High stakes Testing and Student Achievement 23 -- A Nation at Risk 23 -- No Child Left Behind 24 -- Race to the Top 26 -- Every Student Succeeds Act 28 -- High stakes Testing and Student Achievement 29 -- Learning Organizations 32 -- Personal Mastery 34 -- Mental Models 36 -- Shared Vision 38 -- Team Learning 41 -- Systems Thinking 44 -- Summary of Learning Organizations 45 -- Professional Learning Communities 46 -- Shared Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals 49 -- Collaborative Teams 52 -- Collective Inquiry 54 -- Action Orientation and Experimentation 55 -- Continuous Improvement 56 -- Results Orientation 58 -- Role of Principals in Learning Organizations and PLCs 59 -- Summary 61 -- Chapter III Methodology 64 -- Research Questions 65 -- Rationale 65 -- Research Design 67 -- Setting 68 -- Role of the Researcher 69 -- Proposed Sampling Technique 69 -- Data Collection 72 -- Interviews 73 -- Observations 75 -- Documents 76 -- Data Management 77 -- Data Analysis Procedures 78 -- Memos 78 -- Open Coding 79 -- Axial Coding 80 -- Issues of Trustworthiness/Validity 80 -- Data Triangulation 81 -- Participant Accuracy Checks 82 -- Three-Interview Approach 82 -- Ethical Issues 83 -- Summary 85 -- Chapter IV Participants 86 -- Lyla 87 -- Tim 92 -- Eric 98 -- Tami 102 -- Matt 107 -- Jason 113 -- Summary 118 -- Chapter V Results 120 -- Discussion of Themes 122 -- PLC Processes 126 -- Collective Inquiry 127 -- Team Learning 129 -- Action and Experimentation 131 -- Capacity within Schools 134 -- Leadership 135 -- Accountability 137 -- Teacher Efficacy 140 -- Professional Growth and Learning 143 -- School Culture 147 -- Shared Vision 147 -- Collaborative Teams 150 -- Collective Responsibility 153 -- Continuous Improvement 156 -- Student Achievement 160 -- Student Growth 160 -- Rigor 163 -- Common Assessments 165 -- School Improvement 169 -- Summary 172 -- Chapter VI Discussion and Conclusion 173 -- Research Questions: Summary Discussion 177 -- Research Question 1 178 -- Research Question 2 184 -- Research Question 3 190 -- Limitations of the Study 195 -- Generalizability 196 -- COVID19 197 -- Researcher Bias and Reactivity 197 -- Implications of the Study 198 -- Recommendations 201 -- Expansion of the Sample Size 202 -- Expansion of the Sample Parameters 202 -- Conduct Quantitative or Mixed Methods Studies 203 -- Complete Longitudinal Studies 203 -- Conduct Cross-Sectional Surveys 203 -- Study the Impact of COVID19 203 -- Conclusion 204 -- References 209 -- Appendix A: Professional Learning Community Concept Map 228 -- Appendix B: Three-Legged Stool 229 -- Appendix C: Shared Vision Continuum 230 -- Appendix D: Institutional Review Board Approval 231 -- Appendix E: Sample Request to Conduct Research 232 -- Appendix F: Sample District Approval to Conduct Research 233 -- Appendix G: Letter to Applicants 234 -- Appendix H: Interview Protocol 235 -- Appendix I: Informed Consent 241 -- Appendix J: Participant Profiles 242 -- Appendix K: Coding Process 243 -- Appendix L: Sample of In Vivo Coding Generated Data 244 -- Appendix M: Open Coding Symbols and Clusters 245	en_US
dc.format.extent	1 electronic document and derivatives, 257 pages. 1516447 bytes.	en_US
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.rights	This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.	en_US
dc.subject	Academic achievement	en_US
dc.subject	Dissertations, Academic--United States	en_US
dc.subject	Education	en_US
dc.subject	Educational leadership	en_US
dc.subject	Georgia	en_US
dc.subject	Middle schools	en_US
dc.subject	School principals	en_US
dc.title	A Phenomenological Study of Principals' Lived Experiences and Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities	en_US
dc.type	Dissertation	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Workforce Development of the Dewar College of Education and Human Services	en_US
dc.description.advisor	Bochenko, Michael J.
dc.description.committee	Truby, William F.
dc.description.committee	Haralson, J. Shawn
dc.description.committee	Williams, Lisa N.
dc.description.degree	Ed.D.	en_US
dc.description.major	Education in Leadership	en_US