School networks and professional learning : a conceptual framework for collaborative teacher learning

Le résumé fourni par la source

Context: Globally, there is increasing emphasis on collective learning, teacher development, and school improvement through policy and reform initiatives (Daly & Stoll, 2018). School-based networks, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and broader learning networks have emerged as innovative strategies for driving school improvement. While policies actively promote collective learning and professional collaboration, relatively little is known about how Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) function in practice or how they are shaped by context (Armstrong et al., 2021). In particular, there is a notable lack of rigorous empirical and conceptual research that examines the realities of collaboration within and across schools (Armstrong et al., 2021; Poortman et al., 2022). At the same time, the literature points to a shift from isolated, school-based PLCs towards cross-school Professional Learning Networks (PLNs), which leverage inter-school collaboration to enhance teacher learning and improve student outcomes (Brown & Poortman, 2018). Although some studies highlight the effectiveness of learning networks for improved teaching and student learning, (Muijs, 2015) but such studies are largely grounded in western contexts. As a result, there remains a significant gap in empirical evidence from Asian settings and particularly within South Asia. Furthermore, models of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) that emphasise collaboration and networking often pay insufficient attention to situated learning processes, leaving the mechanisms of change under-theorised (Boylan, 2018). These gaps are even more evident in underrepresented contexts in Global South, where teacher learning is frequently examined through deficit-based thinking rather than contextualised approaches (Tikly et al., 2024). Focus: Drawing from peer-reviewed research and conceptual literature spanning international contexts, this paper presents a thematic literature review examining how educational networks are structured and leveraged to support teacher professional learning. The focus is to study the collaborative teacher learning through a framework that examines the cultural and contextual process of collaboration and networking. The paper concludes by proposing a conceptual framework to study collaborative teacher learning from knowledge creation approach within the context of networks. Main arguments: The review suggests that the purpose of the network serves as the primary differentiator between school-based networks and learning networks. Despite these differences, both types of networks share foundational features: structures and relationships, collaboration, leadership, and collective responsibility that influence the effectiveness of networks. Moreover, models of effective professional development identified in the literature emphasize active learning, content relevance, and the integration of expert knowledge, with collaboration emerging as the most consistent and influential element. The review highlights that learning networks, in particular, promote intentional and sustained collaboration, positioning teacher learning as both a means and an outcome of networked engagement. The paper concludes by proposing a conceptual framework to study collaborative teacher learning from knowledge creation approach within the context of networks. Conclusion: This synthesis underscores the potential of PLNs to serve as dynamic opportunity for teacher growth, especially when designed with a clear pedagogical purpose and supported by research-informed structures. It highlights the need for contextual, theoretically grounded studies, particularly in under-researched regions, to better understand how networked collaboration can drive meaningful and equitable professional learning. Developed frameworks examines collaborative teacher learning as an iterative learning cycle based on 'object of activity', collaboration, in a context shaped by structure, relationships, leadership and engagement within a wider policy and school context.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.