Date of Award

Spring 5-18-2015

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

EdD Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Department

Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Advisor

Barbara Strobert, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Michael J. Osnato, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Peter Turnamian, Ed.D.

Keywords

Professional Learning Communities, PLC, Autoethnography, Principal Leader, Teacher Leader, Transformational, Compliant, Distributed Leadership, Shared Leadership

Abstract

This autoethnographic study examined the transformational growth and development over a four-year period of professional learning communities (PLCs) at an urban elementary school in New Jersey. I sought to uncover the relationship between the principal's leadership behaviors, vision, and systemic planning and the development of transformational professional learning communities (PLCs) at the school. Ongoing surveys and questionnaires were distributed to teachers at the school, and my personal journal entries that maintained anecdotal notes of PLCs and interaction among staff during the four-year period along with PLC documents were analyzed. The findings from the study revealed that overall there is a strong relationship between principals' leadership practices and the transformational development of professional learning communities. Additionally, the results from this study suggest that the combination of all the leadership practices associated with this study can assist in informing school principals of the leadership practices associated with successful professional learning communities. Further, the results from this study can be used to help guide professional development programs for education leaders relative to the specific leadership practices that may help support a collaborative culture of professional learning communities in schools.

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