PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
COMMUNITY (PLC)
FRAMEWORK

BY MEHEDI HASAN ANIK

Enhancing Science Teachers'
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)
Through Involving in PLC

<figure><img src="image_1.png" /></figure>
<table><tr><td>What do you intend to learn about this?</td></tr><tr><td>Why it is important for students to know?</td></tr><tr><td>What else you know about this idea (that you do not intend to teach)</td></tr><tr><td>Difficulties/ limitations connected with teaching this idea.</td></tr><tr><td>Knowledge about students' thinking which influences</td></tr><tr><td>Other factors that influence your teaching of the idea.</td></tr><tr><td>Teaching procedures (and particular reasons for using these to engage with this idea).</td></tr><tr><td>Specific ways of ascertaining students' understanding or confusion around this idea (include likely range of response).</td></tr></table>

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /><figcaption>(Step-01)Sketch of the Project: Enhancing Science Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) through Professional Learning Community (PLC)</figcaption></figure>
Step-2

Highlights of the Project (Brief Description of the Project)

I. Addressing pedagogical content knowledge as teachers' necessary professional knowledge, several researchers advocate that it is necessary to enhance teachers' professional knowledge to ensure effective teaching.

II. Dufour and Eaker (1998) believe that participating in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) can enhance science teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK).

III. In the Bangladeshi context, several studies such as Ahmmed et al. (2024), Rahman (2011), Rahman (2012), and Shiddike and Rahman (2019) found that science teachers develop professionally while involved with other teachers in a PLC. Although, there is no formal structure for science teachers to work in a PLC in Bangladesh.

IV. Therefore, I have designed a framework combining the concept of Loughran et al.'s (2006) Concept Representation (CoRe) Framework of lesson planning and Lewis and Tsuchida's (1998) Lesson Study Framework (Plan-Do-See) for science teachers of Bangladesh to work in PLCs formally to improve their PCK.

V. Plan-Phase- Planning the lesson is what teachers have to perform in the first stage. The only amazing fact about this stage is teachers have the option to improve their plans through interaction with the other teacher in a team, formally known as the ‘professional learning community (PLC)’.

VI. Do-Phase: Teachers have to implement the individual plans in front of the other teachers in the PLC (simulation) and fellow teachers provide constructive feedback on the observed class.

VII. See-Phase: Based on the class taken, teachers discuss again which part goes well, which part could be better, and many more. This stage informs future lesson planning.

VIII. Initial Piloting can be done on the preservice teachers through microteaching and simulation courses and in-service teachers through professional training.

IX. Based on the results of the real classroom implementation, further iteration will be made.

X. The policymakers will be informed of the framework through findings presentation and report so that future curriculum and educational policies can undertake the framework for teachers' professional development planning.

References:

Ahmmed, R., Anik, M. H., & Sumon, B. (2024). Enhancement of Secondary Science Teacher's Professional Knowledge in Learning Pedagogical Content Knowledge through Involving in Professional Learning Community. *Teacher's World Journal of Education and Research, 49*(1), 155-174. https://doi.org/10.3329/twjer.v49i1.70267

Dufour, R., & Eaker, R. (1998). *Professional learning communities at work: Best practices for enhancing student achievement*. Bloomington, IN: National Education Service.

Lewis, C. C., & Tsuchida, I. (1998). A lesson is like a swiftly flowing river: How research lessons improve Japanese education. *American Educator*, 22(4). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ583033

Loughran, J., Berry, A., & Mulhall, P. (2012). *Understanding and developing science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge* (Vol. 12). Springer Science & Business Media.

Rahman, S. M. H. (2012). Influence of professional learning community (PLC) on learning a constructivist teaching approach (POE): A case of secondary science teachers in bangladesh. *Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, 13*(1).

Rahman, S. M. H. (2011). Influence of professional learning community (PLC) on secondary science teachers' culture of professional practice: The case of bangladesh. *Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, 12*(1).

Shiddike, M. O., & Rahman, A. A. (2019). Engaging faculty in professional development: Lessons from Bangladesh.
Step-03

Description of Project Goal

<table><thead><tr><td>Project Goal</td><td>Brief Description using SMART</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="5">Enhancing School Science Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) through Involving in Professional Learning Community (PLC)</td><td><strong>Specific</strong>- School science teachers in Bangladesh are encouraged by researchers, educationists, and trainers to work in PLC for their professional development. Although, there is no specific framework for the teachers to formally engage in PLC. This project is supposed to give them the framework in which they can collaborate with other science teachers to improve their pedagogical content knowledge to deliver quality lectures.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Measurable</strong>- The project will be implemented on the pre-service teachers and in-service teachers in their training sessions and the progress including classroom application will be monitored by the educational researchers from the Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of Dhaka research team. By the end of the first review of piloting, the research team should be able to iterate and finalize the framework, and at the end of the fiscal year, the IER team should be able to train at least 100 science teachers to be able to work within the framework.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Achievable</strong>- The teachers implementing the framework in their professional settings will be monitored monthly. They should at least apply three lessons in a month using the PLC framework and inform the IER evaluation and monitoring team. These three classes will be observed by the IER research team. Thus, teachers' pedagogical content knowledge improvement can be measured and achieved.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Relevant</strong>- The education ministry of Bangladesh has brought a revolutionary change to the science curriculum after the COVID-19 pandemic. In implementing experiential learning, and formative assessment largely, teachers need to improve their PCK. The IER team is working to improve teachers' PCK through training programs including microteaching, simulations, and internships. This framework is highly relevant to be added to the training program. Finally, with the government's approval, this framework will help teachers implement experiential learning and formative assessment nationwide.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Time-Bound</strong>- In six months (one semester), two batches of teachers (preservice and in-service) should be able to work within this framework. For the next six months, they will be monitored and their performance will be measured monthly.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Answering the Questions-

*What are some of the things you feel most passionate about either in your personal life or in your career? How might you turn that passion into a long-term personal/professional project goal?*

**Passion and Long-Term Project Goal:** The goal could be to establish a sustainable and comprehensive professional development program for science teachers nationwide using the Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs) and Education Departments of the Universities. As a future educationist in Bangladesh, I have determined a career path to flourish in the field of teachers' professional development as part of the instructional design and research team of the Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of Dhaka, a leading organization. This program could encompass not only the PLC framework but also other effective teaching strategies and methodologies. Therefore, I will also be able to take it as part of my career and long-term project to positively impact the overall quality of science education through teachers' professional development.

*or If you could make a positive impact on the world/your business in any way, what would you do? How might you translate that aspiration into a concrete personal/professional project or goal?*

**Positive Impact on the World/Business:**

Based on the positive results from short-scale implementation, this project would involve collaborating with teacher training institutions, government bodies including policymakers, and relevant stakeholders to implement effective professional development strategies on a broader scale. The emerging aspiration to improve experiential learning and formative assessment of the new curriculum could be translated into a concrete impactful project by incorporating this framework into the national curriculum of Bangladesh. This might require administrative advocacy efforts, research partnerships, and piloting teacher training programs in collaboration with educational authorities. Further collaboration with teacher training organizations worldwide, or establishing teacher training programs can also be possible within the potential business model of the project.
Step-04

Objectives of the Project (I have used ChatGPT to generate ideas for this section)

<table><thead><tr><th>Goal of the Project</th><th>Objectives of the Project</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Enhancing School Science Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) through Involving in Professional Learning Community (PLC)</td><td><strong>Specific-</strong><br>i. Develop a comprehensive framework to be included in the National Curriculum for school science teachers to engage in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to enhance Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK).<br>ii. Define specific roles and responsibilities within the PLC framework to ensure effective collaboration among school science teachers.<br>iii. Specify the key theories- Concept Representation (CoRe) and Lesson Study Framework for effective collaboration within the Professional Learning Communities for science teachers.<br><br><strong>Measurable-</strong><br>i. Conduct monthly evaluations of at least 100 science teachers to measure their improvement in PCK through the implemented framework for piloting.<br>ii. Establish a quantitative metric for measuring the impact of PLC participation on student outcomes in science subjects.<br>iii. Establish a lesson observation schedule that includes quantitative and qualitative metrics to monitor teachers' classroom performance three times a month by the research team.<br><br><strong>Achievable-</strong><br>i. Provide training sessions including micro-teaching and simulation to pre-service and in-service school science teachers on how to effectively implement the PLC framework in their professional settings.<br>ii. Specify a target for school science teachers after the training to apply the PLC framework in a minimum of three lessons per month.<br>iii. Provide ongoing support and resources to participating teachers, ensuring they have the necessary tools to apply the PLC framework effectively.<br><br><strong>Relevant-</strong><br>i. Ensure that the PLC framework addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by science teachers in the current educational landscape.<br>ii. Align the PLC framework with the recent changes in the science curriculum introduced by the education ministry, emphasizing experiential learning and formative assessment.<br>iii. Integrate the PLC framework into the existing teacher training programs, including microteaching, simulations, and internships, to ensure relevance and applicability.<br><br><strong>Time-Bound-</strong><br>i. Develop and finalize the PLC framework within the first six months of the project, ready for implementation in subsequent training sessions.<br>ii. Monitor and measure the performance of two batches of teachers (pre-service and in-service) over one year, with training for the first six months and monthly evaluations during the second six months.<br>iii. Compile a comprehensive report on the overall impact of the project on science teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge within 12 months for the review of the Education Ministry and National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB).</td></tr></tbody></table>