Professional Learning Communities: An Inclusive Solution for Engagement and Collaboration

Introduction

Collaboration and inclusion are essential for an organization to survive in a globalized society. Educational institutions must simultaneously command multiple departments, support a diverse workforce, and meet numerous agendas and goals. To meet this demand, organizations have the unique opportunity to integrate creative strategies, processes, and solutions. These processes can often become segmented as departments aim to reach their respective requirements to achieve departmental objectives and individual employee goals. While all departments may be working in tandem towards the organization's common good, focus on the organizational vision can be problematic with siloed communication channels and a diverse organizational population functioning independently in separate work environments. To encourage a focus on the institution’s vision and a feeling of inclusion rather than isolation, organizations can create communities by providing ways to interact — erasing potential departmental barriers. The following chapter presents the varying degrees of involvement for all participants and an overview of strategies for successful implementation, functionality, and efficiency.

One way to establish a sense of inclusion and evade feelings of isolation within an educational setting is to establish a professional learning community (PLC). PLCs are made up of education professionals from across an educational institution and promote a collaborative approach towards shared goals or visions to ensure student learning (DuFour, 2004). Educational institutions have experienced a shift in the 21st century with the rapid advancement and necessity of technology, infrastructure, and the overall speed of information and ideas exchange. Any working professional has likely felt the effects of rapid globalization on many levels and has adopted alternative approaches to collaboration and inclusive working environments (Mumby & Kuhn, 2018). Collaborative relationship building and inclusive learning practices have also been adapted to meet the increasing need for virtual settings and hybrid workspaces. PLCs are a proven strategy for fostering collaboration, erasing departmental boundaries, expanding scholarship, and enhancing professional efficacy in virtual and traditional educational settings (Bettersby & Verdi, 2015). The primary purpose of a PLC is to tackle a challenge, meet a goal, or implement a change for the organization's good while encouraging individual growth. While much of the foundational research and implementation of PLCs was founded in education (notably the K–12 setting), today, PLCs are increasingly being used by major organizations and corporations worldwide to promote and foster a collaborative culture and a focus on learning.

This chapter explores what PLCs are and emphasizes how the inclusion of PLCs contributes to experiential learning, offers varying degrees of involvement, and deepens the efficacy of all participants (Sternberg & Zhang, 2000). An overview and analysis of common communication challenges are included, along with strategies for successful implementation, functionality, and efficiency of professional learning communities. Additionally, there will be a particular focus on a multi-channeled PLC approach. It will provide practical examples of implementing these successful strategies and why they are important to faculty development, persistence, and efficiency for student learning. Successful implementation of PLCs can propagate scholarship efforts; enrich faculty, staff, and student connections; and improve overall instruction (Owen, 2016). The chapter will present ongoing objectives, benchmarks, and highlights of successful strategies from leading education researchers and professionals, contributing to a supportive and positive learning environment for staff, teachers, and students.

The objective of the chapter is to encourage professionals toward employing professional learning communities as a strategic tool to advance ongoing inclusive learning environments; emphasize collaboration for faculty to strengthen professional skills; motivate colleagues to share and develop strategies for diverse educational settings and students; and focus on efficiency so that all involved gain clear results.