Teachers' Perceptions about the Value of Protocols for Professional Development: Results of a Qualitative Investigation

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a powerful school improvement strategy designed to advance teacher professional development. Protocols are tools for structuring teacher conversations in PLCs. In this article the authors present the results of a qualitative study of teacher perspectives about the value and effects of systematic protocol use. This investigation took place within the context of a Researcher-Practitioner Partnership situated in an urban school district that aims to bring culturally responsive computer science education to all K-5 students. Findings revealed that teachers believe use of protocols supplanted 'chaotic' conversation with critical dialogue and improved their instructional practices. Protocols appear to ameliorate common hindering factors to the realization of effective PLCs, including conflict avoidance, participation inequities, and lack of group purpose. An annotated list of protocols of especially high value, and that teachers used most frequently to advance their collaborative learning and professional development, is presented.