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School context and instructional capacity: A comparative study of professional learning communities in rural and urban schools in China

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  • Wang, Dan
  • Wang, Jingying
  • Li, Hui
  • Li, Ling

Abstract

This study examines the teaching gap between rural and urban schools in China from the perspective of teacher professional learning communities (PLCs). Drawing on in-depth interviews with 36 primary school teachers, the study finds striking disparities between rural and urban schools in the working of Teaching and Research Groups (TRGs). These disparities in TRGs result in divergent patterns of instructional capacity building in rural and urban schools. The evidence shows that teaching and teachers are strongly shaped by the school organizational context. It suggests that strengthening school-wide PLCs is an important way of narrowing the rural-urban teaching and learning gaps.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Dan & Wang, Jingying & Li, Hui & Li, Ling, 2017. "School context and instructional capacity: A comparative study of professional learning communities in rural and urban schools in China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1-9.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:52:y:2017:i:c:p:1-9
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2016.10.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Buddin, Richard & Zamarro, Gema, 2009. "Teacher qualifications and student achievement in urban elementary schools," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 103-115, September.
    4. Richard Buddin & Gema Zamarro, 2009. "Teacher Qualifications and Middle School Student Achievement," Working Papers 671, RAND Corporation.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Daizhong Tang & Mengyuan Mao & Jiangang Shi & Wenwen Hua, 2021. "The Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Urban-Rural Coordinated Development and Its Driving Forces in Yangtze River Delta," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Daizhong Tang & Baorui Li & Yuan Qiu & Linlin Zhao, 2020. "Research on Urban and Rural Coordination Development and Its Driving Force Based on the Space-time Evolvement Taking Guangdong Province as an Example," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-18, July.
    4. Yiyun Hu & Xiaoli Jing & Yaqing Yang, 2022. "Factors Impacting the Sustainable Development of Professional Learning Communities in Interdisciplinary Subjects in Chinese K-12 Schools: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Christiansen, Iben & Bertram, Carol, 2019. "Early schooling teachers’ learning from a formal teacher development programme in South Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 78-87.
    6. Jia Zhang & Qinan Huang & Jianmei Xu, 2022. "The Relationships among Transformational Leadership, Professional Learning Communities and Teachers’ Job Satisfaction in China: What Do the Principals Think?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-17, February.

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