A meta-analysis of the correlation between professional learning communities and teachers’ efficacy beliefs

Abstract

A burgeoning body of literature has explored the correlation between professional learning communities (PLCs) and teachers' efficacy beliefs (TEB). However, the findings are inconsistent, posing challenges to both theoretical understanding and practical implications of the roles of PLCs in education. Adopting a meta-analytical approach, this study synthesized data from 44 independent samples (N = 38,669) to investigate the correlation between PLCs and TEB. Our analysis revealed a statistically significant positive correlation (r = .40) overall. Furthermore, our analysis of relative weights highlighted notable variability in the significance of different dimensions of PLC, with a predominant emphasis on collective focus on student learning (31.76%) and reflective dialog (24.26%) as the primary contributors to TEB. Our findings also showed that PLCs exhibited a stronger correlation with teachers’ collective efficacy beliefs (TCEB) than with self-efficacy beliefs (TSEB). The study also identified the moderating effects of certain cultural dimensions, such as power distance and collectivism, on the correlation between PLCs and TEB. We found that PLCs had a stronger positive correlation to TEB in societies with high power distance and low individualism compared to those with low power distance and high individualism. These results consolidate existing research findings of PLCs, and provide directions for further inquiries to advance the understanding of and research into PLCs.