Education Reform Journal - Volume 5 - Number 2 - Investigating the Relationship Between School Effectiveness, Professional Learning Communities, School Culture and Teacher Characteristics

Oct 15, 2026

This study investigates how school culture, professional learning communities, and school effectiveness are related using a correlational research design with structural equation modeling and path analysis. Data come from 355 teachers analyzed out of 358 sampled teachers working in public schools across Turkey. Mediating and direct effects among variables are tested, including a fourth hypothesis linking the three variables with teacher characteristics. Results indicate supportive, achievement-oriented, task-oriented culture relates to school effectiveness and PLC behaviors, supporting school improvement through these cultural components.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Education Reform Journal Volume 5 Number 2, 2020 [http://dx.doi.org/10.22596/erj2020.05.02.45.59](http://dx.doi.org/10.22596/erj2020.05.02.45.59) e-ISSN: 2602-3997 Investigating the Relationship Between School Effectiveness, Professional Learning Communities, School Culture and Teacher Characteristics Hasan TABAK 1 Fatih SAHİN2 Submitted: July 7, 2020; Accepted: December 21, 2020; Published Online: December 31, 2020 Abstract This study aimed to determine the relationship between school culture (SC), professional learning communities (PLCs), and school effectiveness (SE) in the correlational research model through structural equation modeling. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 358 teachers working at public schools in various provinces of Turkey. Thus, data from a total of 355 teachers were analyzed. In the analysis of the data, the mediator and direct role of the variables were examined through path analysis. Finally, the fourth study hypothesis examined the relationship between these three variables and teacher characteristics. In general, the study results revealed that a supportive, achievement-oriented, and task-oriented SC was important for SE and the exhibiting of PLCs behaviors. In this context, it can be argued that paying attention to these cultural components and applications, which turn teachers into PLCs, is of significance in making schools effective. Teachers' perceptions of the PLCs, SC, and SE in a centrally managed educational system, and the relationships between these variables can contribute to school improvement. Keywords: School Effectiveness, Professional Learning Communities, School Culture, Teacher Characteristics Introduction It has been observed that the concept of culture, which claimed to have been transferred from anthropology to organization studies (Van Houtte, 2005; Van Houtte & Van Maele, 2011), has attracted the attention of educational sociologists since the 1930s (Peterson & Deal, 2009) . This concept was used by Pettigrew (1979) in organization research in the late 1970s. In the following process, this concept has been the focus of increased interest and has been the subject of many studies. It can be claimed that thereis a similar trend in educational research. When one is establishing the definition of culture in the field of educational research, often, an anthropological approach is adopted, and culture is defined as the knowledge, beliefs, values, traditions, rituals, symbols, and language of a group—in short, the group’s lifestyle (Hargreaves, 1995; Peterson & Deal, 2009) . School culture (SC) is seen as an important factor affecting teachers' behaviors and attitudes as well as determining the norms of behavior in a school (Zhu, Devos & Li, 2011) . It can be claimed that positive or negative behaviors exhibited in school emerge as a result of culture (Terzi, 2005) . SC is a significant predictor of teachers' commitment to their school 1 Corresponding author: Aksaray University, [0000-0003-3923-5133], [hasantabak@aksaray.edu.tr](hasantabak@aksaray.edu.tr)[ ](hasantabak@aksaray.edu.tr)2 Gazi University, [0000-0002-6579-2550], [sahinfatih@gazi.edu.tr](sahinfatih@gazi.edu.tr) (Sezgin, 2010) . SC also plays an important role in determining school dynamics and the change process (Hargreaves, 1995; Zhu et al., 2011 ; Korkmaz, 2006; Kosar & Calik, 2011) . School culture should be analyzed before initiating a change process in a school (MacNeil et al., 2009) . Therefore, SC has a critical function in developing positive behaviors in teachers and teachers' transformation into a professional learning community. With the knowledge and skills obtained in pre-service training programs, a teacher cannot cope with the problems present in today's schools, which show multicultural diversity (Vanblaere & Devos, 2016) . For this reason, today's teachers should continuously engage in collaborative learning activities. This forces teachers to become a professiona

FAQs

What research model and methods were used to study the relationships among the variables?

The study used a correlational research model and applied structural equation modeling, supported by path analysis to examine mediating and direct roles among variables.

How many teachers participated, and how was the data analyzed?

358 teachers were sampled, and data from 355 teachers were analyzed. The analysis examined direct and mediator effects across the variables using path analysis.

What did the findings suggest about the role of school culture in school effectiveness and PLC behaviors?

The results showed that a supportive, achievement-oriented, and task-oriented school culture was important for school effectiveness and for displaying professional learning communities behaviors.

Oct 15, 2026

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