Collective efficacy is the belief that a group of teachers can have a strong impact on student learning. According to Hattie’s meta-analysis, collective efficacy has an effect size of 1.57 which is nearly 4 times the .4 average effect size for one year. In this post, I would like to describe one way in which effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) can feel more efficacy as a group: the Collective Teacher Inquiry.

In Collective Efficacy: How Educators′ Beliefs Impact Student Learning, Donohoo describes four sources that shape beliefs around collective efficacy. The source that makes the biggest impact on beliefs is mastery experiences. When a team has success (a mastery experience) and recognizes that success was based on something they did, they expect more that effective performance can be repeated in the future.

Effective PLCs are built on a foundation of trust which allows participants to be vulnerable and take risks in teaching practices and inquiry practices to ask “Why are we doing this and why are we doing this in this way?” I have written extensively about trust and the protocols/processes that provide teams predictable data routines and other processes. These processes are essential for teams engaging in continuous improvement.

Donohoo describes the process of Collaborative Teacher Inquiry in Collective Efficacy. I will describe the four parts of the process below and add some of my own thoughts

1. Plan. The PLC chooses a meaningful focus. This is often done by looking at a variety of data, especially intentional observation and formative assessment data. Student feedback can also be  a rich source of data. This is a time to consider formerly marginalized groups in order to accelerate their learning. Donohoo recommends writing a theory of action at this step, which I think is key. In writing and reflecting on a theory, a team explores causes and operates within their sphere of influence. As they later measure the impact of new actions, collective efficacy will grow.
2. Act. The team learns together to develop a shared understanding. Then they make a change in practice and collect evidence of how that change went, what the impact was of the change on student learning. As with every step in the inquiry, they reflect on the learning experience.
3. Observe. This is the time when a team collectively analyzes the evidence they collected. They reflect on the impact of the change in practice and examine assumptions. Often assumptions and beliefs shift as teams try new practices and pay intentional attention to the impact on learning. This is a time to revisit the theory of action to assess where the team is and if any changes need to be made in the theory.
4. Assess. During this stage, a team draws conclusions from the inquiry and celebrates the new learning. It is also a time when the team can reflect on the process of inquiry and how collaboration grew throughout the inquiry. As a team does this, their collective efficacy is growing because they are calling to mind the changes they made and the impact those changes had on student learning. It is an excellent time to determine next steps, which often lead into a new inquiry.

I look forward to reading more deeply into Collective Efficacy and using the ideas to enhance the facilitation of inquiry cycles with the teams I work with. In the spirit of a theory of action, here’s mine:

If I continue to explore facilitation moves of impactful PLC inquiry cycles, then my colleagues will feel empowered, that their voices matter, that they can make huge impact, and that they can grow as a PLC. As a result, student learning will increase, especially for our formerly marginalized students.

Resources:
Collective Efficacy: How Educators′ Beliefs Impact Student Learning, Donohoo
Hattie Ranking: 252 Influences And Effect Sizes Related To Student Achievement