Abstract:

Introduction:
A Professional Learning Community (PLC) is where teaching teams form a community that aim to improve teaching and learning by sharing ‘coal-face’ knowledge within the team as a form of professional development.

Aims:
To build a PLC within the Medical and Exercise Science teaching teams (MedExSciTT), with a focus on student engagement (SE) and technology enhanced learning (TEL). Specifically, this study examined academic perceptions of the usefulness of a PLC in:
(i) facilitating professional development in TEL/SE practices,
(ii) promoting collegiality, and
(iii) driving motivation towards TEL/SE strategies in teaching.

Methods:
MedExSciTT academics held a 2-hour showcase to present, learn and discuss TEL/SE techniques that individuals use/wish to use. An anonymous post-event survey was conducted to assess the value of the showcase and perceptions about TEL quantitatively (7 point Likert scale) and qualitatively (free text comments). Students were also surveyed to gain opinions on TEL/SE in their learning.

Results:
Eighty-five percent (n = 11) of the MedExSciTT contributed to the PLC. Academics agreed that the PLC contributed to their professional development as an educator and promoted collegiality across the team. Response rates were mixed when asked whether the PLC motivated implementation of a TEL/SE initiative. Several themes were revealed: promotion of collegiality, novelty, peer learning, stimulated ideas. Student surveys revealed a desire for more TEL/SE initiatives in their learning.

Conclusion:
A PLC is useful to enhance academic TEL/SE literacies, promote collegiality and motivate changes in TEL/SE practices towards matching the needs of students.

Keywords:

Professional learning community, technology-enhanced learning, student engagement, collegiality.