A comment by Patrick Larkin (@bhsprincipal) on the previous blog stimulated me into thinking about the role of Professional Learning Communities in the context of hybrid learning environments of the future. The truth is that PLC’s will alter in structure and function as we move towards this (or any) new type of educational medium. In essence, I believe that we can categorize the evolution of PLC’s the same way that we categorize technological advancements and Web 2.0 tools.
Currently, I believe that most districts are working on a “PLC 2.0” model. In other words the PLC exists and it functions as specified in all the manuals and publications, but its role is rather rote and does not extend beyond what is prescribed. Please be mindful of the fact that I do not find anything wrong with this. The term “PLC 1.0” should be perceived as a “kicking off” point and not a sign of underdevelopment or elementary understanding. What I think we need to consider is: how will the structure, function, and responsibility of PLC’s change as districts implement hybrid courses?
I envision the PLC’s of the future to be directed at aiding teachers in learning to facilitate the environments discussed in the previous post. In addition, they will take on a wide variety of functions beyond teaching and allow for teachers to also become more critical of “why” we do certain activities, assessments, etc. PLC’s of the future will have their place in the physical structure that we currently call school but will also take on a model that resembles that of what Tom Whitby (@tomwhitby) and company have created through Twitter. Teachers will think critically about items like formative and summative assessment and, potentially, utilize tools similar to GoogleWave to discuss possibilities and implications for the future. The beauty of this system is that it combines ideas from across the globe while also making it easy for those ideas to be SHARED. This idea is the furthest shift from the role of school-based PLC’s that we currently have. Should this be (or is this) occurring right now? Please note: the key is not whether or not it IS being implemented, but rather, the degree of complexity and depth that the mode is developing at in educational circles everywhere.
Teachers will be capable of logging on to share a thought, question, or idea with their PLC from anywhere in the world, receive feedback from educators from anywhere in the world, compile the results in real-time, and then turn-key that back to the staff that they work with on a daily basis. The extent to which teachers develop this model will be the basis for how successful and how quickly developed their hybrid model of education will become and the quality of education their students will receive. This is PLC 4.0.
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