| One of the new trends in education reform is the Professional Learning Community (PLC) concept created by Richard DuFour. The PLC system encourages a shift from a traditional teacher based model to a system based on student achievement and learning. Since the introduction of the DuFour model to public schools numerous studies have examined the effect of PLC's in relation to teacher job satisfaction, teacher improvement, teacher collaboration and student achievement. While investigators have researched these topics in relation to core classes (i.e. reading, math and writing) very little has been explored on the impact of the DuFour model to specials (i.e. music, art and physical education), specifically music. The purpose of this research was to (1) describe current research on positive and negative effects of PLC's, (2) review current research on effectiveness of PLC's specific to music education, (3) investigate the current climate of PLC's in secondary instrumental music ensembles and (4) analyze instrumental music teachers perspectives of the effectiveness of professional learning communities. |
