Incorporating Common Core Standards With Professional Learning Communities

Authors

  • Ginni Fair Eastern Kentucky University Author
  • Charlie Sweet Eastern Kentucky University Author
  • Hal Blythe Eastern Kentucky University Author
  • Dorie Combs Eastern Kentucky University Author
  • Bill Phillips Eastern Kentucky University Author

Abstract

Soon after Kentucky adopted the Common Core State Standards, the authors’ university began a project to align college-level courses to these standards. While the teacher education faculty have always aligned their courses to specific standards, involving the Arts and Sciences faculty would require a professional development strategy. The authors proposed using professional learning communities for this work. Solving this curriculum alignment problem first required an understanding that the meaning of the term professional learning community (PLC) depends upon one’s perspective. Specifically, the general higher education faculty have one view of what a PLC is, while teacher educators have another. A recent collaboration between these two distinct cohorts allowed the authors to understand each other’s perspectives, to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, and to synthesize a practical working model from the two versions in order to create a state-mandated seamless transition between secondary and higher education at their university.

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Published

2024-05-09