Opening the black box: How professional learning communities, collective teacher efficacy, and cognitive activation affect students’ mathematics achievement in schools

This study examined the mediating roles of collective teacher efficacy and cognitive activation in the relationship between professional learning communities (PLCs) and students' mathematics achievement at the school level, using responses from both teachers and students. A total of 5458 teachers and 11,324 students from 227 junior high schools participated in this study. The results of multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that, at the school level, the association between PLCs and students' mathematics achievement was significantly mediated by collective teacher efficacy and teachers' adoption of cognitive activation in lessons. The theoretical and methodological implications of the research are discussed.