Facilitating teacher learning in professional learning communities through action research: A qualitative case study in China

The study investigated teachers’ learning experiences in a subject-based professional learning community by conducting collaborative action research in a junior secondary school in Shanghai, China. Drawing on observations, documents, and interviews with nine teachers, the findings revealed that teachers developed new understandings and practices during the research process, despite the imposed task design. By integrating action research and professional learning communities, the findings suggest that the tension between bottom-up needs and top-down mandates can be balanced for teacher learning in communities through collective endeavours of external support, school leaders, and teachers in the Chinese context. • The study illustrates teachers’ learning experiences in the PLC process through action research. • The tension between bottom-up needs and top-down mandates can be balanced for teacher learning in communities in the Chinese context. • The mitigation of such tension can be explained by collective endeavours involving the teacher, school, and system levels. • Integrating action research and PLCs has great potential to promote teacher learning.