Topic: Collaborative Professional Learning for Changing Educational Practices

Critical Reflection Paper

This chapter deals with two (2) major themes; Professional Learning and Professional
Development. The significance of working collaboratively through PL and PD so our educational
practices will be transformed. Various discussions of the concepts about PL and PD have been
conducted for thorough understanding. Three (3) general terms emerged that involved
Professional Learning namely Action Research for Professional Learning, Professional Learning
for Social Justice, and Leading for Learning. Specific themes of PL at various stages of a
teacher’s career such as Initial Teacher Education, Mentoring and Workplace Learning, Site-
Based PL and Development, and Higher Education were also mentioned. Nordic traditions of
bildung sheds light on the practices and prerequisites for sustainable PL. It is also emphasized
that PL aimed at praxis development by strengthening professional practices by interacting and
collaborating. A diagrammatic schema was conceptualized to show how PL works for
developing praxis. In conclusion, a good professional learning should be geared towards the
improvement of practice while observing the elements of collaboration, reflection and
professional actions. It does not only cover school and classroom issues but local community
and the society as well. In general, it enables educators to make this world a better place to live
in.
Professional Learning as the concept evolves from the literature is such an ideal thing.
Just imagine PL exists to create a world worth living in. A good professional learning according
to research should improve one’s practices, educational practices with collaboration, reflection
and professional actions. But in reality in our school setting, how do we actualize Professional
Learning? Does it worth to the number of studies taken just for us to be clarified on what
should be Professional Learning is? Well, I’m quite dismayed on how is PL currently practice in
our school. Yes, we have a particular schedule set for seminars but it lacks the substance and
consistency just like the School Learning Action Cell (SLAC). The SLAC is not regularly conducted
and if it is conducted, it is just for picture taking as an evidence that we did it. For compliance
sake, no collaboration and sharing of information happened since we need to submit reports of
these SLAC. Knowing the importance of Professional Learning in general and in our own school
setting, hope that there would be a remarkable difference in its implementation in the near
future so our school community would be a workplace worth staying in.
 Date: October 18, 2022

Prepared by:

NIDA ANNA SHERIE L. MAGBITANG

Teacher III

Submitted to:

GILBERT ARRIETA, PhD

PED 702 Professor