Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in the Global South: a Systematic Literature Review

This project consisted of a systematic literature review on PLCs in the Global South and addresses six research questions:

  1. How are PLC defined?
  2. How and by whom are PLC initiated?
  3. Are PLC effective as an instrument for PD of teachers and/or school leaders?
  4. Are effective PLC sustainable?
  5. Are PLC costly?
  6. What advice to VVOB – Education for Development (as an implementor of PLC) and policymaking can we give for each of the above questions?

This literature review was funded by VVOB – Education for Development to collect insights into the value of PLCs within the context of education in low- and middle-income countries. While empirical studies have been published in the past, a systematic review on studies carried out in the Global South was lacking. The literature review was carried out in a systematic way, using a combination of search engines such as Scopus, Google Scholar and Ebscohost. A final report has been published and the work carried out by the team has been presented at international conferences.

PI and Co-Is

PI: Professor Ellen Boeren - University of Glasgow, School of Education

Co-I: Dr Dong Nguyen - University of Glasgow, School of Education

Co-I: Dr Srabani Maitra - University of Glasgow, School of Education

Start and End date

22 April 2021 - 30 September 2021

Funder and Funding amount

VVOB – Education for Development (https://www.vvob.org/en/home)

EUR 29,658

Related Publications

Nguyen, D. , Boeren, E. , Maitra, S. and Cabus, S. (2022) A Review on the Empirical Research of PLCs in the Global South: Evidence and Recommendations. Project Report. VVOB Belgium.