Systematic review of the operational definitions and indicators of teacher communities

Abstract

Research on teacher communities (TCs) for professional development reports positive impacts on teachers' work and students' learning outcomes. However, the lack of conceptual clarity regarding the constitution of TCs has been highlighted by scholars. This ambiguity complicates the comparison and evaluation of the impacts claimed by different studies. This systematic review focuses on the operational definitions and indicators of TCs in empirical studies. Drawing on analytical models designed for TC comparisons, the review highlights the variance in the way studies have approached the concept, identifies gaps in explicit operational definitions and indicators of TCs and suggests areas for exploration in future research designs. This systematic review offers the range and the scope of definitions and indicators that exist in the empirical research and is useful in informing discussions about community development and future designs.