Examining the relationships between teacher self-efficacy, professional learning community, and experiential learning in Japan

This study investigated the relationships between professional learning communities (PLCs), teacher self-efficacy, and experiential learning. A conceptual model that connects PLC components, including shared vision, interactive reflection, and collegiality, to teacher self-efficacy was proposed, as mediated by experiential learning. The data comprised 3,604 teachers from 204 primary schools and 787 teachers from 90 lower secondary schools in Japan. First, a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the same constructs of PLC, teacher self-efficacy, and experiential learning were measured at different school levels. Second, multigroup structural equation modelling revealed that some PLC components were related to teacher self-efficacy at different school levels. Moreover, experiential learning mediated the relationship between some PLC components and teacher self-efficacy at different school levels. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed based on the results of the study.