The development of professional learning community training with dialogue to enhance Project-Based Learning management: A case study of teachers from the Sarasas private school network in Thailand

Abstract

Project-Based Learning (PBL) has been widely adopted in private schools as a strategy for developing critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, although Thai private school teachers, including those in the 42 schools of the Sarasas school network, struggle to implement it effectively. Limited access to sustained professional development and the absence of strong collaborative structures are key contributing factors. Professional Learning Communities (PLC), despite their established international track record in teacher development, remain underutilized in Thai educational settings. This study addressed these gaps by investigating the professional development needs of private school teachers in relation to Project-Based Learning, developing a training program that integrates Professional Learning Communities with dialogue, and evaluating its effectiveness. The research proceeded in 3 phases: 1. a needs assessment, 2. program development, and 3. evaluation. A sample of 165 Project-Based Learning teachers from Sarasas-affiliated elementary and secondary schools was recruited through multi-stage sampling for Phase 1; 30 of the teachers subsequently participated in the training program through a one-group pretest-posttest design. Results revealed that teachers’ Project-Based Learning knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes were at a moderate overall level, with high needs for skill development in technology integration, activity design, and time management. The training program’s quality and appropriateness were rated as “Highest” (x̄ = 4.83, IOC = 0.98). Post-training evaluation demonstrated significant improvements (p < .05) in teachers’ knowledge and understanding, with the highest achievement in designing lesson plans (x̄ = 4.57) and organizing activities (x̄ = 4.43). The findings demonstrated that integrating PLCs with dialogue effectively addressed the professional development needs of Thai private school teachers in Project-Based Learning, providing the collaborative support system previously lacking in Thai educational contexts.