Background
Organizing and leading professional collaboration is an important task in all schools. Students’ learning outcomes and social well-being depend on teachers working together to improve teaching quality. In addition, professional collaboration strengthens teacher motivation and self-efficacy. Investigating how professional collaboration takes place and whether some forms of collaboration are more effective than others is therefore key to creating successful public schools.
Over the years, student-centered professional collaboration with a clear learning focus has increased in public schools. Yet, we have surprisingly little research-based knowledge about the effects of the large amounts of public and private funds invested in developing teachers’ competences to collaborate. Moreover, we lack knowledge of the leadership and organizational set-up needed to support positive results.
Objective and research method
This research project will examine different forms of professional collaboration in Danish public schools and their effects on student and teacher outcomes. The objective is to identify how professional collaboration can improve student learning and well-being, teacher motivation and competence, and overall teaching quality and practice. The project is designed as a mixed-methods qualitative and quantitative study consisting of four research packages:
Additional information
The project is headed by Professor Lars Qvortrup in close collaboration with Senior Researcher Bente Bjørnholt (VIVE) and Associate Professor Anne Mette Kjeldsen (AU). The project funded with DKK 4.9 million from the AP Møller Foundation in 2020-2023.
