Strategic School Leadership for Developing and Sustaining Professional Learning Communities: A Bibliometric and Thematic Review
Keywords:
distributed leadership; professional learning communities; school leadership; teacher professional development; thematic reviewAbstract
Professional learning communities (PLCs) provide a setting for sustained teacher learning, collaboration, and school improvement. Their development and continuity are associated with leadership that establishes direction, supportive conditions, shared responsibility, and professional trust. However, scholarship connecting school leadership and PLCs remains dispersed across educational contexts and leadership perspectives. This bibliometric analysis, complemented by thematic interpretation, mapped publication trends, productivity, citation influence, and conceptual structure. The dataset comprised 314 Scopus-indexed articles, reviews, and conference papers published during 2017–2026 and retrieved on 18 July 2026. Biblioshiny analyzed publication output, sources, affiliations, corresponding authors’ countries, and globally cited documents. VOSviewer mapped keyword co-occurrence patterns after terms were standardized using a thesaurus file. Annual output rose overall from 19 documents in 2017 to 59 in 2025, despite fluctuations. The United States led corresponding-author output, while several Asian countries contributed substantially to the field. Analysis of 43 keywords generated six clusters connecting leadership with professional development, collaboration, school culture, teacher learning, agency, self-efficacy, inclusion, and social capital. Temporal patterns indicated movement from teacher learning and principals’ practices toward distributed, shared, and middle leadership. Collectively, the literature portrays sustainable PLC development as a multilevel organizational process, although these bibliometric associations do not establish leadership effectiveness. The findings highlight collaborative time, role clarity, professional trust, and contextual adaptation as considerations requiring empirical evaluation. Future research should prioritize longitudinal, multilevel, and cross-national designs, including faith-based, under-resourced, and digitally mediated settings.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.9.25
References
Admiraal, W., Schenke, W., De Jong, L., Emmelot, Y., & Sligte, H. (2021). Schools as professional learning communities: What can schools do to support professional development of their teachers? Professional Development in Education, 47(4), 684–698. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2019.1665573
Ahn, J., J. Flores, O., D. Welton, A., & Hackmann, D. G. (2025). Challenges in sustaining professional learning communities focused on equity. Journal of Educational Change, 26(1), 57–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-024-09511-2
Amin, S. N., Musah, M. B., Tahir, L. M., Farah, A. M., Al-Hudawi, S. H. V., Issah, M., & Abdallah, A. K. (2024). Practices of distributed leadership in two Islamic secondary schools. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 13(5), 3379–3392. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v13i5.27423
Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). Bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959–975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007
Babi?, D. P., Simi?, N., & Friedman, E. (2018). School-level facilitators of inclusive education: The case of Serbia. In European Journal of Special Needs Education (Vol. 33, Issue 4, pp. 449–465). Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2017.1342419
Boom-Muilenburg, S. N. van den, de Vries, S., van Veen, K., Poortman, C. L., & Schildkamp, K. (2024). Understanding sustainable professional learning communities by considering school leaders’ interpretations and educational beliefs. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 27(4), 934–961. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2021.1937705
Boom-Muilenburg, S. N. van den, Poortman, C. L., Daly, A. J., Schildkamp, K., de Vries, S., Rodway, J., & van Veen, K. (2022). Key actors leading knowledge brokerage for sustainable school improvement with PLCs: Who brokers what? Teaching and Teacher Education, 110, 103577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103577
Brodie, K. (2021). Teacher agency in professional learning communities. Professional Development in Education, 47(4), 560–573. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2019.1689523
Christensen, A. A., Nielbo, K. L., & Gümü?, S. (2025). Exploring school factors related to professional learning communities: A machine learning approach using cross-national data. Educational Studies, 51(5), 805–825. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2024.2369855
De Jong, L., Vaessen, A., Admiraal, W., & Schenke, W. (2025). The sustainable development of schools as professional learning communities: Educators’ views. Educational Research, 67(3), 309–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2025.2519579
Dong, Y., Xu, C., Chai, C. S., & Zhai, X. (2020). Exploring the structural relationship among teachers’ technostress, technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), computer self-efficacy and school support. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 29(2), 147–157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-019-00461-5
Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., & Lim, W. M. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 133, 285–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070
Dou, D., Huang, C., Li, J., & Shi, J. (2026). Trends, challenges, and future directions in research on social-emotional learning programs and teacher well-being. Applied Research in Quality of Life. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-026-10583-w
García-Martínez, I., Díaz-Delgado, M. Á., & Ubago-Jiménez, J. L. (2018). Educational leadership training, the construction of learning communities. A systematic review. Social Sciences, 7(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7120267
Haiyan, Q., & Allan, W. (2021). Creating conditions for professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools in China: The role of school principals. Professional Development in Education, 47(4), 586–598. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2020.1770839
Hallinger, P., & Kulophas, D. (2020). The evolving knowledge base on leadership and teacher professional learning: A bibliometric analysis of the literature, 1960-2018. Professional Development in Education, 46(4), 521–540. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2019.1623287
Hsieh, C.-C., Song, Y., Shen, Y., Chiang, W.-L., & Ku, Y.-R. (2025). Analysis of trends in global teacher community research. Journal of Research in Education Sciences, 70(2), 43–82. https://doi.org/10.6209/JORIES.202506_70(2).0002
Khokhotva, O., & Albizuri, I. E. (2020). Teachers’ educational beliefs change through lesson study: Implications for school culture. International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, 9(4), 317–331. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLLS-04-2020-0016
Khotimah, K., Anam, K., Afifah, M., & Handayani, R. (2025). Learning transformation with digital technology: The era of education 4.0. Arshaka: Pedagogy and Learning Review, 1(2), 73–80. https://doi.org/10.65779/arshaka.v1i2.58
Lee, D. H. L., & Ip, N. K. K. (2023). The influence of professional learning communities on informal teacher leadership in a Chinese hierarchical school context. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 51(2), 324–344. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220985159
Liu, P., Thien, L. M., Song, H., & Wang, X. (2025). The effects of instructional leadership on teacher well-being: The mediating roles of professional learning community and teacher self-efficacy. Educational Studies, 51(4), 638–660. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2024.2322947
Liu, S., & Hallinger, P. (2024). The effects of instructional leadership, teacher responsibility and procedural justice climate on professional learning communities: A cross-level moderated mediation examination. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 52(3), 556–575. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432221089185
Liu, Y. (2025). Multi-stakeholder collaboration in an online professional learning community: Co-constructing professional learning. International Journal of Educational Research, 133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102668
Luyten, H., & Bazo, M. (2019). Transformational leadership, professional learning communities, teacher learning and learner centred teaching practices; Evidence on their interrelations in Mozambican primary education. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 60, 14–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2018.11.002
Martins, A., & Reis, A. J. dos. (2025). Implementation of multicultural education in primary schools to build intercultural tolerance: A case study on Escola Primaria Timor-Leste. Primary Education Insight, 1(2), 132–143. https://doi.org/10.65779/pedi.v1i2.63
Meiliati, R., Djodding, I. M., Aswin, A., Salido, A., Husain, D. S., Tahir, T., & Hidayati, U. (2026). Exploration problem-based learning in mathematics learning in higher education: A bibliometric review. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 13, 102345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.102345
Melisa, R., Dakka, L. N., Nurdiansa, E. S., & Wardani, W. O. S. (2025). English language learning in primary schools: A bibliometric review of trends, collaboration, and future research directions. Primary Education Insight, 1(1), 14–26. https://doi.org/10.65779/pedi.v1i1.18
Modeste, M. E., Nguyen, C., Nafziger, R. N., & Hermansen, J. (2022). Socially distributed leadership in elementary schools: Teacher and staff leadership practice in Denmark and the USA. Journal of Educational Administration, 60(2), 188–206. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-11-2020-0243
Mongeon, P., & Paul-Hus, A. (2016). The journal coverage of Web of Science and Scopus: A comparative analysis. Scientometrics, 106(1), 213–228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-015-1765-5
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Bmj, 372. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Park, J.-H., Lee, I. H., & Cooc, N. (2019). The role of school-level mechanisms: How principal support, professional learning communities, collective responsibility, and group-level teacher expectations affect student achievement. Educational Administration Quarterly, 55(5), 742–780. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X18821355
Prasertcharoensuk, T., Chaiwan, J., Tang, K. N., & Makmee, P. (2021). A causal relationship model of primary public school students’ achievement: A multiple group analysis. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 29(2), 3003–3024. https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.28.4.29
Qu, Y., Liu, S., Shao, Y., & Li, G. (2025). Moral leadership and professional learning communities: The mediating role of teachers’ trust in principals and the moderating role of principals’ controlling behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 62(5), 1369–1382. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23398
Rasdiana, Nurhadi, T., Muh. Ilham Akbar, B., Salim, F. A., Novitasari, A. T., Cholidah, R. N., Susanto, K., Ma’rifatin, S., Rawe, N. S. H. A., Paranoan, C. A. C., Sartika, R. P., Kadju, M. D. P., & Habibah, L. B. (2024). The effect of digital leadership in nurturing teachers’ innovation skills for sustainable technology integration mediated by professional learning communities. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(10). https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i10.8480
Romanowski, M. H. (2022). Using social capital to develop South African principals and schools. Prospects, 52(3–4), 405–420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-022-09602-z
Salido, A., Syarif, I., Suparjan, Wana, P. R., Sitepu, M. S., & Melisa, R. (2025). Mapping the landscape of critical thinking skills in higher education in the AI era: A bibliometric and systematic literature review. Journal of Culture and Values in Education, 8(2), 139–164. https://doi.org/10.46303/jcve.2025.23
Tai, M. K., & Omar, A. K. (2022). Essential practices of school principals in developing professional learning communities in schools: A systematic literature review 2010–2019. International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, 19(4), 291–311. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJLIC.2022.123900
Valckx, J., Vanderlinde, R., & Devos, G. (2020). Departmental PLCs in secondary schools: the importance of transformational leadership, teacher autonomy, and teachers’ self-efficacy. Educational Studies, 46(3), 282–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2019.1584851
Vangrieken, K., Meredith, C., Packer, T., & Kyndt, E. (2017). Teacher communities as a context for professional development: A systematic review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61, 47–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.10.001
Wang, L., Gao, R., Qin, J., & Zhou, X. (2025). The effect of professional learning communities between transformational leadership and teacher commitment: Evidence from a nationwide survey in China. International Journal of Leadership in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2025.2559750
Xiu, Q., Liu, P., Yao, H., & Liu, L. (2026). The relationship between distributed leadership and teacher commitment to change: The mediating roles of professional learning communities and job satisfaction. Asia Pacific Education Review, 27(1), 5–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-022-09747-8
Yang, X., & Chang, Y.-C. (2024). The effects of perceived distributed leadership on teacher professional development among primary school teachers: The mediating role of teacher professional learning community. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 8(4), 163–177. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.202429304
Yeap, S. B., & Ali, N. J. M. (2025). Empowering professional learning communities: The role of middle leadership and teacher participation in decision-making. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 14(5), 3461–3468. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v14i5.34392
Yin, H., & Zheng, X. (2018). Facilitating professional learning communities in China: Do leadership practices and faculty trust matter? Teaching and Teacher Education, 76, 140–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.09.002
Zheng, X., Jiang, C., & Liu, C. (2023). Uncovering the complex relationships among distributed leadership, departmental teacher leadership, and professional learning community in Chinese schools. Future in Educational Research, 1(2), 182–197. https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.15
Zheng, X., & Luo, Y. (2024). How do departmental professional learning communities and teacher leadership matter for teacher self-efficacy? A multi-level analysis. Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 9(1), 51–67. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-07-2023-0051
Zheng, X., Yin, H., & Li, Z. (2019). Exploring the relationships among instructional leadership, professional learning communities and teacher self-efficacy in China. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 47(6), 843–859. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143218764176
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Iskandar Iskandar , Syaiful Anwar, Ahmad Bukhari Muslim, Amirudin Amirudin, Idrus Ruslan, Muhammad Akmansyah
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
All articles published by IJLTER are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivatives 4.0 International License (CCBY-NC-ND4.0).
