INFLUENCE OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES ON EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Early childhood education (ECE) quality is fundamentally shaped by teacher effectiveness. Yet in many developing contexts such as Nigeria, teachers often operate in isolation with limited access to sustained structured professional development. Although Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are globally recognised as a powerful mechanism for improving teaching quality, empirical evidence on their effectiveness within early childhood education in Sub Saharan Africa remains limited, particularly in Lagos State. This study therefore examined the influence of PLC participation on teacher effectiveness in early childhood education using a multidimensional analytical framework. Guided by Social Constructivism and Collaborative Learning Theory, the study adopted a quantitative correlational design. A sample of 84 early childhood education teachers from four selected Local Government Areas in Lagos State (Ikeja, Alimosho, Surulere, and Ikorodu) participated in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed high levels of PLC participation (M = 3.84) alongside strong teacher effectiveness across multiple dimensions. Significant positive relationships were identified between PLC participation and pedagogical competence (r = .62), instructional practices (r = .58), classroom management (r = .54), and professional growth (r = .67), all at p < .01. Regression results further indicated that PLC participation significantly predicts teacher effectiveness (β = .64, p < .001), explaining a substantial proportion of variance in outcomes. The study establishes PLCs as a critical driver of teacher effectiveness in early childhood education and contributes to the limited empirical literature within the Nigerian context. It recommends the institutionalisation of PLCs within teacher professional development frameworks, alongside strengthened school-based collaboration structures, to sustain continuous professional learning.