Understanding teachers’ professional learning experiences in private migrant education from a complex systems perspective : a case study in Beijing, China

Abstract

Adopting a complex systems perspective, this study qualitatively investigated teachers' professional learning experiences in a low-cost private migrant school in China. The findings showed that teachers' agentic actions, their collective learning, and the principal's leadership in resource bridging and school culture cultivation were conducive to enhancing teachers' professional learning. However, teachers' positive learning experiences were challenged by low commitment, insufficient peer support, ineffective school management, and limited systemic professional support. We propose varying influences of different actors in the complex systems of teachers' professional learning and call for a structured, coordinated support system to enhance teaching quality in disadvantaged schools.