Objectives: Based on longitudinal data from primary schools the main objective of this presentation is to examine interrelations between school development strategies and teaching development in professional learning communities on one side and teaching practices and development of student’s achievements on the other side. The analyses are embedded in a longitudinal study in German primary schools as a part of the European Collaborative Research Project ADDITION (A Dynamic Effective Knowledge Base for Quality in Education), which is connected with TIMSS and consists of contributions from seven European countries. The overall project objective is to examine the influence of system level aspects, factors of organizational culture and predictors on teaching on pupil’s achievements in mathematics and science over one school year.

Theoretical framework: On one side the theoretical framework is related to the approach of learning organizations, especially theoretical assumptions about teacher collaboration in professional learning communities with regard to Leithwood (2000) and central goals by Hall & Hord (2001).  On the other side we join the framework of the dynamic model of  Creemers & Kyriakides (2008) concerning effects of school development work and school-based strategies on teaching practices and student’s outcome (Creemers 2002; Reezigt & Creemers 2005). The first assump­tion is that schools will show improvement, if systematic development strategies are used. With regard to findings of Scheerens & Bosker (1997) and Holtappels (2004) the se­cond assumption draw focus on relationships between leadership patterns, professional cooperation of teachers and effects on teaching practices and student`s achievements.

Research questions: The presentation draw focus on following research questions: 1) What kind of school-based strategies on school and teaching development can we find in German primary schools? 2) How much teachers are involved in teams? Which levels of collaborative acting in a way of professional learning communities have primary schools reached? 3) Can we identify relationships between teacher collaboration as professional learning communities and teaching practice and student’s achievements? 4) Do leadership patterns influence school development efforts and teaching practice?

References: Creemers, B. P. M. (2002). From school effectiveness and school improvement to effective school improvement: Background, theoretical analysis and outline of the empirical study. Educational Research and Evaluation, vol. 8, no. 4, 343-362. Creemers, B. P. M., & Kyriakides, L. (2008). The dynamics of educational effectiveness : a contribution to policy, practice and theory in contemporary schools. London: Routledge. Hall, G.E. & Hord, S.M. (2001): Implementing Changes. Patterns, Principles and Potholes. Boston/Toronto. Holtappels, H. G. (2004): Schulprogrammwirkungen und Organisationskultur - Ergebnisse aus niedersächsischen Schulen über Bedingungen und Wirkungen. In: H.G. Holtappels (Hrsg.), Schulprogramme - Instrumente der Schulentwicklung. Weinheim/München 2004, S. 175-194 Leithwood, K. (2000): Organizational learning and school improvement. - Greenwich/ CT. Marks, H. M. & Louis, K. S. (1999): Teacher Empowerment and the Capacity for Organizational Learning. Education Administration Quarterly, 35, 707-750. Reezigt, G. J. & Creemers, B. P. M. (2005). A comprehensive framework for effective school improvement. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 16 (4), 407-424 Rosenholtz, S.J. (1991): Teacher’s Workplace: The Social Organization of Schools. New York. Scheerens, J., & Bosker, R. J. (1997). The foundations of educational effectiveness. Oxford: Pergamon.