Exploring the Link Between Teachers' Motivation for Continuous Professional Development and Professional Learning Communities: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

This study's main objective was to use structural equation modeling to examine the direct effects of teachers' amotivation, identified regulation, external regulation, introjected regulation, and intrinsic motivation on PLC development in Ethiopia's Awi administrative zone's primary and middle schools. For this purpose, a correlational quantitative study design was used. The arbitrarily selected 342 primary and middle school teachers were the major data sources through a questionnaire. The findings of this study confirmed that unlike identified regulation, introjected regulation, and amotivation, teachers' intrinsic motivation for continuous professional development and external regulation has a significantly positive and strong direct effect on building a professional learning community in schools. Besides, teacher intrinsic motivation fully mediated the influence of introjected regulation and identified regulation on enhancing professional learning communities, but amotivation and external regulation did not. In conclusion, the study underscores the critical role of intrinsic motivation in fostering PLC development in schools. Educational stakeholders should prioritize initiatives that promote teachers' intrinsic motivation, autonomy, and sense of purpose to cultivate vibrant learning communities. Investigating how teachers' drive for ongoing professional growth connects with the formation of Professional Learning Communities through structural equation modelingThis study aimed to investigate how various types of teachers' motivations affect the development of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in primary and middle schools within Ethiopia's Awi administrative zone, using structural equation modeling. A correlational quantitative design was employed, gathering data from 342 randomly selected teachers via a questionnaire. The study found that intrinsic motivation and external regulation significantly and positively impact the establishment of PLCs, unlike identified regulation, introjected regulation, and amotivation. Intrinsic motivation also fully mediated the effects of introjected and identified regulation on PLC enhancement, while amotivation and external regulation did not have this mediating effect. In conclusion, the research highlights the crucial role of intrinsic motivation in developing PLCs. It suggests that educational stakeholders should focus on initiatives that boost teachers' intrinsic motivation, autonomy, and sense of purpose to create effective learning communities.