
==== Front
Heliyon
Heliyon
Heliyon
2405-8440
Elsevier

S2405-8440(24)12042-7
10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36011
e36011
Research Article
How to better promote teaching? Unveiling the links between Professional Learning Communities and Intrinsic Motivation among Foreign Language Teachers
Long Chunxiu
Li Chili lichili@hbut.edu.cn
⁎
Huang Guangfang
Fu Jingyin
School of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Technology, China
⁎ Corresponding author. lichili@hbut.edu.cn
08 8 2024
30 8 2024
08 8 2024
10 16 e3601115 2 2024
26 7 2024
7 8 2024
© 2024 The Authors
2024
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) assume a vital role in promoting teacher growth and development, while the presence of intrinsic motivation (IM) in the work environment profoundly impacts teacher performance. Unveiling the interconnections between teachers' engagement in PLCs and their intrinsic motivation holds the potential to enhance the overall well-being of both teachers and students. This study used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the relationship between PLCs and IM of Chinese Teachers of Foreign Languages (CTFL) in higher education. The questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted among 198 teachers in 19 provinces of China. The quantitative data were analyzed by means of descriptive analysis and regression analyses with SPSS 22.0 and the qualitative data were processed by following thematic analysis. Results demonstrated that the participants' perceptions on their PLCs and IM were at a moderately high level, with mean scores at 3.56 and 3.86 on a 5-point Likert scale, respectively. Regression analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between PLCs and IM. Specifically, Shared Vision (SV), Supportive Environment (SE) and Collaborative Learning (CL) in PLCs were positively correlated with Willingness to Take on Challenges (WTC) and Love for Work (LW) in IM. The qualitative findings highlighted the significance of supportive environment and teacher's work engagement in affecting teacher's perceptions on PLCs. Job Characteristic of foreign language teacher, along with significant others might also influenced teachers' intrinsic motivation. Implications for PLCs leadership and foreign language teachers are discussed.

Keywords

Intrinsic motivation
Professional learning communities
Self-determination theory
Higher education
Chinese teachers of foreign languages
==== Body
pmc1 Introduction

In the field of education, teachers serve as the principal agents in ensuring the core competitiveness of universities, as they bear the responsibility of fostering national talent development [1]. Research from international sources indicates that the advancement of educational reforms relies heavily on both the individual and collective capacity of teachers and its link with schoolwide capacity for promoting pupils' learning [2]. Hence, ensuring the quality of teacher's development becomes a matter of great importance. Although individual professionalism is valuable, active participation in a professional group is crucial for enhancing not only teachers' proficiency in their craft but also their overall dedication to work environments that are becoming progressively challenging and demanding [3]. A community is a collaborative entity that integrates individuals into a group based on collective love, friendship, and a sense of belonging [4]. The integration of community and learning is primarily underpinned by three assumptions: knowledge is derived from real-world contexts; knowledge acquisition is a social process; and learning transpires through interactive practices [5]. Professional Learning Communities (henceforth PLCs) are collaborative networks that bring teachers together to engage in shared learning, reflection, and professional growth [6]. These communities provide a supportive interpersonal and structural environment for teachers to exchange ideas, resources, and best practices, ultimately enhancing their teaching effectiveness and student outcomes [[7], [8], [9], [10]].

Intrinsic motivation (henceforth IM) plays a pivotal role in fostering perseverance and dedication in the workplace [[11], [12], [13]]. Teacher's intrinsic motivation significantly affected their academic performance [14]. Intrinsically motivated teachers tended to engage in more creative and innovative teaching practices [15]. When teachers experienced high levels of intrinsic motivation, they reported greater job satisfaction and were more likely to remain committed to their profession [16]. And internally motivated teachers tend to turn the impact of some demotivators and negative working environment into a motivational force [13].

The integration of professional learning communities (PLCs) and intrinsic motivation (IM) in the context of teacher professional development holds significant research value [[13], [14], [15], [16], [17]]. Professional development of teachers is mainly associated with intrinsic motivation for self-improvement and self-realization to be a better teacher, as well as with specific requirements and demands of the educational institutions in which they are employed [17]. By exploring how to stimulate teachers' intrinsic motivation within PLCs, this study aims to contribute to the advancement of both individual teacher career progression and effective school management. To achieve this goal, the study adopts a comprehensive approach. It began by investigating teachers’ perceptions of PLCs and IM in the workplace, providing a holistic view of the current state of these factors. Then it analyzed the predictors of Intrinsic Motivation with the context of PLCs by using correlation and regression analyses. To better understand the individual and contextual factors contributing to the awareness of PLCs and development of IM, qualitative analysis was employed after collecting the data of semi-structured interview.

2 Literature review

2.1 Teachers’ professional learning communities

The concept of professional learning community originated in the late 20th century [[18], [19], [20]]. Etymologically, it is synthetic phrase of learning community and professional community. The former emphasizes learning through community services while the latter underlines schools and departments as mediating contexts for teaching. The presence of “learning” between “professional” and “communities” signifiesPLCs have an orientation to change and foster professional growth through shared efforts [21,22]. And the word “community” highlights collective learning rather than individual learning [23]. The definitions of PLCs may vary depending on different contexts [24]. DuFour and colleagues [25] explain the process of professional learning communities should not be viewed as a static program, but rather as an ongoing, perpetual process that significantly influences the organizational structure, cultural dynamics, and professional beliefs and behaviors of educators within the school setting.

PLCs are typically characterized by a shared value and vision, collaborative culture, and supportive leadership [2,3,26]. A shared value base serves as a framework for continuously engaging in shared, collective, ethical decision making [19]. Hord [24] underscored the essential requirement for unwavering commitment to the holistic learning of all students within PLCs. At the same time, collaborative efforts are employed to generate collective comprehension from complex and confusing data, as well as to improve the community in which the members work [27]. It increases teachers’ sense of affiliation with each other, with the school, and their sense of mutual support and responsibility for the effectiveness of instruction. Furthermore, making supportive leadership a priority is crucial for fostering a positive school culture and establishing an effective professional learning community [28]. In the culture of a professional learning community, school leaders serve as equal learners who promote shared leadership, power, and authority. They provide staff members with opportunities to contribute to the purpose and values of the culture [26].

Previous research has identified the effectiveness of PLCs in education [[29], [30], [31]]. Vescio, Ross, and Adams [32] indicated that PLCs participation could increase teacher collaboration, improve instructional practices, and enhance student achievement. Through collaborative discussions and sharing of best practices, teachers gained new insights and perspectives that informed their instructional strategies [6]. Teacher's job satisfaction was predicted by shared purpose, collaborative activity, collective focus on student learning, de-privatized practice, and reflective dialogue within PLCs [33]. Student learning outcomes were enhanced when teachers collaborated and reflected about their instructional practice with one another [34].

In the meantime, the role of leadership, trust and collaboration are recognized as factors inductive to the effectiveness of PLCs. Louis et al. [19] explored the characteristics of effective PLCs, including shared goals, collaborative decision-making, and reflective dialogue. Yu and Leithwood [30] examined the role of leadership in establishing and sustaining effective PLCs, highlighting the importance of supportive and instructional leadership practices. Zhang et al. [33] pointed out that transformational leadership had a significant effect on PLCs. In China, school principals influence cultural condition design, relational and structural design of PLCs development [35]. Leadership practices and trust in colleagues had positive effects on professional learning communities [36]. At the same time, the implementation of PLCs may encounter challenges and difficulties due to resistance to change, differing levels of expertise among participants [19], time constraints [32], and insufficient support from leadership [37]. Lack of coordination efforts and inconsistent planning create gaps and redundancies in training of staff development [38].

In conclusion, PLCs aim to foster professional growth and drive change through shared efforts. At the heart of PLCs lies educators who come together to work collaboratively and continuously to improve instructional practice and student learning outcomes. The sustained focus on student learning is considered one of the core aspects of professional communities. Meanwhile, supportive environment plays a crucial role in cultivating a positive school culture and establishing an effective professional learning community.

2.2 Teachers’ intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation refers to the internal drive and genuine interest in an activity out of inherent satisfaction and personal enjoyment, rather than for external rewards or pressures [39]. It is a psychological drive that arises from an individual's interests, enjoyment, and satisfaction derived directly from the activity itself [40]. Heightened anterior insular cortex activity is observed when individuals envision engaging in intrinsically motivating tasks [41]. Understanding and nurturing teachers' intrinsic motivation in workplace has important implications for educational institutions [42]. When teachers are intrinsically motivated, they are more likely to take initiative in their instructional practices, and exhibit higher job satisfaction and commitment to their profession [43,44].

Several factors have been identified as important in shaping teachers' intrinsic motivation [45]. One key factor is the sense of professional autonomy. When teachers have the freedom to exercise their professional judgment, make decisions about their instructional practices, and have a sense of ownership over their teaching, it positively impacts their intrinsic motivation [46]. Additionally, the level of competence and self-efficacy that teachers perceived in their abilities significantly affected their Intrinsic Motivation [47]. That is, when teachers believed in their own capabilities to effectively to do research, their Intrinsic Motivation was heightened. Moreover, the generation of Intrinsic Motivation in teachers is influenced by the existing value of their development, the level of their teaching practice development, and their feelings during the development process [48]. Teacher's desire to participate the teaching-learning process and management style was also regarded as an essential component of intrinsic motivation [49]. The importance of supportive educational environments and positive relationships with colleagues and supervisors cannot be understated. Teachers who perceived administrative support and colleagues' support tended to exhibit higher levels of intrinsic motivation [50].

Motivating teachers should be an essential part of any educational system, so that students can perform better and so that we, as the larger society, may attain a better future [49]. Factors such as professional autonomy, the perceived value, self-efficacy, and positive relationships within the educational environment promote the generation of Intrinsic Motivation among teachers. To better cultivate teachers' internal drive and personal enjoyment in the workplace, further exploration is needed to investigate how contextual and personal factors systematically intertwine to contribute to teacher's sustained work passion and persistence.

2.3 Teachers’ professional learning communities PLCs and intrinsic motivation

Research on motivation and learning communities has received growing attention [[49], [50], [51], [52], [53], [54], [55]]. It was found that pre-service teachers' main motivation to join in professional learning community is to gain knowledge and to use technologies to simplify designing and sharing of learning designs [52]. The school's focus on literacy had significantly promoted students' intrinsic reading motivation [55]. Effective leadership that fosters a sense of autonomy, trust, and psychological safety within the PLC can contribute to increased teacher motivation [30]. Meanwhile, several researchers acknowledged the need to explore the specific aspects of PLCs that impact teacher intrinsic motivation [26,32,56]. Hord [26] proposed that to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics between PLCs and teacher motivation, research should consider how factors such as teacher autonomy, professional development opportunities, and school culture interact with PLC participation to influence teachers' intrinsic motivation. Vescio et al. [32] suggested that examining how specific PLC characteristics, such as collaborative decision-making, shared leadership, and trust influence teacher intrinsic motivation would provide valuable insights into the development of effective PLC structures and practices. Qiao et al. [56] emphasized the necessity for further empirical research to establish sustainable PLCs.

To conclude, the above literature review has underscored the significance of studying PLCs and teachers' intrinsic motivation in the workplace. Furthermore, it reveals that exploring the specific elements of PLCs within individual and contextual factors can lead to significant advancements in the understanding of teachers' intrinsic motivation in the workplace. In mainland China, there has been a notable increase in the prevalence of PLCs in recent times [16,57]. While a considerable body of research has explored the relationship between PLCs and teacher self-efficacy [58,59], empirical studies on the links between PLCs and teachers' intrinsic motivation are limited. Consequently, this knowledge gap necessitates further investigation to establish a more comprehensive understanding of the potential impacts of PLCs on teachers’ motivation. This need is particularly pronounced in Asian areas [[60], [61], [62], [63]]. In that sense, it is necessary to uncover how PLCs integrated into a distinct foreign language teaching context can influence the intrinsic motivation of university teachers.

3 Research design

3.1 Research questions

The study reported here followed a cross-sectional approach with a mixed method of questionnaire survey and interview. The purpose of the present analysis is to explore the relationship between PLCs and IM among Chinese Teachers of Foreign Languages and to examine what characteristics of PLCs might affect the development of IM of foreign language teachers in Chinese setting. Specifically, it addresses the following three questions.RQ1 What is the perceived level of PLCs and IM among CTFL?

RQ2 Which is the relationship between PLCs and IM?

RQ3 What are the factors effecting teachers' perceptions on PLCs and IM?

3.2 Participants

A questionnaire survey of Chinese teachers of foreign languages from 19 provinces in China was conducted in this study. In total, 210 questionnaires were distributed, and 198 valid copies were returned, with a useful return rate at 94.2 %. The demographic information of questionnaire participants is shown in Table 1. To be specific,14 % (28) of the participants came from Northeast China (Heilongjiang, Beijing, Shanxi), and 21 % (40) came from Southeast of China (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Guangdong), 16 % (32) of them were from Southwest China (Sichuan), and 49 % (98) were from central China (Hubei, Hunan, Henan, Hebei etc.). Among them, 18.2 % (36) are male and 81.8 % (162) female. In addition, 47.5 % (94) were 40 years old or younger, 45.5 % (90) were between 41 and 50 years old, and 7 % (14) were 51 years old or older. With regards to their work units, 35.8 % (71) of the participants worked in key universities, 64.2 % (127) worked in ordinary universities. In terms of their highest degrees, 10.6 % (21) of them held a bachelor's degree, 74.2 % (147) a master's degree and the other 15.2 % (30) a doctorate degree. Among them, 34.3 % (68) worked in College English Department, 28.8 % (57) in English department, 31.3 % (62) in Business English Department, and 5.5 % (11) in other foreign languages department. Overall, the breadth and diversity of the participants' characteristics contribute to the representativeness of this study.Table 1 ation of questionnaire participants.

Table 1Region	Number of Participants	Percentage	
 Northeast China	28	14 %	
 Southwest China	32	16 %	
 Southeast China	40	21 %	
 Central China	98	49 %	
Gender	
 Male	36	18.2 %	
 Female	162	81.8 %	
Age	
 51 and above	14	7 %	
 41-50	90	45.5 %	
 40 and below	94	47.5 %	
Work Unit	
 Key Universities	71	35.8 %	
 Ordinary Universities	127	64.2 %	
Highest Degree	
 Bachelor's Degree	21	10.6 %	
 Master's Degree	147	74.2 %	
 Doctorate Degree	30	15.2 %	
Department	
 English Department	57	28.8 %	
 Business English Department	62	31.3 %	
 College English Department	68	34.3 %	
 Other Foreign Languages Department	11	5.5 %	

The participants for the qualitative part of this study were selected by means of purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is a method employed to select respondents who are anticipated to provide pertinent and valuable information [64]. By purposefully selecting teachers who possessed their understanding and experience with professional learning communities (PLCs), the researchers aimed to acquire invaluable insights and diverse perspectives pertaining to the topic at hand. As is shown in Table 2, 13 respondents were interviewed. To make our participants maximally representative of this study, only foreign language teachers in higher education at different academic levels were selected. Among them, 15.3 % (2) were male and 84.7 % (11) female. They were aged from 25 to 47 years, with an average age of 36.7. With regards to their highest degrees, 46.1 % (6) of them held a master's degree and 53.9 % (7) of them a doctorate degree. Their average year of teaching was around 11. Of these respondents, 38 % (5) of them were associate professors, 54 % (7) of them were lecturers and 8 % (1) was professor. Five of them (38 %) worked in private universities and the other eight (62 %) in public universities.Table 2 Profiles of informants.

Table 2Informants	Gender	Age	Highest Degree	Year of teaching	Prof. title	Type of school	
NO.1	Female	41	M.A.	18	Associate professor	Private	
NO.2	Female	41	M.A.	15	Associate professor	Public	
NO.3	Female	26	M.A.	1	Lecturer	Private	
NO.4	Male	43	Ph.D.	21	Associate professor	Public	
NO.5	Female	41	M.A.	18	Lecturer	Public	
NO.6	Female	41	M.A.	15	Associate professor	Private	
NO.7	Female	42	M.A.	21	Professor	Private	
NO.8	Female	30	Ph.D.	2	Lecturer	Public	
NO.9	Female	47	Ph.D.	21	Professor	Public	
NO.10	Female	27	M.D.	3	Lecturer	Private	
NO.11	Female	31	Ph.D.	3	Lecturer	Public	
NO.12	Female	30	Ph.D.	2	Lecturer	Public	
NO.13	Male	39	Ph.D.	7	Lecturer	Public	

3.3 Instruments

The questionnaires of PLCs and IM were adapted from Lee et al. [65] and Amabile et al. [66], respectively. The questionnaires consisted of two parts. The first part was background information of the participants, including age, gender, origin, and other relevant details. The second part evaluated the participants’ awareness of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and intrinsic motivation (IM) in the workplace. All questions were formulated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree). For better understanding of the items, the questionnaire was designed in Chinese, the mother tongue of the participants.

SPSS 22.0 were used to analyze the data. First, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the construct validity (Kaiser-Meyer-Oklin Measure of sampling adequacy) of the scales. Then, internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient) of the scale was also examined. The adapted PLCs questionnaire in this study comprised three subscales: Shared Vison (SV, Items1-4), Supportive Environment (SE, Items 5–8), and Collaborative Learning (CL, Items 9–12). The adapted IM questionnaire was composed of two subscales: Willingness to Take on Challenges (WTC, Items1-6), and Love for Work (LW, Items 7–10). As is shown in Table 3, the KMO and Cronbach alphas for PLCs were higher than .8. Specifically, the KMO values of Shared Vision (SV), Supportive Environment (SE), and Collaborative Learning (CL) were .80, .68 and .73, respectively. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the above three subscales were .83, .68 and .76, respectively. The KMO and Cronbach's alphas for the IM questionnaire scale were .89 and .88, respectively. To be specific, KMO values of Willingness to Take on Challenges (WTC)and Love for Work (LW)were .86 and .76, respectively. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of WTC and LW were .85 and .81, which were all higher than .80. Therefore, both the PLCs and IM scales had a good construct validity and reliability.Table 3 KMO value and Cronbach's alphas for PLCs and IM.

Table 3	PLC	SV	SE	CL	IM	WTC	LW	
KMO	.88	.80	.68	.73	.88	.87	.76	
α	.87	.83	.68	.76	.89	.85	.81	

The written interview for this study includes questions related to various aspects of the participants’ background, understanding of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), career motivations, strengths in their work, experiences with new teaching/research methods, current challenges, and strategies to address those challenges. To ensure the reliability of the interview questions, the authors conducted several rounds of discussion with experts to make the expressions of the questions clear and accurate. The validity of the interview was ensured by the inclusion of a diverse range of participants and the adoption of thematic analysis for response evaluation.

3.4 Data collection

Before formally executing the survey, the authors first obtained approval from the academic committee of the university the authors were affiliated to. Then, informed consent was also obtained from all participants for this study. Questionnaire was conducted by online and offline channels. Prior to responding to the questionnaires, the participants were provided with information regarding the research objectives and instructions. They were assured that their responses would be treated confidentially and used only for research purposes.

Thirteen teachers were selected for interview by a purposive sampling method. To avoid biases, participants were asked to provide a written self-report answer to semi-structured questions like “Are you familiar with the concept of professional learning communities? If so, how did you get this information?” Chinese, the native language of the interviewees, was used as the interview language to ensure accurate and in-depth expression of their viewpoints [67].

3.5 Data analysis

SPSS 22.0 was employed to analyze the questionnaire survey data. First, descriptive analysis such as means, standard deviations was applied to explore the perceived PLCs and IM of the respondents. Then Pearson's correlation and regression analyses were utilized to ascertain the specific relationship between PLCs and IM.

Thematic analysis was used to code the written interview text. The interview data consisted of transcripts totaling 8034 words. Two postgraduates majoring in English translation translated the Chinese written interview texts into English. A teacher with a Ph.D. in applied linguistics reviewed the translated text to ensure the expressions of the text were accurate. Two English teachers worked as two coders to analyze the final texts. The analytical process involved several steps, starting with initial coding of themes, followed by identifying patterns and interpretation, as outlined by Ellis and Barkhuizen [68]. Each relevant segment of the data was initially assigned a descriptive label through coding. For instance, the thematic segment “It (PLCs) refers to a community consisting of students, teachers, counselors, schools, and parents” was coded as the perception of “work together in the schools.” Subsequently, secondary coding was employed to identify thematic patterns, aiming to capture more general commonalities among the previously coded segments. Finally, repeatedly comparison with those emerging from the initial coding was used, as recommended by Dornyei [67]. Two texts (1641words, 1641/8034 = 20.4 %) were randomly chosen and coded independently by two coders for reliability checks. The inter-coder reliability for the demographic information of the respondents showed an agreement of 100 %. For the answers to the seven questions, the inter-coder reliability was 91 % (Scott's Pi = .89). In cases of disagreement, consensus was reached to resolve any discrepancies.

4 Result

4.1 Level of PLCs and IM among the participants

Table 4 shows the descriptive results of participants’ perceptions on PLCs and IM. For the scale of PLCs, the mean score was relatively high (M = 3.56, SD = .54). For the three subscales of PLCs, the mean scores ranged between 3.37 and 3.76. Specifically, Collaborative Learning (CL) ranked the highest (M = 3.76, SD = .60), followed by Supportive Learning (SL) (M = 3.55, SD = .63), then Shared Vision (SV) (M = 3.37, SD = .69). The mean score of Intrinsic Motivatiob (IM) was comparatively higher (M = 3.85, SD = .59). Specifically, Love for Work (LW) ranked the highest (M = 4.02, SD = .64) and Willingness to Take on Challenges (WTC) ranked the lowest (M = 3.75, SD = .65).Table 4 Descriptive results of PLCs and IM.

Table 4	Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Mean	Standard Deviation	
PLCs	2	5	3.56	.54	
SV	1.75	5	3.37	.69	
SE	2	5	3.55	.63	
CL	2	5	3.76	.60	
IM	1.8	5	3.85	.59	
WTC	1.67	5	3.75	.65	
LW	2	5	4.02	.64	
Note: PLCs: Professional Learning Communities; SV: Shared Vision; SE: Supportive Environment; CL: Collaborative Learning; IM: Intrinsic Motivation; WTC: Willingness to Take on Challenges; LW: Love for Work.

4.2 Impact of PLCs on IM among the participants

As is shown in Table 5, significant correlations existed among PLCs and IM. First, there was a positive correlation between PLCs and IM (r = .422, P < 0.01). Specifically, SV in PLCs was positively correlated with WTC (r = .280, P < 0.01) and LW (r = .282, P < 0.01); SE in PLCs was positively correlated with WTC (r = .397, P < 0.01) and LW (r = .398, P < 0.01); CL in PLCs was positively correlated with WTC (r = .326, P < 0.01) and LW (r = .261, P < 0.01). Similarly, SV was positively correlated with SE (r = .504, P < 0.01) and CL (r = .612, P < 0.01) in PLCs. WTC and LW in IM were positively correlated (r = .670, P < 0.01).Table 5 Correlation matrix between PLCs and IM.

Table 5	PLCs	SV	SE	CL	IM	WTC	LW	
PLCs	1							
SV	.852a	1						
SE	.814a	.504a	1					
CL	.853a	.612a	.558a	1				
IM	.422a	.306a	.433a	.327a	1			
WTC	.396a	.280a	.397a	.326a	.947a	1		
LW	.373a	.282a	.398a	.261a	.873a	.670a	1	
Note.

a p < 0.01, PLCs: Professional Learning Communities; SV: Shared Vision; SE: Supportive Environment; CL: Collaborative Learning; IM: Intrinsic Motivation; WTC: Willingness to Take on Challenges; LW: Love for Work.

Regression results in Table 6 show that PLCs had a significant positive effect on teachers' IM at work (β = .42, p < 0.01). To be specific, IM was positively affected by SV (β = .31, p < 0.01), SE (β = .43, p < 0.01), and CL (β = .33, p < 0.01). And Shared Vision (SV) within PLCs showed a significant positive impact on teachers' WTC (β = .28, p < 0.01) and their LW (β = .28, p < 0.01). Similarly, Supportive Environment (SE) within PLCs demonstrated a significant positive effect on teachers' WTC (β = .40, p < 0.01) and their LW (β = .40, p < 0.01). And Collaborative Learning within PLCs significantly promoted teachers' WTC (β = .33, p < 0.01) and their LW (β = .26, p < 0.01). This indicates that teachers' perceptions of PLCs, such as having a shared vision, promoting a supportive work atmosphere, and optimizing the collaborative learning can significantly promote teachers’ readiness to embrace challenges and their passion for profession.Table 6 Regression coefficients of PLCs and IM.

Table 6
Model	Unstandardized Coefficients	Unstandardized Coefficients	t	Significance	
B	SD	Beta	
a	Constant	2.20	.26		8.61	.000	
PLCs	.47	.07	.42	6.52	.000	
SV	.26	.06	.31	4.50	.000	
SE	.41	.06	.43	6.73	.000	
CL	.32	.07	.33	4.84	.000	
b	Constant	2.86	.22		12.93	.000	
SV	.26	.06	.28	4.09	.000	
SE	.41	.07	.40	6.06	.000	
CL	.35	.07	.33	4.82	.000	
c	Constant	3.14	.22		14.36	.000	
SV	.26	.06	.28	4.11	.000	
SE	.40	.07	.40	6.07	.000	
CL	.28	.07	.26	3.79	.000	
Note: **p < 0.01, PLCs: Professional Learning Communities; SV: Shared Vision; SE: Supportive Environment; CL: Collaborative Learning; IM: Intrinsic Motivation; WTC: Willingness to Take on Challenges; LW: Love for Work.

a Dependent variable: Intrinsic Motivation (IM).

b Dependent variable: Willingness to Take on Challenges (WTC).

c Dependent variable: Love for Work (LW).

4.3 Factors for teachers’ perceptions on PLCs and IM among the participants

The thematic analyses of the interview data ended up with five themes: understanding and impression of PLCs, reasons for pursuing the career as a CTFL, work performance, work strength, strategies for addressing challenges. In terms of teacher's perception on PLCs, it revealed that school support and work engagement might play an important role. First, school support services are a term used for various forms of professional support provided for school staff, students, and parents [69]. The aim of these services is to facilitate the optimal application of pedagogical and psychological knowledge in educational practice. Support regarding pedagogical matters and professional growth seems to have greatly influenced the respondents' comprehension and practice of PLCs. It is stated in the following excerpts: “In 2019, I first became familiar with this concept when I applied for a school-level project related to Professional Learning Communities” (NO.1, Lines 11–13). “I know learning communities mainly due to my orientation training in the school and through reading educational books related to this concept” (NO.10, Lines 525–526). Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable increase in studies of PLCs in Mainland China and the roles of university researchers have become one of the emerging themes in published literature [54]. Heightened administrative responsibilities, a reorientation of collective work, and enhanced integration with other professional development initiatives were observed in Chinese PLCs development [70]. This contextual reality thus promotes Chinese teachers of foreign languages to conduct practice related to PLCs.

Second, work engagement also affects the perceptions on PLCs among the participants. Teacher's work engagement is broadly defined as their general commitment to their work [71]. Work engagement of teachers encompasses four distinct dimensions: cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, social engagement with students, and social engagement with colleagues [72]. The findings of the semi-structured interviews in this study suggest that teacher's work engagement significantly contributes to teachers' perceptions and understandings of PLCs. “I am not very familiar with it (PLCs). I obtained information about it through searching on Baidu” (NO.3, Lines 170–171). “My understanding of professional learning communities primarily comes from literature reading, self-experience, learning, and conducting related research” (NO. 9, Lines 461–462). Apparently, the interviewees' engagement in literature reading or previous experience played a vital role in affecting their awareness of PLCs. Teachers who exhibit heightened levels of engagement are more inclined to take initiative and participate in learning activities [73]. Engagement is a critical driver of teachers' learning and professional development [74].As for IM, job characteristics and significant others collectively exert an impact on the participants' internal work drive based on the analysis of the interview. Hackman and Oldham [75] explored job characteristics model (JCM) to describe relationship between job characteristics and individual responses to the work. In this model, five core job characteristics (skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback) are seen as prompting three psychological states of the employee (experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility for outcomes, and knowledge of the actual results), which, in turn, influence several work outcomes (work motivation, job satisfaction, absenteeism) [76]. Task significance of working as a foreign language teacher seems to have profoundly influenced the respondents' intrinsic motivation in their workplace. As Interviewee NO. 8 stated, “Personally, I have a deep passion for my foreign language major itself … I have a strong enthusiasm for the French language and culture … I am genuinely eager to teach and share this foreign language with university students” (Lines 411–416). “I harbor a genuine love for my profession, enjoying interactions with students and … help them to grow” (NO. 9, lines 489–490). Evidently, the value of learning foreign language and culture as well as to help students develop language proficiency has driven the participants to choose to work as a foreign language teacher. In effect, professional competence (linguistic knowledge, being updated, pedagogical skill and expertise) is perceived by school administrators as characteristics of effective English language teachers [77].

Furthermore, significant others, such as family, friends, supervisors, and teachers can have an important influence on individual’s behavior [78,79]. The semi-structured interviews of this study reveal that both family members and teachers exert a pivotal influence over motivating individuals to pursue a career as a foreign language teacher. As to the question why they choose to work as a foreign language teacher, Interviewee NO. 1 mentioned: “Due to my personal interest. I have developed a fondness for the English language since middle school, along with a deep admiration for English language teacher” (Lines 27–28). Interviewee NO.2 also recalled that: “My aunt is a university teacher, and I have been influenced by her since childhood. I have always dreamed of becoming a university professor” (Lines 123–124). Evidently, the profound admiration for individuals who have pursued career as foreign language teachers served as a significant impetus in motivating the interviewees to aspire towards joining their ranks in the future. This might be due to the feelings of relatedness with the important others activate their behavior to follow their step [80]. Therefore, significant figures such as family members and teachers emerge as influential factors in stimulating intrinsic motivation among the interviewees as they make decisions regarding their career paths.

5 Discussion

This study investigated the relationship between PLCs and IM in workplace of Chinese teachers of foreign teachers. The research has uncovered three significant findings. First, the descriptive findings reveal that the overall level of PLCs of CTFL was moderately high, with collaborative learning emerging as the most robust element and shared vision as the least developed aspect. Interview results demonstrate that teacher's perception of PLCs closely related to support from school and personal work engagement. In effect, PLC implementation requires time and resources for teachers to engage in collaborative activities. Time constraints have been found to affect community members' participation [81]. Interview results in this study indicate that increasing workload and performance assessment may pose great challenges in their professional development. As Interviewee NO.7 stated: “It is difficult to balance the performance evaluation and my teaching and research requirement”. Besides, effective PLC implementation calls for strong leadership support. Inadequate support or limited involvement from school leaders may impede the implementation of PLCs [82]. Prevailing organizational culture within school or educational institution can exert an impact on the execution of PLCs [83]. Desire for support is also mentioned by Interviewee NO. 9: “Despite engaging in numerous exchanges, there remains a lack of profound, in-depth scholarly dialogue and collaboration” (Lines 513–514).

The second major finding is Chinese teachers of foreign language experienced a relatively high level of IM in related to their PLCs perceptions, indicating a strong internal drive to engage in their teaching profession. The average score of Love for Work (LW) in the IM questionnaire surpassed 4 points, signifying great passion for teaching enjoyment. Thematic analyses of the interview data identify that job characteristic of a foreign language teacher and the impact of significant others might motivate them to pursue teacher career, which was expressed by Interviewee NO. 11: “I also greatly appreciate the interaction and communication with my students as it provides me with valuable insights and promotes a dynamic and enriching learning environment” (Lines 673–675). Interviewee NO. 13 also emphasized that the reason for pursuing teacher's profession is “(My) strong interest in foreign languages and cultures … I can contribute to the development of students' language proficiency and foster their global awareness” (Lines 784–789). Mierzwa [84] indicates that foreign language teachers consistently exhibit a notably high level of enjoyment in both foreign language learning and foreign language teaching due to learner-internal and teacher-specific variables. And individual with high expertise in a foreign language tends to experience high foreign language enjoyment [85,86]. This learning enjoyment might motivate them to continue their foreign language learning and use the foreign language as a tool to work in their future [78].

The third major finding highlights the significant and positive impact of shared vision, supportive environment, and collaborative learning in PLCs on teachers' intrinsic motivation at work. A shared vision within PLCs provides a sense of purpose and a collective goal [2]. This collective goal might increase teachers' connectedness with the community. To this end, individuals are motivated when they feel connected to at least some others [11]. Likewise, the supportive environment within PLCs emerged as a significant predictor in improving their willingness to take on challenges in teaching and research. Both institutional and personal variables have been identified as significant predictors of intrinsic motivation in learning, with institutional support being particularly crucial [87]. A supportive work atmosphere within PLCs may provide emotional and instrumental support, creating a conducive environment for teachers to feel valued, encouraged, and empowered. Additionally, collaborative learning within PLCs promotes teachers' passion for their profession. Peer-coached collaborative learning tends to consolidate English teachers' knowledge and improve their teaching practices [88]. Teachers develop a passion for learning through engagement in lesson study in joint professional development program [89]. PLCs improves teachers’ sense of occupational belonging [90].

It should be noted that intrinsic motivation is a complex construct influenced by various factors [41,91]. Therefore, it is important to consider the broader context and support system within which intrinsic motivation operates. And the longitudinal study that tracks teachers’ IM over an extended period will contribute to the existing knowledge of IM in educational landscapes.

6 Conclusion

The current study examined the relationships between PLCs and teachers' IM in Chinese higher education context. Results showed that the level of PLCs and IM among Chinese teachers of foreign language is moderately high. PLCs have a significant effect on IM. Qualitative analyses further explore the contextual and individual factors affecting teacher's perception of PLCs and IM. These findings shed light on the view that PLCs is a socially and individually situated construct and enrich the scope of research on PLCs by extending its subjects into teacher's work behaviors within a macro foreign language environment. The implications of the study for PLCs leaders and foreign language teachers to boost work motivation and professional development are as follows:

First, the levels of PLCs and IM indicate the necessity and feasibility for PLCs leaders to promote a collaborative and supportive network for teachers and students in education settings. Teacher's academic, instrumental, and emotional support is perceived as important in students' foreign language learning [92]. The perception of PLCs as a valuable platform for professional development indicates that teachers also need support and collaboration to practice continuous improvement. In Chinese context, the equilibrium between bottom-up needs and top-down mandates for teacher learning in communities can be achieved through collaborative efforts involving external support, school leaders, and teachers [93]. School administrators play a crucial role in allocating resources and support for PLCs [32]. Leaders and facilitators of PLCs should provide the necessary resources, such as workshops, training sessions, to promote the development PLCs [26]. Besides, leaders can establish norms and structures that provide clear agendas, focus on specific areas of growth, and encourage open communication to share workloads and target relevant professional development. Furthermore, a shared leadership within PLCs could also facilitate collaboration. When involving in decision-making processes or taking on leadership roles, members of PLCs feel invested in its success [32]. To address time constraints commonly perceived by teachers, leaders can incorporate online platforms or virtual meeting tools to overcome time and space limitations. By fostering a supportive environment, teachers feel more comfortable sharing their experiences, seeking assistance, and collaborating with their peers [94].

Second, the positive impact of PLCs on teacher's IM suggests the importance for teachers to participate in reflective discussions, seek feedback from colleagues, and engage in collaborative problem-solving. Being part of a PLCs that values shared decision-making, collaboration, and ongoing professional development can lead to increased job satisfaction [59]. To this end, teachers can participate in peer observation and feedback sessions where they observe each other's classes and provide constructive feedback on teaching strategies and techniques. Through such reflective discussions, teachers gain valuable insights, refine their instructional management approaches, and enhance their teaching effectiveness [95]. Additionally, as significant others might have influenced foreign language teacher's intrinsic motivation in teaching practice, it is conducive for teacher to share knowledge and expertise within professional learning communities. It helps teachers to build bonds with colleagues, expand their professional skills to better meet the diverse needs of students since collaborative problem-solving is inherent in PLCs [2].

Despite the findings of this study, the authors report the following limitations: this study focused specifically on exploring the relationship between PLCs and IM among foreign language teachers in China, which were limited to similar cultural contexts. Future research needs to consider factors such as cultural differences, educational levels, and subject areas and examine the mechanisms through which PLCs influence teacher's professional growth. Apart from the variables used in this study, it can be investigated whether factors such as gender, age, school types etc. affect the overall effect size. Furthermore, longitudinal, or experimental studies might provide better insights into the long-term effects of PLCs participation on teachers' motivation.

Data availability statement

The data used and analyzed during the current study will be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethics statement

It is stated that this study involves no ethical issues with regard for animal and human studies. This study was approved by the Academic Committee of the School of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Technology (No. 231105). Informed consent was obtained from all participants for this study.

Funding statement

This study was supported by 10.13039/501100002948 Hubei University of Technology Doctoral Research Start-up Fund (00576 ); Hubei Provincial Humanities and Social Sciences General Project (18Y065 ).

Declaration of interest's statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Chunxiu Long: Writing – original draft, Software, Project administration, Methodology, Investigation, Funding acquisition, Data curation, Conceptualization. Chili Li: Writing – review & editing, Validation, Supervision, Resources, Conceptualization. Guangfang Huang: Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Formal analysis. Jingyin Fu: Resources.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Appendix A Professional Learning Communities

1. The staff is consistently involved in discussing and making decisions about most school issues.

2. The school shares responsibility and rewards for innovative actions.

3. Communication systems facilitate the flow of information among staff, parents, and community members.

4. Leadership is promoted and nurtured among staff.

5. The proximity of grade level and department personnel allows for ease in collaborating with colleagues.

6. Appropriate technology and instructional materials are available to staff.

7. Fiscal resources are available for professional development.

8. The staff engage in dialogue that reflects a respect for diverse ideas that lead to continued inquiry.

9. Communication systems promote a flow of information among staff.

10. School staff and stakeholders learn together and apply new knowledge to solve problems.

11. The school considers faculty members' suggestions when making decisions.

12. School staff is committed to programs that enhance learning.

Intrinsic Motivation

1. I enjoy solving problems that are completely unfamiliar to me.

2. I am willing to try solving complex problems.

3. The more complex the problem, the more I want to solve it.

4. I hope my work allows me to gain knowledge and skills.

5. Curiosity drives me to do many things.

6. I enjoy relatively simple, straightforward tasks. (reverse-scored)

7. What matters most to me is enjoying what I do.

8. It is important for me to have an outlet for self-expression.

9. I enjoy doing work that is so absorbing that I forget about everything else.

10. It is important for me to be able to do what I most enjoy.

Acknowledgments

The author expresses sincere appreciation to the editors and reviewers for their valuable suggestions and dedicated service towards the paper. Gratitude is also extended to the teacher participants who generously devoted their time to participate in the questionnaires and interviews. Heartfelt gratitude also goes to the colleagues who graciously dedicated their time to give their invaluable suggestions.
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