Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine if Professional Learning Communities in elementary schools that have strong evidence of the five dimensions of a Professional Learning Community have a higher degree of teamness than those schools that do not have strong evidence. Methodology. Using a descriptive and ex post facto study, the researcher used two survey instruments, Huffman and Hipp's (2003) Professional Learning Community Assessment and Harvey and Drolet's (2006) Survey of Team Characteristics, to collect data from principals and their teachers in elementary schools in San Diego County. Findings. The data showed that both schools with and without strong evidence of a Professional Learning Community had a high degree of teamness. Additionally, the study found that in the aggregate of teacher responses, only 2 of the 17 characteristics on the Survey of Team Characteristics displayed a statistically significant difference. Those two characteristics were "recognition of individual contributions" and "sense of relationship." Conclusions. Although elementary schools both with and without strong evidence of a Professional Learning Community showed high degrees of teamness, the difference in means still shows those schools focused on the 17 characteristics of a team have more evidence of success. The study also showed schools that focus extensively on relationship building have more success than those schools that attend more to group structure. All Professional Learning Communities need to spend regular time on teambuilding to establish trusting, collegial relationships among team members. Implications for action. The researcher recommended leaders be trained regularly on the categories of team characteristics so they can better model for their teams. Additionally, team-building activities were suggested to balance both the relationships of a team and the importance of "periodic group maintenance.".