Managing Learning Communities for Teachers’ Pedagogical Competence in Deep Learning: Evidence from Indonesian Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study examines how learning communities are managed to improve teachers' pedagogical competence related to Deep Learning at SMAN 19 Bandung and SMAN 26 Bandung, Indonesia. The study employed a qualitative multiple-case study design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, direct observations, and document analysis involving school principals, vice principals for curriculum affairs, learning-community coordinators, teachers, and students. Data were analyzed using the interactive model of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. Trustworthiness was ensured through source triangulation, method triangulation, member checking, and repeated observations. The findings indicate that learning-community management was implemented by integrating planning, organizing, actuating, and controlling functions. Planning was based on teacher-needs analysis, school-quality indicators, policy directions, and teacher proposals. Organizing involved formal learning-community structures, role allocation, and leadership support. Actuating was conducted through peer coaching, best-practice sharing, collaborative discussion, and reflective learning activities. Controlling was implemented through reflective academic supervision, classroom observation, teaching-document review, and teacher reflection. These processes contributed to improvements in teachers' pedagogical competence, particularly in designing more mindful, meaningful, and joyful learning experiences. Teachers increasingly applied contextual learning strategies, encouraged student participation, created psychologically safer classroom environments, and used more varied instructional methods. However, time constraints, teacher fatigue, uneven participation, and resistance to changing conventional teaching practices remained important challenges. This study's novelty lies in analyzing learning-community management through the POAC framework as a strategic mechanism for strengthening teachers' pedagogical competence in implementing Deep Learning at the senior secondary school level.