Motivational dynamics and psychological outcomes in discipline-based PLCs during periods of societal disruption: a dual SEM analysis

This study examines how Discipline-Based Professional Learning Communities (DIPLCs) function as motivational and psychological support structures for educators during prolonged societal disruption. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and the BANI framework, it investigates the ways in which autonomous and controlled motivational profiles interact with DIPLC characteristics to influence professional and psychological outcomes, including self-efficacy, well-being, resilience, and agency. Using cross-sectional survey data from Israeli educators (N = 2,295) and facilitators (N = 326), two distinct structural equation models (SEMs) were developed. Findings indicate that intrinsic motivation emerges as the strongest predictor of engagement, while controlled motivations (external and introjected) served as significant initial drivers of participation, particularly in crisis contexts. DIPLC characteristics such as peer learning, trust, and structured collaboration play a mediating role in linking motivation to outcomes. Facilitators, occupying dual roles as leaders and participants in Facilitators’ PLCs (FPLCs), reported distinct motivational patterns and experienced greater psychological benefits, but also faced heightened systemic pressures, underscoring the critical role of FPLCs in sustaining leadership and well-being. The findings highlight the need for motivation-sensitive, context-responsive professional learning designs tailored to periods of instability. Implications for professional development policy and practice include fostering intrinsic motivation, strengthening relational structures, and institutionalising systematic training processes for facilitators.