<![CDATA[Professional learning communities (PLCs) provide opportunities for collaborative teacher learning; however, their implementation must be understood alongside teachers’ working conditions. This study examined reported PLC participation and its associations with workload, incentives, logistical support, leadership support, and perceived usefulness in selected Ghanaian senior high schools. A convergent mixed-methods design combined survey responses from 487 teachers across 25 purposively selected schools with semi-structured interviews involving 20 teachers. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression, while interview data underwent thematic analysis. The findings were integrated to contextualize participation patterns through teachers’ experiences. Mean participation was 2.76 and perceived workload was 4.01 on five-point scales. Higher perceived workload was associated with lower participation, whereas incentive perceptions, logistical support, leadership support, and perceived usefulness were positively associated with participation. Retrospective interview accounts identified unmet expectations, participation centered on attendance and documentation, and competing reform responsibilities. The integrated findings suggest that valuing collaboration can coexist with difficulties sustaining participation under demanding and insufficiently supported implementation conditions. Practical implications include integrating PLCs into school planning, clarifying professional recognition, providing appropriate resources and protected time, strengthening leadership facilitation, and reviewing competing administrative demands. The effectiveness of these proposed responses requires further evaluation. These conclusions concern cross-sectional associations and retrospectively perceived change within the selected schools. Longitudinal research and evaluations of implementation changes are needed to assess sustained participation and professional learning.]]>
