Professional Development

9 Key excerpts on "Professional Development"

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  Portrait of a Profession

  Teaching and Teachers in the 21st Century

  • David Moss, Wendy J. Glenn, Richard L. Schwab, David Moss, Wendy J. Glenn, Richard L. Schwab(Authors)
  • 2004(Publication Date)
  • Praeger

    (Publisher)

  But, the prob- lem, as noted in the CEO Forum Year 2 Report, Professional Development: A Link to Better Learning, is that: Teachers, like all professionals, need and deserve ongoing exposure to technology so it becomes a seamless component of instruction that leads to real results for students. They need Professional Development. (CEO Forum, 1999, p. 2) If emerging technologies are to become “a link to better learning,” technology must become an integral part of the Professional Development of the teacher. Technology and Professional Development 143 Professional Development is defined here as “formal and informal activities designed to enhance career growth.” For the educator, it is “an on-going, long- term commitment that begins with the decision to pursue a career in educa- tion, and continues, through a combination of formal and informal learning opportunities, for the duration of a career” (CEO Forum, 1999, p. 10). Profes- sional development, consequently, is the commitment a teacher brings to the profession. However, the commitment is shaped by a variety of factors such as the individual’s own needs, the environment in which teaching occurs, the type and quality of the providers, and the incentives to continue to develop as a professional. This chapter addresses the issue of Professional Development for teachers in the area of technology, discusses the challenges of facilitating learning uti- lizing these new and ever-changing tools, and examines issues that will shape the continued use of digital technologies in the classroom. TEACHERS AND Professional Development: A BRIEF PERSPECTIVE Reasons for Professional Development From early in the twentieth century, teacher education has been the responsi- bility of four-year colleges, many of which were once normal schools. During this preparation, future teachers learn much about what it means to be a teacher.

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  Professional Development in Higher Education

  New Dimensions and Directions

  • Gill Nicholls(Author)
  • 2014(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  The means by which institutions or governments, whether national, regional or local, set out to control the activities of the professions are many and diverse, as are the motives for seeking such control. What many of them have in common is a focus on education and training and on certification. That is the condition under which specialized (and marketable) qualifications are awarded. Professional Development in higher education is no different, with many institutions currently developing and or awarding certification at various levels for learning and teaching in higher education. The main aim is to help academic practitioners meet the requirements of the ILT and give status to learning and teaching through certification. This may indeed meet the criteria for claiming teaching knowledge, but it does not mean a better or more informed teaching community in higher education, nor does it fill the Professional Development requirements of all academics within higher education.

  It is pertinent at this juncture to identify what is meant by Professional Development. Professional Development is a dynamic process that spans one’s entire career in a profession, from preparation and induction to completion and retirement. This view is based on the assumption that any successful Professional Development relies on a relationship related to the individual’s work environment and that individual’s perception of his or her role within it. Figure 3.1 shows the relationship between Professional Development and the individual within an institution.

  Figure 3.1 Professional Development and the individual

  Central to this conceptualization of Professional Development is the position of each of the constituent parts, and the effect each has on the individual. It is important for this discussion to consider each aspect, and then move on to how these aspects affect and are linked to notions of learning and professional education.

  Learning from learning

  For university academics, it is the case that contact with the teaching and learning situation on an almost daily basis has always contributed to the development of their academic and pedagogic knowledge and skills. This being the case we can assume that practitioners have been involved in personal development and learning by the nature of their positions and job. Equally, Professional Development is part of learning, and studying the subject and related issues is a privilege for those involved in education and educational studies. Yet, in a learning society we are forced to ask questions relating to Professional Development and its role in learning. A consequence of the Dearing Report has been the need for the higher education sector to consider and enter the debate about learning from learning and how this equates to scholarship. It is suggested here that ‘learning from learning’ is a key facet of development. This point is strongly argued by Becher (1996). In this context Professional Development is seen as having its central concern with the promotion and support of learning, not only of the students, but also for the academics themselves in their own personal and Professional Development.

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  A Practical Guide to Teaching Design and Technology in the Secondary School

  • Gwyneth Owen-Jackson(Author)
  • 2007(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  Later, during your induction period and in the early years of teaching, you will need to continue the process of identifying priorities for future Professional Development and consider how these change over time. The Professional Development process is a continuum that enables you to take responsibility for your own progress during initial training and throughout your subsequent teaching career. This chapter will introduce you to strategies that are designed to support you in managing your continuing Professional Development.

  By the end of this chapter you should be able to:

  • engage in a cycle of needs analysis, target setting and action planning to develop an awareness of the skills and knowledge you will require to become an effective teacher of Design and Technology;
  • reflect on your professional practice and recognise the need for continuing Professional Development beyond completion of your initial training;
  • demonstrate an understanding of the professional standards that you will be judged against at various stages in your career.

  MANAGING YOUR DEVELOPMENT DURING YOUR INITIAL TRAINING

  During the initial phase of your training, you will become familiar with a range of materials that outline the subject requirements for Design and Technology, such as the National Curriculum Programmes of Study (DfES/QCA 1999), the DATA fields of knowledge (DATA 2003) and public examinations specifications. These will help you to gain an understanding of the skills, knowledge and capability you will need to become an effective teacher of Design and Technology.

  The Design and Technology Association – the professional association for teachers of Design and Technology – suggests that you should be confident to teach in two specialist focus areas of Design and Technology at KS3 and one specialist area at KS4 and beyond. This is illustrated by Figure 13.1.

  Figure 13.1

  Focus areas within Design and Technology

  Whatever your previous experience, you will have particular strengths and aspirations in relation to teaching Design and Technology. One of the first things you will need to think about is the relationship between your present capability and the skills and knowledge you need for teaching. This in turn will enable you to set targets for future development and determine a programme of study that is tailored to your individual needs.

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  How to Run your Department Successfully

  A Practical Guide for Subject Leaders in Secondary Schools

  • Chris Turner(Author)
  • 2005(Publication Date)
  • Continuum

    (Publisher)

  10 Subject leaders and the management of continuing Professional Development Introduction This chapter begins by providing a definition of professional devel-opment and then attempts to place it in a modern context, in relation to performance management and its implications for subject leaders. A variety of models for continuing Professional Development (CPD) are then outlined, followed by a discussion of the results of research on this issue. It is possible to engage in a number of different CPD activities. Comments are included from SLs who have been interviewed in Phase 3 about their role in Professional Development, for some of those listed. Definition of Professional Development The current proliferation of terminology can make any discussion of CPD confusing. For example, it can be seen as staff development, in-service training, and teacher development. A working definition of CPD suggested by Bolam and McMahon (2003) will also be adopted in this discussion. It was first proposed by Day (1997): Professional Development consists of all natural learning experi-ences and those conscious and planned activities which are intended to be of direct or indirect benefit to the individual, group or school and contribute through these, to the quality of education in the classroom. It is the process by which alone and with others, teachers review, renew and extend their commit-ment as change agents to the moral purposes of teaching and by which they acquire and develop critically the knowledge skills 140 HOW TO RUN YOUR DEPARTMENT SUCCESSFULLY and emotional intelligence essential to good professional think-ing, planning and practice with children, young people and col-leagues through each phase of their teaching lives, (p. 4) In the current educational context, CPD can be thought of as being a balance between activities which might satisfy whole-school needs and those which address the needs of individual staff.

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  The Personalized Continuing Professional Learning of Teachers

  A Global Perspective

  • Orit Avidov-Ungar(Author)
  • 2023(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  Feiman-Nemser, 2001 ).

  The existence of such a wide spectrum of definitions of PD highlights the profound and overall transformation in the perception of teachers’ PD throughout their career. Given the dynamic and rapid developments in both content and pedagogies in recent decades, it is self-evident that preservice training can never be adequate, and that lifelong learning is a necessity in every field, but especially in education. Obviously, to become expert teachers, many years of PD are required. Therefore, it is important to discover what tasks await teachers during their PD and throughout their careers.

  Through PD, teachers expand their understanding of students’ learning as well as their own knowledge in many areas. In turn, the latter is represented in the knowledge and epistemological structures of their students. This is a very important task of elementary school teachers, who naturally teach a wide variety of subjects (Kennedy, 2005 ). Teachers who are very conscious of their responsibility may easily identify the contents they wish to develop and strengthen. Content knowledge in the right context for students may enable these teachers to concentrate on building content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, which would enrich the curriculum. It may help teachers deal effectively with perceptions, topics, and procedures with which their students struggle. After entering the profession, this can only occur through PD. This is a critical point in time for developing teachers’ knowledge repertoire in all disciplines that are part of the curriculum, teaching and assessment. Upon gaining even limited practice in the classroom, teachers may concentrate on clarifying and honing their preferred interactive, research-based teaching strategies during this stage. Teachers who are less inclined to textbooks or recommended curricula may focus on collecting materials and creating study units tailored to their students’ fields of interest. In this way, they may work on the interpretations of knowledge they have gathered and shape ways to support students’ learning (Feiman-Nemser, 2001

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  The eCoaching Continuum for Educators

  Using Technology to Enrich Professional Development and Improve Student Outcomes

  • Marcia Rock(Author)
  • 2019(Publication Date)
  • ASCD

    (Publisher)

  19 1 Technology-Enabled Study Laying the Foundation for Practical, Powerful, and Impactful Professional Development Marcia Rock and Melissa Sullivan-Walker Too many Professional Development initiatives are done to teachers— not for or with them. —Andy Hargreaves (n.d.) How can teachers and other school professionals use technology effectively and efficiently to develop and refine content knowledge and pedagogical know-how? Understanding the Purpose of Using Technology to Build Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Know-How Dedicated to lifelong learning throughout their early, middle, and late careers, effective teachers and school professionals value the role professional develop-ment plays in deepening and expanding their content knowledge and pedagogi-cal know-how. Also, they understand that meaningful Professional Development requires ongoing in-depth study of specific content (what to teach) or peda-gogy (how to teach). As noted in the Introduction, Joyce and Showers (1982) referred to this aspect of Professional Development as the study of theory and best practice and recommended that teachers and other school professionals dedicate 20–30 hours to it. More recently, as also described in the Introduction, Desimone (2009) identified content focus (studying subject matter) as one of the five features of effective Professional Development, recommending that teachers and other school professionals engage in 20 or more hours of contact time. We 20 The eCoaching Continuum for Educators consider the study of theory and practice as foundational and as the first of four components in the coaching continuum. Traditionally, teachers and administrators have studied theory and practice through passive professional learning activities, such as workshops and conference presentations. In recent years, however, more interactive approaches to study, such as book studies and professional learning communities, have increased in popu-larity.

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  The Road to Information Literacy

  Librarians as facilitators of learning

  • Roisin Gwyer, Ruth Stubbings, Graham Walton(Authors)
  • 2012(Publication Date)
  • De Gruyter Saur

    (Publisher)

  An investment in continuous professional education and technology is worthwhile in revitalising library services in universities and colleges in higher and tertiary education to remain effervescent. What is CPD? Madden and Mitchell’s (1993) definition of CPD highlights the critical role of the key stakeholder in the process – namely the employer. The Institute of Per-sonnel and Development views CPD as “systematic, ongoing, self directed learning” . Browell (2000) views it as a process concerned with constant updat-ing of professional knowledge throughout an individual’s working life which requires self direction, self management and responsiveness to opportunities. The concept of CPD permeates each and every profession because it provides opportunities for renewal and regeneration. For example, the International Pharmaceutical Federation defined CPD as the “….the responsibility of indi-vidual pharmacists for systematic maintenance, development and broadening of knowledge, skills and attitudes, to ensure continuity competence as a pro-fessional throughout their career…” Stephens (2005) noted the extraordinary popularity of CPD and attributed this to the dynamic nature of the information profession which compels members to keep their fingers on the pulse of the changes shaping their professional des-tiny. Robinson and Glosiene (2007) view CPD and Professional Development as synonymous terms that imply a process through which those involved in LIS maintain competence throughout their career irrespective of the changes taking place in the profession. Ritchie (2005) views CPD as a broader term that encom-passes Continuous Professional Education (CPE), cognizant that without educa-tion a profession is as good as dead. Overall, all the definitions imply the need for continuous learning as a way to create more opportunities for advancement.

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  Success Strategies for Women in Science

  A Portable Mentor

  • Peggy A. Pritchard(Author)
  • 2011(Publication Date)
  • Academic Press

    (Publisher)

  C h a p t e r 2 C ONTINUING P ROFESSIONAL D EVELOPMENT Christine Faerber and Anngienetta Johnson Education multiplies one’s options and opportunities in life. Why limit your possibilities, when there is an exciting world out there waiting for your brainpower? Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Your career will likely be a journey with many twists and turns, as you respond to advances in your field, make new choices that are consistent with your changing priorities and goals, and pursue emerging opportunities for professional and personal development. Learning does not end when you complete your doctorate or postdoctoral fellowship. It continues throughout your life. By developing the attitude of a lifelong learner and acquiring new skills and knowledge as your responsibilities and interests dictate, you will be better equipped to recognize, seize, and even create opportunities that will lead to greater fulfillment and success. It is never too late to expand your horizons. You have begun already: by reading this book, you are being proactive in the management of your career and involving yourself in ongoing learning. 21 Continuing Professional Development involves (1) staying current, skilled, and intellectually fresh in one’s chosen discipline (i.e., developing scientific skills and knowledge) and (2) developing complementary knowl-edge and skills, often called “employability skills” in North America. These are “the skills, attitudes and behaviours that you need to participate and progress in today’s dynamic world of work” (Conference Board of Canada, 2005). They are not job specific but cut across all types of work.

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  Continuing Professional Development in Health and Social Care

  Strategies for Lifelong Learning

  • Auldeen Alsop(Author)
  • 2013(Publication Date)
  • Wiley-Blackwell

    (Publisher)

  Chapter 4 The process of continuing Professional Development This chapter addresses: 1. the professional journey as a learning career; 2. the process of continuing Professional Development (CPD); 3. coaching, mentorship, preceptorship and other networks as support mechanisms in professional practice. Introduction The professional career is a journey through which each professional travels at his or her own pace and in a direction that is largely self-determined. Much of the preparation for this journey takes place through a prescribed pre-registration qualifying programme in an educational establishment, but the real journey begins at the point of qualification. A professional career becomes a ‘learning career’, a lifelong learning process that includes the formal requirement of continuing Professional Development (CPD) to meet regulatory requirements. The CPD process is one that has to be steered by the professional, taking account of personal circumstances and the environmental context that offers the employment opportunities. Support mechanisms such as coaching and mentoring can provide help and guidance in support of career development. The professional journey The educational programme leading to a professional qualification is the first part of the professional journey that is guided by lecturers who ensure that the journey proceeds at an appropriate pace and in an appropriate way in order to achieve a satisfactory outcome for each learner. Even though each individual on that journey will complete an approved course and meet the required professional standards, each member of the group will have different interests and gain different insights and benefits from the learning experiences to which they are exposed. Some may have had a previous career and are seeking a change or a chance to develop in a different direction. They will bring a range of expertise that will serve as a backdrop to their new learning

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