Continuing Professional Development Initiative Research Articles

Child participation in South African primary schools: How useful is the Lundy model?

Background: The concept of ‘learner voice’ has received global attention in recent years, frequently credited to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC recognises that children have (1) the right to express a view and (2) the right to have the view given due weight. However, in many countries, including South Africa, despite legislation that recognises child rights, there is a relative absence of learner voice and participation in school-level decision-making.Setting: The setting of this continuing professional development (CPD) initiative is GADRA Education, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in Makhanda Eastern Cape.Method: A consultative participation approach was adopted with Grades 2–4 learners, under the auspices of GADRA Education. Eight child participation consultations were held, followed by a further eight feedback sessions 5 months later. All were audio-recorded.Results: The results of the CPD initiative suggest that the model provides a useful framework for increasing child participation in primary schools. However, further deliberation is necessary ‘with’ learners around choices related to space, audience, and the alternative ‘hat’ of the facilitating teacher.Conclusion: Building on our learning, we aim to develop these ideas further through a more sustained research project, involving not only consultative participation but also collaborative participation and child-led participation.Contribution: Insight into the extent to which the Lundy model of child participation (Lundy 2007) can be used as a framework to guide researchers and practitioners in assisting primary school learners to develop their voice and exert influence in matters concerning them.

How do micro-placements in industry within an initial teachers’ training programme contribute towards bridging the gap between education and employment?

ABSTRACT The complex interplay between labour market needs and education poses significant challenges to the teaching profession, frequently criticised for its perceived inadequacy in addressing contemporary work – life dynamics and professional practices. In response to these challenges, the ‘Micro-Placements’ initiative was introduced in an initial teacher training programme in Malta, aimed at providing student teachers with practical exposure to different industries. This study reports on an evaluation conducted within a higher education institution, utilising a responsive approach alongside the RUFDATA evaluation framework to observe the value-added of having micro-placements in a programme that enables students to become teachers. Through qualitative analysis, this study underscores the value of micro-placements in enriching pedagogical practices by enabling teachers to integrate diverse workplace experiences, thereby fostering the development of skills essential for active citizenship among students. The findings advocate for the integration of micro-placements into initial teacher training programmes and for their incorporation into continuous professional development initiatives for educators.

Continuous Professional Development in the Sri Lankan Health System: Past, Present and Future

Introduction: Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is a system of practice that plays an integral part in honing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and mindsets of healthcare professionals leading to improved patient experiences and better health outcomes, the world over. CPD in the Sri Lankan context is at the cusp of a monumental achievement. Following many years of discussions and setbacks, the National Continuous Professional Development (NCPD) framework has finally reached operational status with pilot programs being planned in several districts.Methodology: we referred to local literature, official documents and various research studies centered around CPD in an effort to detail the history of CPD activities in Sri Lanka, the establishment of the NCPD framework, the obstacles encountered during previous attempts of implementation, the journey thus far and the way forward for a sustainable, long-lasting NCPD program that is beneficial for all Grade Medical Officers (GMOs) and health professionals later on.Results: Findings included uptake of a wide array of e-learning modalities following the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple research studies showed that stakeholders were satisfied with the cost-effectiveness, heightened productivity, convenience, flexibility and information accessibility offered by web-based CPD initiatives. However, the underdeveloped digital infrastructure remained the main drawback of adopting e-learning strategies in our context.Conclusion: E-learning platforms that gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic have become a boon to actualizing the NCPD program together with the steps taken to strengthen the local digital infrastructure. This promises to mark the next major era of Medical Education in the country.

The Attitudes of EFL Teachers in Kazakhstan towards Continuous Professional Development

This research looks into Kazakhstani EFL teachers' attitudes towards continuous professional development (CPD). It looks at both the beneficial and challenging aspects of their CPD involvement. The study analyzed the attitudes of nine EFL teachers who participated in continuous professional training within the last year. The study aimed to understand teachers' perceptions of their ability to self-control their learning, their needs, and their relatedness to colleagues and course instructors. The qualitative method was utilized in the study, which implied thematic analysis and the interpretation of the findings. Overall, the participants have a positive attitude toward CPD, but they have trouble accessing a wider variety of professional development activities that suit their interests and specific professional needs. The study also highlights how crucial it is to develop and establish policies and programs that foster professional development and deal with these issues. The results can direct the creation and implementation of CPD initiatives in Kazakhstan and other comparable settings.

Continuing Professional Development for Radiation Oncologists: Where are the Gaps and Barriers?

Continuing professional development (CPD) involves continuing medical education (CME), as well as educational activities to enhance research, teaching and leadership skills. Although CPD has been well explored in other specialties, the literature pertaining to radiation oncology is lacking. We sought to evaluate current CPD practices of radiation oncologists (RO) and identify unmet needs and barriers. An online survey on CPD was developed in English and French, approved by ethics board, and emailed to all RO departments across Canada. Respondents' current practices, preferences, barriers, and needs were explored across the CPD domains of CME, research, teaching and administrative skills. One-hundred twenty-four radiation oncologists completed the survey with representation across all listed disease sites and provinces. Respondents had an average 13.6 years of experience as staff (6 months to 38 years) and 96% were affiliated with a university. ROs indicated the most helpful resources for CME were reading journal articles (27%), attending tumor boards (25%), conferences (19%), informal discussion with colleagues (11%), free online websites (e.g., NCCN) (4%) and Twitter (3.5%). Lack of time was unanimously regarded as a barrier for CME. Other barriers included growing clinical workloads, expanding literature, and a lack of renumeration for CME. The mean score was 3.5/5, between "neutral" and "satisfied" for "satisfaction that CME needs are met" on a 5-point Likert scale. Seventy-six percent of respondents are currently engaged in research, with 46% involved as a research supervisor. However, only 35% had protected time for research (ranging from 10-80% FTE). Time (89%), funding (63%) and human resources (63%) were cited as barriers. Respondents wanted to improve skills in statistical analysis, clinical trial design and grant writing. Most researchers (78%) were comfortable with quantitative methodologies. Conversely, only 35% were comfortable with qualitative methods. Nearly all respondents (98%) were involved with clinical teaching. While the majority of respondents were satisfied with their teaching ability, many wanted to improve skills in coaching, providing feedback and delivering lectures. The preferred learning formats for improving these skills were either workshops at conferences or online. Half of the respondents are currently in an administrative/leadership role, and of those that are not, only 30% were interested in pursuing future leadership positions. The main barriers cited were time and the experience required. Overall satisfaction scores for current CME practices were mediocre amongst Canadian radiation oncologists - a group that is mostly in university-affiliated/academic practices with 98% involved in clinical teaching. There are notable barriers and unmet needs in research, teaching and administration - highlighting potential areas for future CPD initiatives in radiation oncology.

S2-3 Physical literacy in Portugal: assessment and intervention developments

Abstract Purpose Physical literacy (PL) is being recognized as a key concept to set the foundation for health enhancing physically active lifestyles for all. Portugal is one of the European countries where PL is gaining momentum. This communication aims to present the Portuguese initiatives on PL assessment and intervention developments. Methods In a first phase the Portuguese representatives on the EUROPLIT group identified diverse national sources of knowledge on PL research, practice and policy and produced a review. After a four-step data analysis conducted by two researchers on the reviews of 25 European countries, a quantitative survey integrating items that reflected the emerging themes from the overall content analysis was completed. The data related to the state of PL in Portugal is presented. Results Portuguese PL research and pedagogical initiatives have been developed since 2016. FMH-ULisboa research group is leading the study and dissemination of PL through the development of PhD projects, the participation in European projects and the implementation of international scientific events. Regarding research efforts, it is highlighted the relevant advances on the study of PL assessment provided by the creation and validation of the Portuguese Physical Literacy Assessment instrument. Other Higher Education Institutions are also starting to create quality research on PL development. Intervention studies are missing, two recent innovative intervention projects were identified regarding PL development through blue spaces, and the effect of active breaks on PL and body composition. PL has recently been adopted in political documents and implemented in undergraduate, master, PhD level and Continuous Professional Development initiatives. Conclusions The journey of implementing PL is beginning in Portugal. Conceptual, review studies and original research on PL assessment have been developed. Intervention studies are needed. Collaborative partnerships across education, sport and health sectors may be key to move PL forward.

The manifestation of practice-based continuous professional development in ECEC: qualitative insights from an Abecedarian initiative in Denmark

ABSTRACT The potential for professional development initiatives to improve quality in ECEC is an area of increasing international interest. This article presents insights from an ethnography into the manifestation of a two-year practice-based continuous professional development initiative (Educational Quality in Daycare: EQD) informed by the Abecedarian approach to adult–child interactions, involving nine municipalities across Denmark. Detailed qualitative data draws attention to factors influencing learning processes, closely following the participation of three municipalities within the initiative. This highlights implications of their organisation of this participation for practitioners’ engagement, where the levels of managerial support available, the establishment of propitious cultures of reflection and the development of professional practices and identities are found to be closely linked. The article contributes to existing literature by considering the implications of the situated organisation of systemic practice-based continuous professional development initiatives, emphasising the importance of attention to facilitation of cultures of reflection.

Preschool Education: Impact on Child’s Academic Performance at Grade 5th in Private Sectors

Preschool education was a great challenge for teachers, parents, institutes and also for society. The purpose of this study has to discuss the importance of preschool education and role of preschool education in enhancing the academic performance of student’s especially English literacy and mathematics skills. Research has shown that a preschool school child has good academic performance especially in English literacy and mathematics, and this is beneficial for their lengthy schooling and achievements of life. Teachers show a significant part in preschool education process. An indication to show that academic performance is important when children and teachers used in regular exercises’. In this qualitative and tentative study we aim to understand the different types of activities that are performed at grade 5th to enhance the academic performance of preschool child. The conclusions specify that the contributors showed constructive opinion about those children who has been attend the preschool education have good fluency in English literacy and mathematics skills. The remarkable theme that emerged from this study was that the quality of education and role of good curriculum plays an important role for enhancing the skills in children and the point which is needed to be focused is the initial teacher’s trainings and continuous professional development initiatives.

Exploring the economic and social relationships in a triadic model of continuous professional development

The transformation of labor markets necessitates a dynamic approach to professional development. In Kazakhstan, a country in the throes of economic diversification, the economic implications of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) hold relevance. This paper introduces a triadic model that aims to explore the relationships between CPD, skill accumulation, and labor market mobility within the context of Kazakhstan’s developing economy. We examine the quantitative and qualitative economic benefits and drawbacks associated with CPD initiatives at both the individual and organizational levels. By employing multi-method analysis, which includes statistical modelling, survey data, and case studies, the study presents an intricate understanding of how CPD investments propagate through the labor market, affecting individual career trajectories, organizational competitiveness, and overall economic productivity. The triadic model consists of three interconnected components: Individual Skill Accumulation (ISA), Organizational Skill Utilization (OSU), and Labor Market Mobility (LMM). The ISA component analyses how CPD activities contribute to an individual’s skillset, both hard and soft skills. OSU focuses on how organizations harness these accumulated skills for operational efficiency and market competitiveness. Finally, LMM investigates how CPD-influenced skills affect labor market transitions, including lateral movements, promotions, and even inter-industry mobility. The empirical results indicate a strong positive correlation between CPD investment and skill accumulation, which subsequently influences labor market mobility in both intra- and inter-industry contexts. Organizations participating in CPD initiatives were found to have a competitive edge, particularly in technology adoption and human capital retention. However, the benefits are not unequivocally distributed, with the upper echelons of organizational hierarchies reaping disproportionate advantages. Moreover, a lack of standardization in CPD programs may contribute to a skills mismatch, thus countering some economic benefits. This paper contributes to the extant literature by providing a nuanced view of CPD’s role in a developing economic context. Policymakers and organizational leaders can leverage these insights to formulate more effective CPD strategies that align with broader economic goals and societal needs.

Guidelines for Teacher Training in Mobile Augmented Reality Games: Hearing the Teachers’ Voices

Mobile augmented reality games (MARGs) can be leveraged for educational purposes, as there are several examples in the literature revealing their educational value. The supporting technologies for MARGs’ implementation in education are increasingly pervasive and popular, so it is time for their adoption in teacher practices. However, the integration of new practices in schools, with an impact on students’ learning, requires teacher training. For that, a 50 h workshop was con-ducted to promote the collaborative development of MARGs for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning, which was attended by 16 in-service teachers, in Portugal. The aim of this study is to propose a set of guidelines for teacher training on MARGs, emergent from the perspectives of teachers who participated in the workshop. This is a descriptive qualitative study focusing on documental analysis of the individual final reflections of the participating teachers. The results showed that the workshop answered teachers’ personal and professional needs, with an impact on their practices, in what concerns the integration of mobile and AR technology, and of games. Producing a new game during training and making it freely available for others to use seemed to be very satisfactory for teachers, and a good practice to follow. From teachers’ reflections, it was possible to propose a set of guidelines useful for international readership, both researchers and teacher trainers, who aim to conceive and develop continuous professional development initiatives for MARGs’ integration in teacher practices.

PARTICIPANTS' EXPECTATIONS AND LEARNING NEEDS IN AN ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE CONCERNING “EMERGENCY REMOTE EDUCATION” DURING THE 2020 COVID-19 LOCKDOWN

During the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several online initiatives have been enacted to provide teachers and educators with the skills needed to face the transition to online learning and teaching. Voluntary attendance of these kinds of initiatives for continuous professional development can be considered as a self-directed learning strategy enabling users to reduce a perceived skill gap. In this work, we explore and describe the expectations and the perceived learning needs of a group of participants who voluntarily decided to attend a webinar series concerning “Emergency Remote Education”, carried out by the European Distance E-learning Network (EDEN). The data collected through a short questionnaire, filled in by 607 participants, show that more than 50% of the respondents self-assessed their level of expertise as high. The results may provide insights into how to design online continuous professional development initiatives which are open to different targets.

Continuing professional development: evaluating a masterclass for band 5 children's nurses.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an important factor in being able to recruit and retain staff. However, it is recognised that budget constraints make offering CPD difficult, and it often falls to local NHS organisations and higher education providers to develop CPD initiatives that are fit for purpose. To evaluate the impact of a CPD masterclass on band 5 children's nurses. Fourteen band 5 children's nurses attended a CPD masterclass delivered as a series of workshops over one day. Participants completed questionnaires before, at the end of, and three months after the masterclass. The pre-masterclass and three-month follow-up questionnaires included the short version of the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale. After the masterclass, all participants had a plan (or a partial plan) for their career development, compared with 79% before it. Participants felt more confident at handling challenging situations at work after the masterclass. Participants appreciated the opportunity to focus on their CPD needs and discuss them with colleagues. Time for CPD, career development opportunities, workplace culture, learning and development, and confidence are all important factors to consider when developing CPD opportunities for band 5 children's nurses.

Continuing Professional Development of Teacher Educators: Challenges and Initiatives

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a prerequisite for teacher educators. The importance of CPD for teacher educators lies in the fact that it helps them to improve their professional and instructional practices. Teacher educators usually begin their CPD after joining the profession and continue it as a lifelong learning process. There are two popular routes of CPD for teacher educators: programs planned and mandated by external agencies and their self-initiatives. Researchers conducted in different parts of the world reveal that, like external initiatives, selfinitiative also play an important role in the professional development of teacher educators. As part of their self-initiatives for CPD, teacher educators themselves act as the developers and creators of their professional learning opportunities and activities. Researches also depict that some factors may negatively affect teacher educators’ attitude and capacity to initiate his/her CPD activities. Extending all these arguments, the present study aimed to study teacher educators’ self-initiatives of CPD and the challenges they face in this journey. Data to conduct the study was collected from a sample of 120 teacher educators’ by using ‘Teachers’ CPD Initiatives Scale’ & ‘Teachers’ CPD Challenges Scale’, and analyzed by using percentage and product-moment r.

Effectiveness of TESOL Teachers Continuous Professional Development: Perspectives form Oman

Teacher continuous professional development (CPD) is perceived as a significant way of improving schools, increasing teacher quality, and enhancing student learning (Vangrieken et al., 2017; Day, 1999). Therefore, educational scholars and policy makers demand CPD opportunities for teachers to help them enhance their knowledge and develop new instructional practices. However, the effectiveness of CPD initiatives and the impact they have on teaching and learning is questionable as reported by many research studies both locally in Oman and internationally (e.g. Al-Balushi, 2017; Antoniou & Kyriakides, 2013). This paper reports the findings of a study, which critically examined the effectiveness of the CPD activities run by the Ministry of Education-Oman for TESOL teachers and the impact of these activities in improving schools, increasing teacher quality and improving the quality of student learning. Data were collected using questionnaires, observations, semi structured and focus-group interview with EFL teachers in Oman. The findings revealed that a number of factors affect English teachers’ CPD in Oman; some of these factors facilitate teachers access to CPD and its’ success while others inhibit that. The data indicates that CPD timing and location can facilitate teachers’ access to CPD while workload and family responsibilities are key inhibitors to CPD access. The findings further showed that suitability and relevance of CPD activity in terms of the topics presented in it and the ideas discussed was reported as an important factor to effective CPD whereas CPD done by unqualified teacher educators can hinder the success of CPD. The study further indicated that the centralised top-down nature of the current CPD system seems to negatively affect the success of CPD in the in-service TESOL context in Oman. The findings suggest that the role of teachers themselves in the provision of CPD is significant; the way teachers are currently marginalized and seen as grateful recipients of CPD do not provide the conditions for intelligent and responsive teaching profession

‘Every single student counts’: leadership of professional development underpinned by social justice for sessional staff in a South Australian university

ABSTRACT This paper reports on continuing professional development (CPD) innovations in an Australian university to address challenges commonly faced by sessional academics teaching progressively diverse student cohorts. With the impact of Widening Participation (WP) policy increasing university participation of students in recognised equity groups, equipping educators with structured CPD highlighting the strengths of pedagogies underpinned by social justice is essential. Through interviews with teaching staff, our study examines the impact of CPD in our enabling programme at the University of South Australia. This paper outlines how the development and implementation of CPD initiatives focused on social justice have increased educator confidence to engage with and support students from under-represented groups. Our paper demonstrates leadership of these initiatives has both led to the coordination of this approach to CPD and the development of a Community of Practice (CoP). We have built a CoP dedicated to developing social justice leaders in classrooms, positively contributing to changing the hegemonic approaches commonly found in teaching in higher education (HE) due to the increasing influence of neo-liberalism on both universities and educators.

‘While we may lead a horse to water we cannot make him drink’: three physical education teachers’ professional growth through and beyond a prolonged participatory action research project

ABSTRACT Instead of ‘the frenetic rush’ to find effective models of continuing professional development (CPD) that will ‘work’, Armour et al. (2017, What is ‘effective’ CPD for contemporary physical education teachers? A Deweyan framework. Sport, Education and Society, 22(7), 799–811. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2015.1083000) suggest rethinking the nature of effective CPD by drawing on the work of John Dewey, and particularly his notion of education as growth. Against this backdrop, the study evaluated three physical education (PE) teachers’ engagement with a prolonged transformative CPD initiative using participatory action research (PAR) to implement Cooperative Learning. More specifically, the study posed two research questions: ‘How do three PE teachers experience their engagement with a prolonged CPD initiative using PAR?’, and ‘How do their experiences facilitate and/or obstruct development and growth?’ I, the first author, took the role of facilitator, supporting the teachers throughout their journeys. The study draws on data from interviews with the teachers conducted at four points through their journey, from nine professional development workshops and from about 100 pages of my reflective diary. On analysing the data, we identified four themes relevant to understanding the teachers’ journeys: ‘PAR as an educative CPD experience’; ‘experiencing Cooperative Learning as something that “works” – and “costs”’; ‘reconstruction of mis-educative experiences’; and ‘further development and growth’. We found that the tension between previous experiences of teaching PE and new experiences of teaching through Cooperative Learning challenged the teachers’ established knowledge and practices. However, not all experiences were equally educative, and some restricted possibilities for further development and growth. We found that the teachers’ journeys beyond the pedagogical intervention developed along different paths, making the project both educative and non-educative. We acknowledge that education must be understood as a complex endeavour (Quennerstedt, 2019, Physical education and the art of teaching: Transformative learning and teaching in physical education and sports pedagogy. Sport, Education and Society, 24(6), 611–623. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2019.1574731), making the directions of teachers’ learning journeys hard to predict.

Fulfilling Set Objectives: A Case Study of Teacher Development in Two Primary Schools in Beijing

Purpose: This study aims to reveal the recent characteristics of school-based teacher development (STD) in China since it is perceived as a key measure to achieve success in raising educational quality in the country. Design/Approach/Methods: A qualitative research approach with in-depth interviews of 18 teachers at two primary schools in Beijing was used. Findings: Through the lens of cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), it was observed that the objectives adaptation of teacher communities was made under the control of the District Education Bureau. STD provides the venue for ordinary teachers to learn, understand, and implement the teaching initiatives promoted by the district. Teacher communities at school level therefore implement continuous professional development initiatives promoted by Education Bureau teaching research officers. Originality/Value: This article argues that the administrative style of local government affected teacher community’s object, rules, and division of labor. It also contributes an indigenous interpretation of the CHAT theory.

Continuing professional education in engineering faculties: Transversal integration of sustainable human development in basic engineering sciences courses

The integration of sustainable development in higher education is increasingly recognised as a priority for a growing number of universities. Nonetheless, numerous barriers for change remain and particular attention should be given to the success factors fostering an effective integration. The present contribution analyses the extent to which a professional development programme, aimed at engaging and empowering faculty, has positive effects at integrating sustainable human development principles into existing courses of engineering; specifically, in new teaching modules in a subject of basic engineering science, implemented in regular courses of the first year of an engineering degree programme. The methodology includes: i) a focus group conducted with the students of the engineering courses involved in the initiative; and ii) two in-depth interviews conducted with the academic coordinator of the subject analysed. The results of the present case study highlight the relevance of professional development programmes addressed to academics in terms of students’ positive perception of the teaching innovation proposal and the empowerment of the academics involved in the training. The findings also suggest that specific university cultures and values, as well as barriers and resistance of academics to innovative processes, may contribute to frustrating the efforts of motivated professors. The conclusions emphasise the potential of continuous professional development initiatives addressed to small groups of professors, especially if reinforced with appropriate incentives and active institutional support.

Towards continuous professional development: Experiencing group reflection to analyse practice

AbstractResearchers and international organisations recognise that the quality of ECEC services is related to a professional and competent workforce. The latter should be part of a ‘competent system’ that is capable of linking staff's initial good education to the possibility of constantly reflecting on ideas and practices. Continuous professional development initiatives (CPD) are crucial in this discourse. This article explores possibilities for CPD paths, with a focus on group‐reflection methods in which the team/group reflects on its own practice. More specifically, it presents the Wanda method which was developed by VBJK and Artevelde University College in Belgium (Fl.) through a European Social Fund (ESF) project and then adapted to the contexts of four European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia) within the ISSA (International Step by Step Association) network. In 2016, VBJK was appointed by Unicef to offer a Training of the Trainers (TOT) on CPD in Albania with the possibility of re‐adapting the Wanda method to the Albanian preschool context. The article ends by presenting this Albanian experience in greater detail.

Governing teachers by professional development: state programmes for continuing professional development in Sweden since 1991

The purpose of this article was to analyse how teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) contributes to the government of the teaching profession. This is done by examining the CPD initiatives organized by two Swedish national educational agencies since 1991 involving the school subjects of Swedish (standard language education) and mathematics. Four programmes of professional development are identified in the investigated material, each motivated by specific conceptions of teachers and professional development. One important trend is that agency engagement in teachers’ CPD and school development has increased over time and that CPD programmes have become more prescriptive and elaborate in their use of evaluations. While this may result in a more standardized and centrally governed teaching profession, centrally governed initiatives could also provide teachers with professional arenas for developing ideas without being influenced by local school management.