Interest In Professional Development Research Articles

Career motivation, expectations and influences of trainee dental nurses

Aim To explore the motivation, career expectations and influences of dental nurses training in educational establishments in South London. Methods This qualitative research involved focus groups of dental nursing students across training institutions serving hospital and dental services. Students' motivation, career expectations and influence factors on their professional careers were explored. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Framework Analysis was used to analyse data in a five-stage approach: familiarisation, developing a thematic framework, indexing, charting and mapping and interpretation. Results Students were motivated by ‘features of the job’, ‘interest in the dental field’, ‘professional factors’, ‘healthcare’ and ‘lifestyle’ factors, together with influence of ‘advisors’. Career expectations involved identifying their preferred ‘system’, ‘setting’, ‘mode’ of work and ‘role development’ within dentistry. Long-term career influences were mostly ‘financial’, ‘professional’ and ‘personal’. Conclusion The findings suggest that student dental nurses' motivation, career expectations and influences are similar to those of other members of the dental team. ‘Features of the job’ play an important role and there is strong interest in professional development within dentistry including dental hygiene and therapy. Remuneration and the opportunity for further training were perceived as predictors of future career retention.

Challenges And Strategies For E-Learning Development In The University Of Payam Noor In Iran

Higher education in Iran is confronting with several challenges; Some of them are increasing demand for education and insufficiency of current programs to meet the growing needs, emerging information age and the necessity of achieving information literacy, speed up in knowledge production and the necessity of development of a lifelong and continuous training system, necessity of considering to user orientation and extending educational justice. It is assumes that a high performance e-learning system can overcome to the mentioned problems. E-learning is main component of educational systems in 21st century. It removes time and place restrictions and creates economical benefits, and makes available lifelong learning opportunity for all. The primary purpose of this study was to identify challenges of electronic learning development in Payam Noor University of Ardabil province of Iran to present feasible solutions for establishing a suitable e-learning system. Descriptive survey design for data collection was adopted in this study. The population of this study was consisted of 600 instructors and faculty members. A sample of 160 faculty member was selected by using random sampling method. Results show that barriers such as incompatibility of contents and methods, skill unavailability, attitudinal hampering, cultural barriers, infrastructural obstacles, encouraging and credit barriers as well as barriers related to incorporating e- learning into traditional education systems were the main challenges of e-learning in the Payam Noor University. Also results revealed that factors such as educational effectiveness in e- learning, policy making, university's technical and social support of e- learning, financial support and expansion of income earning for instructors and faculty members, improving working conditions, foreign language skill and faculty members interest in professional development were the most important factors in developing e-learning in Payam Noor University of Iran.

Dimension of Liberal Education in the Studies at a Technological University

The paper discusses the dimension of liberal education in the studies at a technological university emphasizing two aspects: socializing of studies of technical sciences and education of a professional – generalist. Liberal education in the studies at a technological university is regarded as a possibility to educate a professional with such abilities as communication skills, critical thinking, understanding of social context, professional ethics, scientific interest in professional development and motivation for further education. On the basis of the analysis of scientific literature, the paper presents theoretical model of liberal education in the studies at a technological university.

CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES FOR E-LEARNING DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAYAME NOOR UNIVERSITY OF IRAN

Higher education in Iran is confronting with several challenges; some of them are increasing demand for education and insufficiency of current programs to meet the growing needs, emerging information age and the necessity of achieving information literacy, and extending educational justice. It is assumes that a high performance elearning system can overcome to the mentioned problems. It removes time and place restrictions and creates economical benefits, and makes available lifelong learning opportunity for all. The primary purpose of this study was to identify challenges of electronic learning development in Payame Noor University of Iran to present feasible solutions for establishing a suitable e-learning system. Descriptive survey design for data collection was adopted in this study. The population of this study was consisted of 600 instructors and faculty members. A sample of 160 faculty member was selected by using random sampling method. Results show that barriers such as incompatibility of contents and methods, skill unavailability, attitudinal hampering, cultural barriers, infrastructural obstacles, encouraging and credit barriers as well as barriers related to incorporating e- learning into traditional education systems were the main challenges of e-learning in the Payame Noor University. Also results revealed that factors such as educational effectiveness in e- learning, policy making, university's technical and social support of e- learning, financial support and expansion of income earning for instructors and faculty members, improving working conditions, foreign language skill and faculty members interest in professional development were the most important factors in developing e-learning in Payame Noor university of Iran.

Professional Development Interest Of Malaysian Math And Science Teachers In The English For Teaching Math And Science (ETeMS) Buddy System

Professional development activities are needed to enhance teachers’ performance. Likewise, in the Malaysian educational system, teachers are encouraged to go through such activities each year. There is need to study teachers’ views on these activities in order to design more appropriate professional development programs. The present study sought to investigate a group of Malaysian Math and Science teachers’ interest in professional development. For this purpose, a survey study was conducted by administrating a questionnaire to a group of school teachers (n = 300) in the State of Melaka. Analysis of the data revealed that female teachers were more interested in participating in professional development activities. Furthermore, Math teachers reportedly indicated higher interest in these activities than Science teachers. Additionally, as the results showed, less experienced teachers were more eager to take part in professional development programs than those with higher teaching experience. Finally, it was found that providing administrative support encouraged teachers’ participation in professional development activities. The results can shed light on the steps that the administrators need to take in order to improve the quality of the professional development programs of this sort.

Motivation, Work Satisfaction, and Teacher Change Among Early Childhood Teachers

This study tests the explanatory power of Deci and Ryan's (1985) self-determination theory as a framework for describing how interactions between early childhood teachers and the systems within which their work is embedded influence motivation for professional growth and change in teaching practice. Fifty-four early childhood teachers and teacher assistants participated in a yearlong professional development program comprising monthly workshops and on-site support visits. Quantitative analysis of motivation and work attitude surveys, coupled with qualitative analysis of teacher interviews, addressed two major research questions: (1) What factors within the social context of early childhood teachers' workplaces are related to their motivation for professional growth? and (2) What is the relationship between early childhood teachers' motivation for professional growth and change in teaching practice? Results indicate that three facets of work satisfaction were significant predictors of intrinsic interest in professional development: supervisor support, the nature of the work itself, and co-worker relations. The qualitative analysis reveals ways in which interactions between motivation, professional development activities, and work environment support or undermine change.

Global Child Health Fellowship Programs in Demand: In Reply

We are excited about the prospect of multiple pediatric global health fellowships. Given the desperate state of child health worldwide and the growing interest in professional development for pediatric global health leaders, there is a clear need for formal postresidency training in pediatric …

CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENT PARTICIPATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF KANSAS AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

Past studies have shown that agricultural education teachers perceive a need for professional development in Career Development Events (CDEs) preparation, but they did not identify the individual CDEs where training was needed. This study examined the CDEs that Kansas schools were participating in at the district and state levels and the CDEs where teachers perceived a need for professional development. A questionnaire was administered via the Internet, and 114 teachers responded. Of the respondents, 83.33% were interested in a weeklong professional development workshop or graduate course in CDE preparation. CDEs that were identified for professional development, such as agricultural sales, agribusiness management, food science and technology, and agricultural communications were not ranked high in regard to current participation. The livestock evaluation CDE had the highest participation at the district and state levels but ranked 17th in regard to teachers’ interest in professional development. It was concluded that teachers participate in CDEs they feel comfortable with and are less likely to participate in CDEs that they feel less familiar. The study also found that most teachers used Internet resources to help prepare students for some CDEs.

Falls prevention in rural general practice: what stands the test of time and where to from here?

Objective: General practitioner recall of the 1992–96 ‘Stay on Your Feet’ (SOYF) program and its influence on practice were surveyed five years post‐intervention to gauge sustainability of the SOYF General Practice (GP) component.Methods: A survey assessed which SOYF components were still in existence, current practice related to falls prevention, and interest in professional development. All general practitioners (GPs) situated within the boundaries of a rural Area Health Service were mailed a survey in late 2001.Results: Response rate was 66.5% (139/209). Of 117 GPs in practice at the time of SOYF, 80.2% reported having heard of SOYF and 74.4% of those felt it had influenced practice. Half (50.9%) still had a copy of the SOYF GP resource and of those, 58.6% used it at least ‘occasionally’. Three‐quarters of GPs surveyed (75.2%) checked medications ‘most/almost all’ of the time with patients over 60 years; 46.7% assessed falls risk factors; 41.3% gave advice; and 22.6% referred to allied health practitioners. GPs indicated a strong interest in falls prevention‐related professional development. There was no significant association between use of the SOYF resource package and any of the current falls prevention practices (all χ2 >0.05).Conclusions and implications: There was high recall of SOYF and a general belief that it influenced practice. There was little indication that use of the resource had any lasting influence on GPs' practices. In future, careful thought needs to go into designing a program that has potential to affect long‐term change in GPs' falls prevention practice.

What Do We Mean by Professional Development?

Abstract Over the past several years those working in higher education have shown a growing interest in professional development, particularly with regard to those areas of work, such as teaching, nursing and medicine, which have undergone rapid, outsider‐led change. There remain a number of questions, however, about what professional development means and how it can be brought about. This paper addresses these issues, first by considering the question of what it is to be a professional, then by looking at issues in professional preparation, the taking up of the professional role and the longer term development of professional practice, and finally by giving some suggestions for ways forward. The theoretical analysis is illustrated by examples from a range of occupational areas, with particular focus on the ‘caring professions’.

Democratic Values and Purposes: the overlooked challenge of competence

Summary Interest in professional development based on competence‐based education and training (CBET) is growing. Competence models undoubtedly pose some important, constructive challenges to traditional arrangements for developing knowledge and expertise at all occupational levels. However, CBET's impact goes far beyond this. Its processes profoundly affect how teachers and learners view learning, assessment and the purposes of education itself. CBET is also symptomatic of wider changes in notions about ownership, pluralism and breadth in post‐compulsory education and training. It therefore poses a profound and forceful ideological challenge to particular educational values, and to the way teachers approach their professional role. This article uses post‐16 teacher education as a focus for exploring some of these wider effects. It reviews recent critiques of CBET and argues that many are preoccupied with attempting to improve its efficiency at the expense of examining the wider political and ideological c...

Inservice and continuing education: The need for a better mousetrap

For many reasons Inservice and Continuing Education today is experiencing an intensive professional examination unforeseen several years ago. Much of this heightened interest in professional development results from a growing desire by teacher organizations to assume a meaningful role in governance of the profession. Such participation previously had been closed to all but state departments of education and higher education. Associated issues related to professional development include competency-based preparation, governance by consortium, field-based teacher education, teacher centers and renewal sites, and the search for an operational definition of the term professional. Part of the impetus for the reexamination of inservice and continuing education has come from higher education. Here, schools of education have sought to redirect their substantial human resources toward inservice and graduate education, both in response to a seeking for new markets and to an increased interest and broader sense of responsibility toward the teaching community. Most inservice and continuing education efforts have been criticized harshly as ineffectual. We believe that, despite an occasional ineffectual past, the time is right for clarifying the purpose for lifelong professional training of teachers. University teacher educators must assume an assertive position in this process and provide leadership in addressing major issues. For unless the profession can define a broader social purpose for education, then inservice and continuing education risks becoming obfuscated by a series of improvident, expedient activities which tend toward retrenchment and consolidation and which rarely address compelling social and human issues. For too long the university has acted as silent partner in this process, responding on cue to an occasionally stated need or majestically offering its view of truth via its prescribed program of study for recertification. Institutional accountability demands a different stance.