Involvement In Professional Development Research Articles

Involvement of Academic Staff in the Practice of Professional Development

The article explores the level of involvement of scientific and pedagogical professionals in various social activities for professional development compared to other employee groups. It argues that obtaining additional professional training can be a valuable tool for career growth. The author sees professional development as an integral part of academic growth for scientific and educational workers, along with personal and career development. The findings are based on a combination of theoretical and empirical research conducted by domestic and international scholars, as well as official statistical data and the results of an original sociological study. The study involved a questionnaire survey of scientific and educational professionals (n = 223), as well as other employee groups (n = 833), in the Tyumen and Sverdlovsk regions. As a result, it was found that scientific and pedagogical workers are more likely to engage in professional development activities compared to other categories of the employed population. Continuing professional education programs appear to be the most common form of professional growth. Due to their specialized activities, academic staff tend to develop digital skills more often, while other groups develop personal skills to a greater degree. Based on the level of involvement in professional development, we identified five groups of respondents: “active and engaged”, “achieving the desired level or feeling disappointed”, “questioning or confused”, “recognizing the importance of professional development”, and “rejecting professional development”. The theoretical and empirical findings led to the development of potential strategies to enhance the engagement of scientific and educational professionals in ongoing skill development and acquisition of new competencies. This article is aimed at university management responsible for professional development of academic staff. The findings presented here may have practical implications for the development of personnel strategies at universities with the goal of increasing human capital and professional competence among academic staff, as well as motivating them to engage in continuous learning. The results of this study could be beneficial for participants in the academic community, as well as for specialists involved in developing educational programs and planning the future of universities strategically. The material presented in this paper is relevant not only for academic staff, but also for graduate students who are focused on their continuous professional growth within the academic sector.

Professional Development and Science Teacher Effectiveness in Africa: A Study of South Western Uganda

Teacher Professional Development (TPD) has long been a factor in revolutionizing the quality of science education in Africa. Although the Ugandan government introduced many TPD initiatives, there have been noticeable failure rates in science subjects at the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations countrywide. This study aims to interrogate the level of science teacher engagement in professional development, challenges hindering teacher access to TPD programs, and the correlation between TPD and teacher effectiveness in terms of science grades. Using the Mixed method design, a sample size of 100 science teachers was recruited. The major findings revealed glaring gaps relating to inadequate teacher involvement in professional development, lack of planning for professional training of science teachers, limited funding and negative attitude towards professional development by science teachers and the school administration. The study provides a promising revelation that engagement in TPD positively correlates (π = 0.473, p < 0.01) with science teacher effectiveness. The study points to a critical argument that in order to deconstruct the narrative that STEM performance is supposed to be low and historically few students take on these disciplines, there is a need to invest in professional growth for science teachers

Continuing Professional Development for Physical Education Teachers in China: Basis for Teaching Enhancement Program

In pursuit of life-long learning, the teaching profession requires continuing education for institutional promotion, salary increase, and administrative position. Supportive academic institutions increase their teacher’s professional learning in the 21st century to increase their students’ further education and work as well. China consistently invested in their teachers’ professional development but empirical evidence on these programs’ effectivity is limited. Specifically, there is a demand for more quality professional development (PD) opportunities for PE teachers focused on the following reasons: (a) the education standards movement, (b) professional organizations, and (c) a call for research on teaching. Apparently, in China, most of them have not recognized their leading role and undervalued their educational career. Thus, this study revisited the impact of the PD programs in China focusing focus its lens on the continuing professional development (CPD) of physical education teachers to address the urgent call to improve the PE-CPD. Guided by the global Continuing Professional Development (CPD) framework, this study investigated the continuing professional development provided to physical education teachers in China and the results of this investigation would be the basis for their teaching enhancement program. The findings revealed that most of the PE teachers in China were male, middle aged with relative bachelor’s degree and permanent position, and developing teachers with 1-10 years teaching experience. They partly considered their involvement in skill development opportunities and interaction and collaboration, but highly considered their involvement in personal growth and reflection in their continuing professional development. Their level of involvement in continuing professional development were significantly different considering their age, sex, educational attainment, and years of teaching. Moreover, the found professional development about classroom management very effective and impactful but teaching practices about ICT skills has minimal effectiveness. However, there is a significant difference in the evaluation of PE teachers on the effectivity of the professional development when they are grouped according to their age, educational attainment, and years of teaching. Nevertheless, the significant relationship found between the their involvement in professional development (PD) and evaluation on the effectivity of the professional development became the basis for the strategic factors to be integrated in the teaching enhancement program for the CPD of PE teachers in the new normal.

Impact of Undergraduate Research Experience on Professional Career Outcomes of Nurses.

The benefits of engaging undergraduate nursing students in research have been well-identified; however, little research has documented the long-term outcomes of this research assistant (RA) experience on nurses' professional careers. This study evaluated the impact of undergraduate research experience on participants' nursing professional career outcomes. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted with a purposive sample of two groups (N = 94; RAs = 32 and non-RAs = 62). The questionnaire was administered online. A comparison of participants' responses revealed statistically significant differences regarding scholarship activities and attitudes toward evidence-based practice. RAs had a greater likelihood of involvement in professional development and higher educational aspirations than non-RAs. Undergraduate nursing research experience appears to have a positive impact on evidence-based practice, professional involvement, continuing education, and scholarship activities. These findings support future investment in undergraduate nursing research experiences to build a knowledge-based workforce and advanced nursing scholarship. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(10):570-576.].

Editorial

It is my immense pleasure to share with you the first 2021 issue of Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. It brings together five papers reporting the findings of empirical studies as well as two reviews of very recent publications. The issue opens with the contribution by Mariusz Kruk, Mirosław Pawlak, and Joanna Zawodniak, who investigate changes in the levels of boredom experienced by 13 Polish university students majoring in English during four EFL classes as well as factors responsible for such fluctuations. Multiple sources of data were applied which included boredom-grids, where participants indicated the intensity of this negative emotion on a 7-point Likert scale at 5-minute intervals, class evaluation forms, narratives, semi-structured interviews with four students after each class, and lesson plans. A combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis demonstrated that boredom was indeed subject to between- and within-class variation, which resulted from various constellations of variables, with repetitiveness, monotony and predictability playing a key role. In the second paper, Xiaowan Yang and Mark Wyatt report a qualitative case study which examined teachers’ beliefs about learners’ motivation and their own motivational practices, and the actions they actually took in this respect in the classroom in the context of teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in China. The analysis of the data collected from three university-level teachers of business English by means of pre-observation interviews, in-class observations and stimulated recall interviews yielded evidence for tensions between participants’ cognitions and practices they engaged in, showing that such mismatches negatively affect their self-determination. The existence of this cognitive disharmony is attributed to scarce opportunities for professional development, outdated knowledge about motivation and cultural influences. The theme of ESP also features in the following paper by Cailing Lu, Frank Boers and Averil Coxhead, who explored understanding of technical terms included in a list of technical words related to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with the aim of determining which of these terms should be emphasized during instruction. The requisite data were collected by means of a word association task, drawing on Read’s (1998) Word Association Test, as well as retrospective interviews from 21 BA students in China and New Zealand. The analysis showed that although the students manifested good understanding of the targeted items, especially high-frequency ones, some Chinese participants experienced difficulty understanding mid- and low-frequency words. By contrast, the Western learners mainly struggled with Chinese loan words, but their comprehension was not impacted by cultural differences. In the fourth paper, Bryła-Cruz reports the findings of a study which looked into the role of gender in the perception of English segments by Polish learners of English as a foreign language. The data were collected from 40 male and 40 female secondary school students who were asked to indicate the sound they heard in 20 sentences containing minimal pairs. The differences between males and females failed to reach statistical significance for most targeted segments and while the hierarchy of perceptual difficulty was not identical for both groups, it was similar, which suggests that differences between the sound systems of the first and second language might trump the mediating role of gender. In the final paper, Jesús Izquierdo, Silvia Patricia Aquino Zúñiga, and Verónica García Martínez shift the focus to the context of foreign language education in rural schools in southeast Mexico, zooming in on the challenges faced by generalist teachers, or non-language specialists, tasked with the job of teaching English. The data were collected by means of questionnaires administered to 155 such teachers in 17 schools and semi-structured interviews with those who manifested the greatest involvement in professional development. Using frequency analysis and categorical aggregation, the researchers show that generalist teachers are confronted with a wide array of problems related to their professional preparation, instructional techniques used as well as the sociocultural realities of L2 instruction in rural communities. In addition, only a few teachers are prepared to develop professionally, relying instead on limited strategies that help them combat the challenges they encounter. The issue also includes two book reviews by Jarosław Krajka and Mirosław Pawlak. The first book deals with the assessment of English proficiency among young learners while the second is devoted to research into learning and teacher psychology from the perspective of complex dynamic systems theory (Larsen-Freeman & Cameron, 2007). I am hopeful that all the contributions will provide food for thought to our readers and inspire them to further disentangle the intricacies of second language learning and teaching.

WASHBACK TO LANGUAGE TEACHERS: A REVIEW OF MODELS AND EMPIRICAL RESEARCH IN AND BEYOND VIETNAM

Washback, i.e., test effects on teaching and learning, has been emerging as an attractive research topic in language training and assessment for over the past 20 years for its significant implications of test validation and fairness for both policy-makers and practitioners. Presently, it deserves more Vietnamese researchers' interest in the context of the enactment of the National Foreign Language Project 2020 (extended to 2025), which puts language assessment as a key innovation requirement. Washback operates either positively or negatively; i.e. promoting or inhibiting learning. Teachers are considered the precursor in the washback mechanism. There is only one washback model on the washback effects on teachers, which is proposed by Shih (2009). This paper aims to critically browse other washback models besides Shin’s (2009) to generate a washback framework on teachers' perceptions and practices. Previous empirical washback research on teachers in and beyond Vietnam is, then, investigated in alignment with the aspects illustrated in the framework to point out achievements and gaps in the field. A qualitative approach of document analysis of over forty studies of differing types, i.e. books, dissertations and articles, has been adopted to reach the research aim. The discussion is divided into two major parts, including the washback models pertaining to teachers to scaffold a model for teachers' perceptions and practices, and the results in empirical research in terms of the aspects mentioned in the model. Findings show that washback on teachers' perceptions ranges from perceptions of the test itself, students' language ability, teaching contents and methodology to teachers' professional development. Plus, washback on teachers' practices concerns their selections of teaching contents and methodology in class as well as their involvement in professional development. The element of professional development can be considered a new light in the reviewed washback model. This has a significant meaning by raising teachers' awareness of developing themselves professionally. The current paper expects to contribute to elaborating the scenario of washback research for interested researchers, practitioners and policymakers not only in but beyond the context of Vietnam.

Educational Attainment, Teaching Experience, Professional Development and Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Chemistry Content Knowledge: Implication for the Development of a National Promotion Examination

This study examined teachers’ content knowledge (CK) in chemistry and its relationship to teachers’ chemistry background, teaching experience, involvement in professional development and self-efficacy It was further investigated which variables predicted the level of content knowledge (CK) of one hundred public secondary chemistry teachers. The data shows that the majority of science teachers have low level of CK in Chemistry. Teaching experience, professional development, chemistry background, and self-efficacy were significantly related to the CK of teachers. Teachers' professional development and self-efficacy predicted the CK of teachers.

Advancing Professional Development Strategies for Undergraduates in Chemistry and Biochemistry

In the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of South Carolina (the Chemistry Department), most curriculum‐driven professional development for undergraduates is reserved for third‐ and fourth‐year students. Academic instruction occurs at all levels, but the context comes late. Early exposure to career options and hands‐on training is imperative for undergraduates to obtain maximum experiential education. The purpose of this project is to advance the current professional development strategies of the Chemistry Department, specifically targeting second‐ and third‐year students. The study will survey students' current involvement in professional development activities as well as how the Chemistry Department is facilitating undergraduate involvement in professional development. We will use the data on extracurricular experience and post‐graduation interest to design a workshop series to reach students with practical tools for success, such as networking skills and synthesizing intra‐ and extracurricular experiences. The impact of each workshop will be assessed with post‐session surveys asking participants about the value and applicability of the information shared. The most beneficial topics will be incorporated into curriculum development of the Chemistry Department's one‐credit hour undergraduate seminar course. By integrating more advanced professional development into the curriculum, chemistry and biochemistry undergraduates will be encouraged to pursue experiential education in their second and third years.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported in part by the South Carolina Honors College Senior Thesis/Project Grant (CAB) and a grant from the University of South Carolina Magellan Scholar Program.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Navigating the leadership labyrinth: barriers and supports of a woman collegiate coach in a 20-year leadership role

A multi-level ecological-intersectional model has been proposed as a way of understanding the intersecting social identities that shape women’s experience of power and social injustices in sports coaching. Using a case study of one of the most longstanding Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association woman soccer coaches, Coach Nikki Izzo-Brown, we investigated the constructs and processes that shaped her coaching career trajectory and how the intersectional nature of these constructs and processes enabled her to navigate the leadership labyrinth. Data were generated from three semi-structured interviews and analysed abductively to form categories aligned to the four layers of the ecological-intersectional model. Barriers identified by Coach Izzo-Brown were consistent with previous literature (e.g. soft-essentialism). However, greater focus on the supportive factors perceived by Coach-Izzo-Brown (e.g. woman coaching network) can create a more inclusive culture for woman coaches. Longstanding and successful woman coaches’ involvement in professional development and advocacy activities is recommended.

Professional Development and Teacher Self-Efficacy: Learning from Indonesian Modern Islamic Boarding Schools

This study highlights teachers’ involvement in professional development (PD) activities teachers in the Darussalam Modern Islamic Boarding School (DMIBS), East Java, Indonesia. It evaluates the implementation of PD programs by identifying teachers` perception toward PD they participated in. The study used a survey research approach to investigate professional development and the level of teacher`s self-efficacy at the boarding school. The majority of teachers have a high level of satisfaction toward the implementation of PD activities in DMIBS in terms of course content, instructor, relevancy to teaching practice and course management. Also, teachers reported that the school had given them an adequate opportunity to participate in different types of PD activities. However, the study did not find significant differences between the length of teaching experience and teachers’ academic qualifications in teachers` perceptions towards PD activities. Some studies found that teachers with higher levels of academic qualification, showed higher and increased levels of efficacy. However, the current study did not show similar results as teachers with degrees and DMIBS qualifications respectively showed no significant differences in their levels of efficacy. This indicates that having different academic qualifications did not affect the increase in teachers` efficacy.

Making Explicit the Commonalities of MSP Projects: Learning from Doing

Abstract:The seven projects discussed in the preceding articles are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program (Hamos et al., 2009), which began in 2002. One of the main goals of the MSP program is to build capacity and integrate the work of higher education, especially its STEM disciplinary faculty, with that of K-12 to strengthen and reform mathematics and science education (Hamos et al., 2009). Thus, the MSP program brought together three sets of people (disciplinary faculty, teacher educators, and school system personnel] who do not usually work together to reform the mathematics and science education of teachers. For many of the MSP partnerships this was the first time that members of these groups were purposefully working together to develop mechanisms designed to 1) increase both preservice and inservice teachers' mathematical content knowledge for teaching; 2] provide teachers with the opportunity to learn mathematics in the manner in which their students should learn mathematics in order to develop habits of mind similar to those of mathematicians, such as making conjectures and testing them out, modeling contextual situations with mathematics, and persevering in solving problems; and 3] engage all of the partners in collaborative opportunities focused on student learning and assessment. Accordingly, the seven partnerships discussed throughout this issue and other partnerships chose coursework at universities, some combination of coursework and professional development, and/or study groups as the mechanisms to accomplish the objectives of the MSP program.As principal investigators of a Targeted MSP, we can empathize with the leaders of the seven partnerships discussed in this special issue of the Enthusiast. The project with which we are affiliated is the East Alabama Partnership for the Improvement of Education (also known as Transforming East Alabama or TEAM-Math], which was formed in November 2002 to improve mathematics education in 14 school districts in East Alabama with the support of Auburn University, Tuskegee University and other partners. Together, the districts in this partnership serve roughly 59,000 students. TEAM-Math received major funding from the NSF MSP program in 2003, along with a number of other internal and external grants.The mission for this partnership is: To enable all students to understand, utilize, communicate, and appreciate mathematics as a tool in everyday situations in order to become life-long learners and productive citizens by Transforming East Alabama Mathematics (TEAM-Math, 2003}. A central goal of the partnership is to ensure that all students, including African-American and other historically underserved groups, receive high-quality mathematics education. This requires a comprehensive set of strategies addressing all aspects of the educational system. Thus, the partnership has been working to systemically change what is happening in mathematics education across the east Alabama region. TEAM-Math's design includes five primary components: (1} curriculum alignment, (2} teacher leader development, (3} intensive professional development, (4) outreach to stakeholders, especially parents, and (5} improvement of teacher education. In our 10 years of existence we have impacted over 1700 K-12 teachers of mathematics in the partner schools.We believe that involvement in professional development will lead to change in teacher attitudes toward and use of reform practices (i.e., those consistent with the recommendations of Principles and Standards for School (National Council of Teachers of [NCTM], 2000), which in turn will positively influence student motivation, ultimately leading to improved achievement in mathematics. Previous analyses of TEAM-Math project data (e.g., Woolley, Strutchens, Gilbert, & Martin, 2010) showed that students who reported greater teacher use of reform practices, higher teacher expectations, and higher teacher standards, demonstrated higher levels of confidence and interest in mathematics and lower levels of anxiety as it relates to mathematics. …

Creative Osmosis: Teacher Perspectives of Artist Involvement in Professional Development

This inquiry examined the impact of a professional development program in the arts for teachers offered in partnership with Canada’s cultural institutions and the involvement of artists over a three-year period. The research focused on the teachers’ personal growth and professional practice by employing a multiple-perspectives methodology entitled Integrated Inquiry. Findings indicate that it was the inspirational settings in cultural settings, the creative learning activities with artists, and the opportunities to discuss and reflect on their personal perspectives that promoted the teachers personal growth and professional practice. Participation in a wide variety of creative arts activities in cultural settings increased the participants’ willingness to teach the arts in their own classrooms. These experiences enhanced their tolerance for ambiguity and sensitivity to different learning styles. The reflective journal was a powerful tool for making the practical theoretical. It enabled them to relate arts experiences to learning theory and to develop and nurture new ideas. Major obstacles to implementing the arts in schools are inadequate resources, limited peer support, insufficient expertise to assess student achievement effectively, and lack of time. Teachers could overcome these obstacles by engaging in arts advocacy, developing cross-curricular arts themes, enrolling in upgrading courses in evaluation, and adopting an integrated approach to curriculum delivery, respectively.

Early Childhood Teachers' Professional Development in Music: A Cross-Cultural Study

THIS PAPER DEALS WITH PROFESSIONAL teacher development. It specifically focuses on a research study of early childhood teachers' views and involvement in teaching music to young children. It presents findings from a comparative study of 38 teachers in three childcare centres in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and 24 teachers in four childcare centres in South Australia. Two research questions are discussed and answered: (1) What are early childhood teachers' levels of involvement in professional development in music? (2) Are there any significant relationships, that is differences and commonalities, in the findings between teachers' levels of involvement in these two cultural contexts? A unique research tool entitled Teachers' Music Development Scale was devised to collect data and measure teachers' involvement in music development. Specific findings and their implications are presented in the paper.

From Deficit Approach to Developmental Learning Paradigm: A Longitudinal Investigation of the Interplay between Teacher Beliefs, Practice and a Professional Development Program

To many teachers, assessments are still used as the endpoint of instruction. Though scholars and researchers have advocated the use of assessment data as evidence to inform teaching, teachers need to be shown how this is done and involvement in professional development (PD) program that equips teachers with these skills is pertinent. In addition, many authors and researchers (to name a few: Penn-Edwards, 2010; Schulman & Armitage, 2005 and Zakaria & Care, 2010) have consistently testified that for PD programs to yield effective results they must also target teacher beliefs. The study aims to identify how a teachers’ professional development program known as the Assessment and Learning Partnerships (ALPs) program changes teacher beliefs, knowledge and teaching practice and the degree to which this occurs. ALPs is currently participated by teachers of more than 200 schools across the state of Victoria, Australia. It promotes the use of a specific style of evidence-based teaching and its operation within a developmental learning paradigm is designed to lead to an improvement of student learning outcomes. Teachers based their teaching on developmental learning framework and evidence is used to identify students’ zones of proximal development which illustrate student readiness in learning. Teachers then use this information to scaffold student learning and target intervention. Data is collected longitudinally at two points of time over a period of one year. Three domains are tapped onto: teacher beliefs, knowledge and practice through the use of survey, knowledge test, teaching observations and semi-structured interviews. Data will then be triangulated to provide information about change in beliefs and practice. The discussion in this paper focuses on the data collected from the first round of survey administration. This data serves as baseline measures and used to establish association and relationships between teacher beliefs and practice.

Linking Professional, School, Demographic, and Motivational Factors to Desire for Principalship

Purpose: This study attempts to link four groups of contextual factors to vice principals’ desire for principalship using regression analysis. Relevant items representing context are grouped under professional, school, demographic, and motivational factors. The findings aim to provide greater understanding of the desire, or lack thereof, of vice principals to become principals. Research Design: A questionnaire was sent to all secondary school vice principals in Hong Kong. Respondents were asked to indicate on a 4-point Likert-type scale their degree of involvement in a set of professional work dimensions and to rate their agreement with motivational items to describe their needs. They were also asked to provide information about their school and demographic background. Of the 803 questionnaires distributed, 331 were returned, giving a response rate of 41.2%. Findings: A number of professional, demographic, and motivational factors appeared to link to vice principals’ desire for principal positions. These included involvement in professional development in school, a personal desire to keep learning, the applicants’ age, and their predisposition to disregard relational factors. Conclusions: Vice principals who have a stronger desire for personal growth and who are more actively involved in professional development opportunities in their schools have a greater desire to become principals. On the other hand, vice principals who value harmonious working relationships are less inclined to apply for principalships. Further professional development is necessary to increase both the quality and the quantity of principal aspirants. This should recognize the power of ingrained beliefs and norms and be built around human resource issues.

Preliminary Investigation of the Relationships Between Involvement in Student Affairs Professional Development and Margin in Life

Involvement in student affairs professional development was investigated using McClusky’s (1963) Power Load Margin (PLM) theory from the adult education field. The PLM theory is a framework for identifying sources of stress (load) and power in one’s life; the amount of power available to handle stress is called margin in life (MIL). This study employed a correlational research design to investigate if relationships existed between involvement in professional development outlets and activities, and MIL scores for student affairs professionals. Sixty-five (60.7%) student affairs professionals from a Midwestern university participated in the study by completing a Professional Development Questionnaire (created by the researcher) and the MIL Scale, developed by Stevenson (1982) and based upon the PLM theory. Results of correlational analyses indicated a slight, but not significant (p = .05), negative relationship between MIL scores and the number of career-related professional development outlets. No correlation was found between MIL scores and career-related professional development activities. Results of this preliminary study suggest the possibility that as the number of professional development outlets in which one was involved increased, one’s available power decreased. This study was one of the first PLM investigations of careerrelated professional development related to the student affairs field. Limitations included the small sample size from one university, and weak and insignificant correlations (at the .05 level). Additionally, this study did not address other life factors that could affect one’s MIL score, such as years in the field, position level, or other circumstances. The methods employed for this study could provide the basis for replication studies with larger samples.

Preliminary Investigation of the Relationships Between Involvement in Student Affairs Professional Development and Margin in Life

Involvement in student affairs professional development was investigated using McClusky’s (1963) Power Load Margin (PLM) theory from the adult education field. The PLM theory is a framework for identifying sources of stress (load) and power in one’s life; the amount of power available to handle stress is called margin in life (MIL). This study employed a correlational research design to investigate if relationships existed between involvement in professional development outlets and activities, and MIL scores for student affairs professionals. Sixty-five (60.7%) student affairs professionals from a Midwestern university participated in the study by completing a Professional Development Questionnaire (created by the researcher) and the MIL Scale, developed by Stevenson (1982) and based upon the PLM theory. Results of correlational analyses indicated a slight, but not significant (p = .05), negative relationship between MIL scores and the number of career-related professional development outlets. No correlation was found between MIL scores and career-related professional development activities. Results of this preliminary study suggest the possibility that as the number of professional development outlets in which one was involved increased, one’s available power decreased. This study was one of the first PLM investigations of careerrelated professional development related to the student affairs field. Limitations included the small sample size from one university, and weak and insignificant correlations (at the .05 level). Additionally, this study did not address other life factors that could affect one’s MIL score, such as years in the field, position level, or other circumstances. The methods employed for this study could provide the basis for replication studies with larger samples.

A Study of the Impact of Professional Development in Diversity on Adjunct Faculty

This qualitative study examined the impact on adjunct teacher preparation instructors of a systematic program of professional development focused on diversity. Adjunct instructors with varying degrees of participation in the “diversity initiative” were selected as participants. Interviews were conducted, syllabi analyzed, and student questionnaire information collected to determine how participation in the initiative affected the attention to diversity within participants' courses. The resulting cases reveal that intensive involvement in professional development resulted in clearly articulated diversity goals, enhanced awareness of the importance of attending to issues of diversity, use of multiple approaches to address diversity, and changes in course assignments.

Reducing professional isolation: Support Scheme for Rural Specialists

The Support Scheme for Rural Specialists project is a federally funded initiative aimed at reducing professional isolation among rural medical specialists. The Australasian College of Dermatologists became involved in this project in July 2003. We report the results of a survey designed to collect demographic data and establish a technology option for remote delivery of metropolitan clinical meetings. These are a major component of continuing professional development activity among metropolitan colleagues. An interactive compact disk format was developed, containing recorded footage and presentation slides from meetings, which replicated attendance as closely as possible. Following distribution to rural dermatologists, continuing professional development points were awarded for viewing and appraising the 'virtual' meeting on compact disk. Evaluation of the technology found a statistically significant increase in continuing professional development involvement. The success of this project has led to its expansion, refinement and continuation in 2004.

Professional Development in 'Healthy' vs. 'Unhealthy' Districts: Top 10 characteristics based on research

Professional development is a requirement of every reform effort. Most states in the USA mandate a certain number of days in the school calendar to be allocated for professional development. Other nations often fund professional development for teachers to accompany an initiative to improve student performance. Although assumptions about why and how professional development should be conducted are shared, empirical evidence is relatively slim. Recent research generally focuses on the role of professional development in school reform. This study investigates the characteristics of involvement in professional development at the level of the district-the umbrella organisation for a geographic collection of schools. As part of a larger study, this research examines the professional development activities in school districts in relationship to overall district health. How do healthy and unhealthy districts differ in their approaches to professional development? What is the relationship between district health and student achievement? While confirming some of the assumptions about what makes effective professional development, this study provides research-based evidence for what districts can do to ensure district-wide impact and to bring about and sustain change. Furthermore, it illustrates the close association of district health and student achievement.