Limited Professional Development Research Articles

Funding Allocations and Human Resources: Identifying Opportunity Gaps for English Language Learners in “Low-Achieving” and “High-Achieving” Districts in California

English language learners (ELs) often attend schools where there are (1) inequitable access to appropriately trained teachers and limited professional development opportunities, (2) inadequate instructional time, and (3) inequitable access to instructional materials and curriculum. These conditions place ELs at a considerable disadvantage. Research aimed at analyzing budget accountability plans can help us gain a better understanding of EL-specific allocations that are most associated with student achievement. This qualitative research analyzed six California districts’ locally controlled budget plans to determine differences in funding allocations and targeted personnel funding for English language learners. Budget analysis revealed that all six districts dedicated the largest portion of their budgets to teachers and staff. Different allocation trends were seen between high- and low-achieving districts; but overall, districts did not have a major focus on the academic and personnel needs of ELs and their college and career readiness. Four districts dedicated at least some funding to ELs (0.09–2% of total budget), but there is a lack of targeted hiring for the quality staffing needs of ELs. Without access to appropriate resources and personnel, ELs cannot be expected to have the same opportunities as their non-EL peers.

Towards Professionalism in Higher Education: An Exploratory Case Study of Struggles and Needs of Online Adjunct Professors

The purpose of this research was to gain an understanding of the unique professional development needs related to the struggles of online adjunct professors. Twenty-one participants from within a purposefully selected group of online adjunct professors in the United States participated in this qualitative investigation. Data were gathered in two phases: the first phase consisted of a six open-ended-question Qualtrics questionnaire completed by the 21 respondents, and the second phase was follow-up interviews with six of the 21 participants along with the collection of pertinent documents related to professional development. Results indicate that online adjunct professors receive varied and limited professional development, and therefore need more training in the following major categories: course preparation and technology awareness, access to course materials and online resources, and improved communication interaction and engagement. The participating online adjunct professors confirmed that training within these professional development areas would be most beneficial for all stakeholders and should be provided by their employing institution or attained through self-initiated methods.

How to Retain Rural Preschool Teachers?

As a result of the accelerated urbanization and the improved remunerations of urban teachers, a large number of rural teachers have been pursuing employment in urban areas, resulting in a severe shortage of rural teaching staff. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in developing countries. Disadvantages in rural school working and living situations such as low pay, poor living conditions, heavy workloads, limited professional development has made teacher recruitment and retention extremely challenging tasks. The unbalanced urban-rural distribution of teachers, especially high-quality teachers, have become barriers to rural education development and further exacerbated the disadvantaged situations of rural students.

The experiences of nurse educators in establishing a teaching practice in the care of older persons: A focused ethnography study.

Gerontological nursing is not a career choice for most new graduates. Nurse educators, who influence students' career decisions, lack expertise in older person care. The academic culture may affect educators developing gerontological expertise. The study explored the culture of a Canadian pre-licensure nursing education program in relation to educators' expertise in gerontological nursing. In a focused ethnography, 22 nurse educators/researchers/administrators participated in interviews and/or observations conducted from March 2018 to December 2018. Content analysis of interview transcripts and fieldnotes occurred concurrently with data collection. Themes characterizing the culture were: Structure and Hierarchy, Losing Gerontology, Teaching Challenges, and Valuing Older Persons and Their Care. Participants felt: a hierarchy limited gerontologists' support for undergraduate educators and the curriculum; the integrated curriculum reduced the focus on gerontology; limited professional development opportunities and excessive workload constrained building gerontology expertise; and valuing older persons and their care influenced access to gerontology resources. The culture of a pre-licensure nursing program impacted educators building expertise in older person care. More research is needed to overcome barriers that constrain educators' proficiency in gerontological nursing. Increasing the number of educators adept in gerontology will develop nurse graduates with an appreciation for working with older persons.

Exploring barriers to stroke coordinator roles in Australia: A national survey

<h2>ABSTRACT</h2><h3>Background</h3> Coordinator roles are integral to delivering best practice stroke care. Evidence related to the challenges faced by clinicians working in these positions is lacking. <h3>Aim</h3> To explore the barriers to working in acute stroke coordinator roles. <h3>Methods</h3> Self-administered online national survey (including closed and open-text questions) of clinicians in coordinator roles in Australia. Non-physician health professionals who worked in a formal or informally recognised clinical leadership position for acute stroke were eligible. Participants were identified from the National Audit (Australia), and advertising via national networks/associations. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, inductive thematic analysis was used for open-text responses, with all results triangulated. <h3>Findings</h3> A total of 141 eligible clinicians were identified; 105 in coordinator roles responded (103 hospitals); and 96 answered questions related to barriers (91% female, 89% registered nurses). Having insufficient time to perform the role was a major barrier. In particular, having too many responsibilities (55%) and limited staffing allocation (45%) was perceived to impact care delivery. Inequity in classifications and remuneration, both within and across different states of Australia, were common concerns. Environmental barriers, particularly related to managerial support (31%), and associated acknowledgement and recognition of the role especially from executive/management, were frequently raised. Other challenges included limited professional development opportunities and funding support for ongoing education, and inadequate orientation to the role (27%). <h3>Conclusion</h3> To develop and retain clinicians in coordinator roles for optimising stroke care, hospitals should address the modifiable barriers faced by those working in these positions, including greater formal recognition and sufficient employment fractions.

Understanding role conflict and role ambiguity of school principals in Nepal

In the context of developed countries, a lot of research has been done to uncover and identify the problems school leaders face in their work but little is known about the school leadership of underdeveloped countries. In a quest to discover contextual problems in terms of role conflict and role ambiguity of school leaders, this qualitative study tries to capture the experiences of principals in Nepal through in-depth interviews of six community school principals. The findings reveal that the major sources of role conflict and ambiguity for principals from Nepal are problematic power-sharing, low job autonomy, dual role conflict, limited professional development training, and lack of leadership knowledge. The study has several policy-level implications such as importance of hiring principals with proven leadership skills and increasing the leadership skills of current principals to ensure that they can tackle these challenges.

Pathways to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Marine Science and Conservation

Marine conservation sciences have traditionally been, and remain, non-diverse work environments with many barriers to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). These barriers disproportionately affect entry of early career scientists and practitioners and limit the success of marine conservation professionals from under-represented, marginalized, and overburdened groups. These groups specifically include women, LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). However, the issues also arise from the global North/South and East/West divide with under-representation of scientists from the South and East in the global marine conservation and science arena. Persisting inequities in conservation, along with a lack of inclusiveness and diversity, also limit opportunities for innovation, cross-cultural knowledge exchange, and effective implementation of conservation and management policies. As part of its mandate to increase diversity and promote inclusion of underrepresented groups, the Diversity and Inclusion committee of the Society for Conservation Biology-Marine Section (SCB Marine) organized a JEDI focus group at the Sixth International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC6) which was held virtually. The focus group included a portion of the global cohort of IMCC6 attendees who identified issues affecting JEDI in marine conservation and explored pathways to address those issues. Therefore, the barriers and pathways identified here focus on issues pertinent to participants’ global regions and experiences. Several barriers to just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive conservation science and practice were identified. Examples included limited participation of under-represented minorities (URM) in research networks, editorial biases against URM, limited professional development and engagement opportunities for URM and non-English speakers, barriers to inclusion of women, LGBTQ+, and sensory impaired individuals, and financial barriers to inclusion of URM in all aspects of marine conservation and research. In the current policy brief, we explore these barriers, assess how they limit progress in marine conservation research and practice, and seek to identify initiatives for improvements. We expect the initiatives discussed here to advances practices rooted in principles of JEDI, within SCB Marine and, the broader conservation community. The recommendations and perspectives herein broadly apply to conservation science and practice, and are critical to effective and sustainable conservation and management outcomes.

N04 Being an IBD Clinical Nurse Specialist in the UK National Health Service: Challenges, Stressors and Coping Mechanisms

Abstract Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Nurse Specialists (IBD-CNSs) provide essential therapeutic and emotional support services to patients with often complex disease. The ever-increasing role expectations, treatment modalities and rising patient population places significant demands on IBD-CNSs (Stansfield, 2019), many of whom enter the role soon after qualifying. Posts in the UK-based RCN IBD Nurse Facebook© page suggest stress is high amongst members. Sustaining IBD-CNSs wellbeing is essential for ensuring sustainability of services. Our aim was to explore experiences of being an IBD-CNS in the UK, in order to inform the wider dialogue around workforce and the wellbeing of specialist nurses. Methods This hermeneutic phenomenological study used purposive sampling with maximum variation to recruit Band 6–8 IBD-CNSs who currently, or until recently, worked in NHS Trusts across the UK. Data were collected between July and September 2020, via online or telephone interviews. Focussing on personal perceptions, participants were invited to ‘Tell me what it means to be an IBD-CNS’ with follow-up prompts and probes as needed. Diekelmann et al’s (1989) team analysis method was used. Results Twenty-five IBD-CNSs participated [92% Female; Band 6 (n=3), Band 7 (n=10), Band 8 (n=13); 0.5–19 (mean 5.8) years in post; ex-NHS (n=4)]. Two constitutive patterns: ‘Giving and receiving support’, and ‘Developing potential’ were revealed, informed by relational themes addressing patients’ needs, service design/delivery challenges, workload, professional development opportunities, and peer support. Junior IBD-CNSs worried more about workload and learning the role, whilst senior nurses often struggled with the shift towards management responsibilities which they were expected to take on often without any managerial skills or training. The IBD-CNS role was often poorly understood by senior service managers, whose level of support varied widely. Some participants had techniques to mitigate against stressors, but there were also limited professional development opportunities especially in senior roles. Conclusion IBD-CNSs are committed to patients, despite an often-burdensome workload. Structural, institutional, and hierarchical issues undermine confidence. Many IBD-CNSs are stressed by mixed messages of delivering an excellent service yet being criticised/under-appreciated by the system. Robust senior support structures lead to better experiences for IBD-CNSs. This work contributes to the UK and global data evidencing the need to pursue strategies which promote wellbeing of all specialist nurses.

Unveiling the Context of practice: Teacher Allocation Models to support inclusion in primary schools in Ireland

ABSTRACT Inclusive education in Ireland has made major advances in the past two decades, with an increasing number of students with special educational needs (SEN) attending mainstream schools. This paper is part of a bigger study which examines the Special Education Teacher Allocation Model (SETAM) (Circular 0013/2017 Department of Education and Skills 2017) as the current model to support inclusion in practice in Irish primary schools. Guided by a constructivist paradigm, a mixed-methods approach was adopted to reveal the workings of the SETAM, in the Context of Practice. This paper presents the findings from the first phase of data collection; a national, online survey. Findings show that greater teacher autonomy to identify students’ needs and allocate support, under this model, was welcomed by participants. However, limited continuous professional development sees some teachers feeling underprepared to identify such needs. More collaborative and inclusive practice is evident since the introduction of the SETAM, with increased use of in-class support for students with SEN. These findings may inform key stakeholders in inclusive education policy and practice, at a national and international level, by unveiling areas of success and potential for improvement, as recognised by Irish teachers.

English for specific purposes teachers’ beliefs about their motivational practices and student motivation at a Chinese university

While it is increasingly recognized that teachers have a crucial role to play in motivating learners, language teacher cognition research that focuses on beliefs about second language (L2) learner motivation and motivational practices is still rare, particularly in English for specific purposes (ESP) settings in Asia. Furthermore, much of what is available does not employ stimulated recall interviews to facilitate a comparison of espoused beliefs elicited beforehand, observed classroom practices and situated cognitions. We have employed such methodology in an under-researched ESP setting in China, to gain insights into the influence of culture and context on teacher beliefs and behavior. Our qualitative case study of three Chinese ESP teachers highlights harmony and tensions between espoused beliefs regarding student motivation and the teacher’s motivational role, and motivational practices, this harmony/disharmony being likely to impact these teachers’ self-determination. It considers possible reasons for identified tensions, including limited professional development opportunities in ESP, apparently dated knowledge of L2 motivation theory, deeply embedded Confucian values and an entrenched assessment culture. Findings suggest the need for awareness-raising and mentoring activities designed to support cognitive harmony regarding motivation and motivational practices amongst ESP teachers.

Effective Programs in Elementary Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis

This article reviews research on the achievement outcomes of elementary mathematics programs; 87 rigorous experimental studies evaluated 66 programs in grades K–5. Programs were organized in six categories. Particularly positive outcomes were found for tutoring programs (effect size [ES] = +0.20, k = 22). Positive outcomes were also seen in studies focused on professional development for classroom organization and management (e.g., cooperative learning; ES = +0.19, k = 7). Professional development approaches focused on helping teachers gain in understanding of mathematics content and pedagogy had little impact on student achievement. Professional development intended to help in the adoption of new curricula had a small but significant impact for traditional (nondigital) curricula (ES = +0.12, k = 7), but not for digital curricula. Traditional and digital curricula with limited professional development, as well as benchmark assessment programs, found few positive effects.

Supporting paraprofessionals in schools: Current research and practice

AbstractParaprofessionals are increasingly hired in US schools to support the learning and behavior needs of students with or at risk for disabilities; despite receiving very limited professional development supports to enhance their skills in classrooms. The research base is lacking on effective paraprofessional professional development and intervention provision. This special issue is the first to showcase the current science and knowledge of such practices for paraprofessionals. The six articles included in the special issue offer the range and depth of work in this area. Two articles focus on practices of supervision and assessments for paraprofessionals and one article critically appraises the professional development research for paraprofessionals working with student with challenging behaviors. The final four articles examine the effectiveness of paraprofessional as implementers of interventions in classrooms. The studies in this special series offer insight and ideas on the next generation of paraprofessional research, practice and policy for the field. Finally, the special issue concludes with a commentary synthesizing the current work and offers “big ideas” for future development and validation initiatives.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Programs: Program Director Perspectives

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected many aspects of healthcare, including medical education and training. Its impact on hematology/oncology (HO) fellowship programs has not yet been characterized.MethodsThe American Society of Hematology (ASH) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) sent an anonymous survey in June 2020 to all HO program directors (PDs) addressing program changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and their perception of impact on trainees' experience, education, and mental health. The survey included 32 multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Participants who completed the survey received a $10 gift card. Quantitative descriptive analyses of multiple-choice questions were conducted. Open-ended responses were analyzed qualitatively using NVivo software.ResultsOf 233 invited PDs, 103 (44%) respondents completed the survey; 22 additional surveys were incomplete and not included in the analysis. Table 1 summarizes PDs and program characteristics. In response to the pandemic, 42% (N=43) of programs removed fellows from outpatient clinics and 63% (N=65) changed research location to home (Figure 1). Most PDs reported their fellows were participating in telehealth for HO care (79%, N=81) and 21% (N=22) had their fellows re-deployed to cover medicine and other non-HO services. To support fellows' mental health most programs held additional virtual meetings (76%, N=78) and social events (52%, N=54). Twenty one percent of PDs (N=22) reported their program's professional development funds were completely cut or frozen and 17% (N=17) had funds cut slightly. Most PDs reported the pandemic negatively impacted fellowship overall (67% slight to significant negative impact, N=69), 72% identified clinical education as negatively impacted (72% slight to significant negative impact, N=74), and 35% (N=36) reported significant negative impact on research training/productivity.Twenty three percent (N=24) of PDs thought their fellows were not able to make good use of their time during the pandemic, professionally speaking. One third (33%, N=34) of PDs anticipated the pandemic would lead to lack of fellow clinical preparedness, 24% (N=25) with need to make up clinical rotations, and 15% (N=15) anticipated a negative impact on HO board pass rates. Post-pandemic, most PDs plan to maintain some virtual educational sessions (73%, N=75) and telehealth in fellows' continuity clinic (55%, N=57).Among PDs, the prevalence of burnout increased from 16% (N=16) pre-pandemic to 45% (N=46) during the pandemic (p<0.0001). Seventeen percent (N=18) of PDs witnessed moderate signs of fellow burnout and 52% (N=54) witnessed minor signs of fellow burnout during the pandemic.Several educational and research constraints were identified via qualitative analysis: limited in-person clinical rotations, supervision of telehealth encounters, training year promotion and making up clinical time, limited professional development activities, board exam cancellations, and inability to perform research. Additional PD-identified trainee concerns included: ability to obtain childcare, separation from family, and Visa concerns among international fellows.PDs anticipated that financial constraints leading to cuts or removal of discretionary funds may have negative consequences for fellows' professional development activities and could force PDs to decrease program size in the future.PD recommendations for ASH and ASCO included: reducing or eliminating fellow membership fees, providing free access to educational materials and meetings, eliminating in-training examination fees, providing virtual sessions on career development, telehealth and wellness, virtual journal clubs, PD webinars focused on navigating fellowship issues and virtual interviews, and extending ASCO YIA funding for a second year.ConclusionsPDs reported that their fellowship programs' clinical, educational, and research experiences have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. PDs are concerned about the impact of budget cuts on fellows' professional and career development. PD burnout increased during the pandemic and most PDs observed at least mild burnout among their fellows. Professional societies can support fellowship programs by limiting fees and costs associated with membership, exams, and meetings, and increasing virtual opportunities for both fellows and PDs.DisclosuresVelazquez Manana:Portola Pharmaceuticals: Other: Immediate family member stock ownership; Midatech: Other: Immediate family member stock ownership; Corbus Pharmaceuticals: Other: Immediate family member stock ownership.

Recommendations for Teaching Introductory Astronomy Online during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract Colleges and universities around the world were forced to move their classes online in 2020 March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Because of the rapid transition to remote teaching, instructors received limited professional development to teach online. As the pandemic continues, many classes continue to be offered online. Institutions are providing training in teaching online and designing courses beyond what was given in 2020 March, but it is unlikely to be the formal training given to those planning to teach an online class. In this note, I provide key recommendations to developing and teaching introductory astronomy online during this time of limited professional development. I also briefly describe my experience of teaching during the pandemic in the Spring 2020 term, which motivated me to compile these recommendations.

Safety, advocacy, and the teacher’s role: Pre-service teachers and school shooting policies

In this qualitative case study, I examine pre-service teachers’ experiences with school shooting policy. Analysis of individual interviews, group discussions and reflective memos with pre-service teachers (n=7) in seven Massachusetts districts shows that pre-service teachers, while deeply concerned about the possibility of school shootings, viewed existing policies as ineffective, damaging to their pedagogical practice and relationships with students, and out of step with teachers’ concerns. Further, they interpreted proposed policies as undermining the value of teachers in contemporary society and threatening the core tenets of teachers’ work. Constrained by limited professional development around policy involvement, pre-service teachers expressed significant doubts about their ability to effect meaningful policy change. This research has implications for educational policy and teacher policy involvement.

Telling tales

Purpose South Africa has witnessed an increase in self-initiated academic expatriates (SIAEs) coming into the country from all over the world. This movement of labour can result in South Africa performing better than any other African country. However, expatriation is accompanied by several challenges which affect both work and non-work scopes. Given that more is needed to understand the lived experiences of the expatriates, especially self-initiated expatriates from and in Africa, the purpose of this paper is to provide the basis for interventions to assist the expatriates in overcoming challenges by understanding their lived experiences. Design/methodology/approach The study used an interpretivist approach to understand the lived experiences of SIAEs. The data were collected through the use of unstructured interviews of 25 expatriate academics within South Africa. The individual narratives were analysed through structural and thematic analysis to develop themes. Findings Through the stories and narratives, the expatriation experience was one framed to be a challenging process. The lived experiences can be grouped into life and career experiences. The life experiences consist of immigration difficulties, family separation, social adjustment difficulties and unavailability of accommodation. Career experiences include remuneration differences, gender discrimination, limited professional development opportunities and communication difficulties, which affect both work and non-work experiences. Person–environment fit did not play a significant role in the experiences of the academic expatriates. Practical implications The findings showed that the lived experiences of SIAEs in Africa were mostly negative. Higher education institutions looking at hiring academic expatriates should assist the expatriates to have better experiences not only for individual benefit but for institutional benefit as well. However, this role is not only placed in the hands of the organisation but may also require individual effort. Originality/value The findings outlined in this study provide a picture of the lived experiences of SIAEs in an African context. The findings are fundamental in understanding this neglected sample group in the extant literature. They also assist in advancing literature and proposing possible solutions. All this is important, given global talent shortages which have warranted the need for highly skilled employees in countries like South Africa.

Developing multilevel school leadership for instructional improvement in elementary schools of post-colonial Pakistan

ABSTRACTSchools in post-colonial developing countries have complex and varied problems with the quality of leadership and instruction, calling for unique approaches to improvement. Based on an interventionist-ethnographic study involving three low-fee elementary schools in Pakistan, this paper discusses a model for developing multilevel leadership practices for instructional improvement. A situation analysis in the first phase of the study indicated leadership practices of control and centralized decision-making without a focus on instructional improvement in the light of authentic learning goals. The operational mental models strongly influenced the practice of leaders and teachers in the presence of limited professional development activities and non-existent learning networks. The second phase of intervention involved the development of a model of practice creating and strengthening multilevel leadership practices for improving instruction. Through management of mental models, shared vision, team learning, team projects and participation in learning networks, teachers were involved in simple and complex leadership tasks and formal delegation evolved into incremental and emergent leadership practices. The simple model, applicable in a wide range of contexts provides a direction for professional development activities and school leadership development programs in schools struggling for improved educational quality.

Bridging the Research-to-Practice Gap Through Effective Professional Development for Teachers Working With Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) experience a variety of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, gaps in academic achievement, and increased rates of dropping out of school. Thus, it is essential that students with EBD receive evidence-based academic and behavioral supports from skilled and knowledgeable teachers to improve student outcomes. Unfortunately, teachers typically receive limited professional development in classroom management practices and other supports targeting the unique needs of students with EBD. In this manuscript, we describe (a) challenges in the field related to supporting students with EBD, (b) current practices in professional development, (c) a multitiered-system-of-support framework for organizing and providing professional development, and (d) the need for more research on efficient and effective professional-development supports for teachers of students with EBD.

Reforming teacher education in Nigeria: Laying a foundation for the future

Teacher educators in Nigeria receive limited professional development, particularly regarding the instruction of early grade reading skills. As part of the USAID-funded Northern Education Initiative Plus project, Florida State University faculty provided intensive teacher educator professional development to staff at four Teacher Education Institutions in northern Nigeria. Positive impacts on teacher educator knowledge, skills, and attitudes were observed related to content and pedagogical knowledge, use of participatory teaching and learning activities in the college classrooms, and improvement in student teacher engagement and learning. Continued success of the implemented model for training will be dependent upon national adoption and scale up.

Adult Migrants with Little or no Formal Education: Language and Literacy Learning

Some adult migrants and refugees have no home language literacy, because they have attended little or no school in their home country. There are few studies of the literacy development of these adult learners and limited professional development for teachers who work with them. Recent research, and the formation of the LESLLA organization, are bringing about a shift in research focus, practitioner training, and researcher and practitioner engagement. This article reviews research on literacy development of children and adults learning a second language and describes three projects focused on literacy development for this adult learner population.