Areas Of Professional Development Research Articles

Da teoria à prática: as questões de género nos planos curriculares dos cursos superiores de comunicação

The inclusion of gender equality, intersectionality and human rights issues in the various spheres of action related to education and training is becoming a priority in the field of research and action, since it can contribute to a more inclusive society and promote greater social justice. Thus, in this article we focus on the Portuguese context and analyse the plans of higher education courses in the first degree of the communication area with the aim of understanding if there are curricular units that present contents related to gender, intersectionality and human rights issues and what is their importance in the design of the courses that train professionals in the various areas of communication. In line with other studies developed in other contexts, in this exploratory analysis we conclude that there are practically no curricular units that focus on the themes of gender equality, intersectionality and human rights. This absence shows that these issues are not considered as a priority in education and training agendas, which may have impacts on professional development in areas as central as those involved in the fields of communication.

To Be Seen, Heard, and Valued: Strategies to Promote a Sense of Belonging for Women and Underrepresented in Medicine Physicians.

Lingering unconscious biases and daily cues continue to permeate and persist in academic medicine environments in the form of the exclusion of physicians who are women or racially/ethnically underrepresented in medicine. Academic medicine environments must change so that women and underrepresented in medicine racial/ethnic groups are seen, heard, and valued. A shared awareness among faculty, administrators, and trainees can inform the development of intentional strategies to alter individual behaviors, academic spaces, and institutional processes to cultivate a sense of belonging. Shifting the norms in medicine and the course of historical exclusion will require professional development in areas of inclusive teaching practices, skills to cultivate mentoring relationships with diverse trainees, and fostering discussions about the relevance of personal identity, as well as attention to the symbolism and imagery in institutional messages (e.g., portraits on the walls, website, marketing campaigns) and to the value of including community involvement in productivity metrics.

Familiarity, Current Use, and Interest in Universal Design for Learning Among Online University Instructors

This study investigated online faculty familiarity, course design use, and professional development interest regarding universal design for learning (UDL) guidelines. The researchers surveyed all 2017 to 2018 online faculty at a large university in the southeastern United States. Findings included 71.6% of faculty reporting familiarity with at least one UDL guideline, with most respondents indicating familiarity with guidelines relating to perception, expression, and communication. Faculty reported the highest implementation of UDL guidelines was for those suggesting options for comprehension as well as expression and communication; the lowest implementation was for those suggesting options for physical action as well as language and support. Survey results also indicated high to moderate interest in learning more about all UDL guidelines, with emphasis on comprehension, persistence, and expression. This study suggests that faculty members desire UDL training and offers possibilities for planning and implementing such professional development in areas targeted to best meet the needs of online faculty.

Breaking old habits: professional development through an embodied approach to reflective practice

Personal embodied experience impacts upon the way in which we present ourselves professionally. Somatic practices emerge as a way of developing an embodied awareness and a way of exploring the meaning of experience. Through narrative and reflection, this paper explores how somatic awareness can add to professional development in areas that, historically, have been disembodied. It addresses my subjective experience of a critical incident, a cycle accident, and how it interrupted my habitual sense of embodiment. It explores how the experience presented an opportunity to visit again my body as ground of my being and my body as first home (Halprin 2003), and to listen through silence to the layers that give way to somatic awareness. Reflection offers an opportunity to pause, and explore the space for deep engagement in what it means to be professional.