Professional Development In Order Research Articles

Postgraduate training program.

Faculties face the permanent challenge to design training programs with well-balanced educational outcomes, and to offer various organised and individual learning opportunities. To apply our original model to a postgraduate training program in rheumatology in general, and to various learning experiences in particular, in order to analyse the balance between different educational objectives. Learning times of various educational activities were reported by the junior staff as targeted learners. The suitability of different learning experiences to achieve cognitive, affective and psychomotor learning objectives was estimated. Learning points with respect to efficacy were calculated by multiplication of the estimated learning times by the perceived appropriateness of the educational strategies. Out of 780 hours of professional learning per year (17.7 hours/week), 37.7% of the time was spent under individual supervision of senior staff, 24.4% in organised structured learning, 22.6% in self-studies, and 15.3% in organised patient-oriented learning. The balance between the different types of learning objectives was appropriate for the overall program, but not for each particular learning experience. Acquisition of factual knowledge and problem solving was readily aimed for during organised teaching sessions of different formats, and by personal targeted reading. Attitudes, skills and competencies, as well as behavioural and performance changes were mostly learned during caring for patients under interactive supervision by experts. We encourage other faculties to apply this approach to any other curriculum of undergraduate education, postgraduate training or continuous professional development in order to foster the development of well-balanced learning experiences.

Postgraduate training program.

Faculties face the permanent challenge to design training programs with well-balanced educational outcomes, and to offer various organised and individual learning opportunities. To apply our original model to a postgraduate training program in rheumatology in general, and to various learning experiences in particular, in order to analyse the balance between different educational objectives. Learning times of various educational activities were reported by the junior staff as targeted learners. The suitability of different learning experiences to achieve cognitive, affective and psychomotor learning objectives was estimated. Learning points with respect to efficacy were calculated by multiplication of the estimated learning times by the perceived appropriateness of the educational strategies. Out of 780 hours of professional learning per year (17.7 hours/week), 37.7% of the time was spent under individual supervision of senior staff, 24.4% in organised structured learning, 22.6% in self-studies, and 15.3% in organised patient-oriented learning. The balance between the different types of learning objectives was appropriate for the overall program, but not for each particular learning experience. Acquisition of factual knowledge and problem solving was readily aimed for during organised teaching sessions of different formats, and by personal targeted reading. Attitudes, skills and competencies, as well as behavioural and performance changes were mostly learned during caring for patients under interactive supervision by experts. We encourage other faculties to apply this approach to any other curriculum of undergraduate education, postgraduate training or continuous professional development in order to foster the development of well-balanced learning experiences.

ICT Skills for Information Professionals in Developing Countries: perspectives from a study of the electronic information environment in Nigeria

Changes in the provision of information brought about through the emergence of electronic information resources have created subsequent changes in the skills needed by information professionals. Information professionals are now expected to be aware of and capable of using emerging information communication technologies, as well as having essential communication skills. Professional bodies, such as CILIP in the UK and the ALA in the US, recognize the importance of continuing professional development in order to keep skills and expertise up-to-date for all aspects of work. The necessity of ICT skills has a clear impact on reference service professionals, with the emergence of digital reference services. A research project carried out at Liverpool John Moores University into the provision of electronic information in Nigeria identified a significant skills gap amongst information professionals. Collaboration and strategic management of resources may be key to alleviating this problem.

New graduate engagement with “professional development”

If a key purpose of higher education is the development of students into ”critical lifelong learners” then first destination employment for graduates choosing professionally‐oriented careers provides the initial ”testing ground” for its application/practice through ongoing “professional development“. It is principally the workplace that provides the context in which the graduate must now learn and develop. At the heart of the issue is ”professional learning” yet the processes and the complexities of this in respect of new graduates remain unresearched and problematic. The paper reports on the development and design of an exploratory study addressing new graduate engagement with professional development in order to find more adequate ways to conceptualise this process and sharpen the research agenda. It seeks to generate discussion and feedback to assist the further progress of the research project.

Listening to the student: a small‐scale study of inclusive practice in a college of further education

In this case study of a student in the FE sector, Liz Browne considers the importance of listening to students when designing and delivering vocational courses, and the need for staff to be engaged in continuous professional development in order to provide a more inclusive classroom experience.

Language and Content in Social Practice: A Case Study

This paper argues that schools need to implement substantial, systemic changes in pedagogy, school organization, and professional development in order to adequately address the changing demographic realities of their communities and the educational imperatives of the 'new economy.' The paper reports on one district's response to this challenge as it sought to implement two action research projects for teachers and administrators to achieve school-wide emphasis on integrated language and content instruction. The analysis suggests that the approach taken (Mohan's Knowledge Framework in combination with principles of social constructivist learning) was successful in drawing teachers' attention to the role of language as a medium of learning, and identifies common elements, together with differences, in the ways in which two pairs of teachers worked to design learning experiences for their students. The paper concludes that the approach taken in this school district provides a good starting place for teachers' and students' analysis of classroom practices and encourages other districts to benefit from its example and understandings.

Creating a Comprehensive School Reform Model: The Talent Development High School With Career Academies

This article discusses the need for comprehensive reforms in school organization, curriculum and instruction, and professional development in order to address the typical, serious problems of large, urban, nonselective high schools. The article describes the design, implementation, and effectiveness of the Talent Development High School with Career Academies, a comprehensive school reform model developed to meet these schools' needs. A plan is outlined for additional research, development, and evaluation activities to complete this model for the remaining core high school academic subjects and grades, and to provide technical assistance materials and support for further replicating the model in high schools across the nation.

Instructional Policy and Classroom Performance: The Mathematics Reform in California

Educational reformers increasingly seek to manipulate policies regarding assessment, curriculum, and professional development in order to improve instruction. They assume that manipulating these elements of instructional policy will change teachers’ practice, which will then improve student performance. We formalize these ideas into a rudimentary model of the relations among instructional policy, teaching, and learning. We propose that successful instructional policies are themselves instructional in nature: because teachers figure as a key connection between policy and practice, their opportunities to learn about and from policy are a crucial influence both on their practice and, at least indirectly, on student achievement. Using data from a 1994 survey of California elementary school teachers and 1994 student California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) scores, we examine the influence of assessment, curriculum, and professional development on teacher practice and student achievement. Our results bear out the usefulness of the model: under circumstances that we identify, policy can affect practice, and both can affect student performance.

Instructional Policy and Classroom Performance: The Mathematics Reform in California

Educational reformers increasingly seek to manipulate policies regarding assessment, curriculum, and professional development in order to improve instruction. They assume that manipulating these elements of instructional policy will change teachers’ practice, which will then improve student performance. We formalize these ideas into a rudimentary model of the relations among instructional policy, teaching, and learning. We propose that successful instructional policies are themselves instructional in nature: because teachers figure as a key connection between policy and practice, their opportunities to learn about and from policy are a crucial influence both on their practice and, at least indirectly, on student achievement. Using data from a 1994 survey of California elementary school teachers and 1994 student California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) scores, we examine the influence of assessment, curriculum, and professional development on teacher practice and student achievement. Our results bear out the usefulness of the model: under circumstances that we identify, policy can affect practice, and both can affect student performance.