Professional Development Providers Research Articles

DANCE SKILLS EXECUTION HESITATION OF TERTIARY EDUCATION PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE) INSTRUCTORS OF DAVAO DEL NORTE: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

This research study employed a qualitative research design, specifically phenomenological approach, with the aim of uncovering and understanding the lived experiences of tertiary education PE instructors concerning dance skills execution hesitation. The study involved 14 PE instructors who were selected through purposive sampling technique in accordance with the inclusion criteria, and the data were analyzed using coding and thematic analysis. The findings of the study revealed the experiences of the participants, including difficulty in dance demonstrations, experiencing doubt and uncertainty, strengthening the foundation of dance, mastering dance techniques, poor foundation in dance education, and confidence and positivity in dancing. Conversely, the participants employed the following coping mechanisms to get through the challenges they have faced: utilization of online teaching materials, seeking help from others, nurturing dance proficiency through multiple strategies, mastering the fundamentals before instruction, and continuous learning of dance skills. Additionally, the following insights were drawn from their experiences: provision of professional development about dance skills, nurturing positive mindset and attitude, cultivate confidence and self-esteem, having constant practice for proficiency, and learning through research. The findings of the study suggest that a holistic approach to supporting PE instructors in overcoming dance skills execution hesitation should include continual training, psychological support, and pedagogical innovation to ensure effective delivery of dance education in tertiary education. KEYWORDS: Physical education, PE instructors, dance skills, execution, hesitation, tertiary education, Davao del Norte

The current state of academic librarians’ continuing professional development and the roles of continuing professional development providers in Thailand

The current state of academic librarians’ continuing professional development and the roles of continuing professional development providers in Thailand

Designing an observation protocol for professional development providers and mentors working with scientific inquiry‐supported classroom settings

AbstractSeveral observation protocols in different theoretical frameworks and components have been designed and validated by teacher trainers and professional development providers to capture and categorize observational data on the characteristics and level of inquiry in science practices. However, certain constraints limit their wide use, such as the neglect of certain indicators of scientific inquiry, the scoring of just summative goals, or the necessity for extensive observer training. The present study, therefore, aims to propose a tool that assists professional development providers and mentors in diagnosing the closeness of practices to scientific inquiry in the context of various settings, from traditional didactic lectures to scientific inquiry, making it easily operational for self and peer evaluations as well as 360‐degree video feedback. The method concentrated on multiple observations provides supportive evidence about the tool's internal consistency coefficient, the relationship between its components, and the inter‐rater reliability coefficient between multiple scorers. The results highlight that the tool, which includes the components of course structure, course overview, and teacher–student communication, has the potential to contribute to the growing library of observation protocols.

Factors Influencing the Provision of Professional Development among Primary School Teachers in Kahama Municipality, Shinyanga Region, Tanzania

Teachers are a way to enact any educational reforms since they have significant power over what is taught in the classroom. According to the research conducted by [1], it has been suggested that; to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of teachers, it is imperative to recognise the significance of professional development (PD) courses, specifically those focused on in-service education and training for primary school teachers (Inset-PST). The study examined the factors influencing the provision of professional development among primary school teachers in Kahama Municipality, Shinyanga Region, Tanzania. Under the mixed research approach, a convergent parallel research design was adopted. A questionnaire and an interview were employed, and a sample size of 112 was used. The results indicated that teachers’ competences, development of science and technology, challenges in teaching and learning, academic performance of the learner and employer needs are factors that influence the provision of professional development programmes. According to the study's results, there is a need for professional development programs for teachers in public primary schools because they are influenced by a variety of internal and external influences. To improve the delivery of high-quality education, the study recommended that educational leaders should ensure that public primary school teachers are given access to professional development programmes and actively participate in them.

Strengthening music teacher professional development: the P–12 music administrator’s role

In this inquiry, we examine P–12 music administrators’ present and future role in the provision, regulation, funding, and improvement of music teacher professional development (PD). We asked: (1) How do P–12 music administrators’ shape PD policies and practices within their school systems? and (2) What might a robust and cohesive suite of PD policies overseen by P–12 music administrators encompass? Using explanatory sequential mixed methods, we first surveyed music administrators from across the United States (n = 54) and then examined in greater depth the situations of five administrators heterogeneously selected from among survey respondents. Integration of quantitative and qualitative data showed that though most music administrators in this study considered PD a formal job responsibility, they tended to manage only “bits and pieces” (in one participant’s words) of a multilayered PD system. We argue in this article that strong PD systems—where access to meaningful, practice-enhancing PD is routine, not exceptional—depend, at least in part, on P–12 music administrators embracing a broader and more proactive conception of their roles as PD policymakers and advocates. Using West and Bautista’s four domains of PD policy action, we propose a set of music administrator-led reforms to standards (ensuring high-quality PD), inducements (motivating genuine teacher engagement in PD), funding (equitable and ample resource support for PD), and accommodations (creating time and space for PD).

Climate change education implementation: the voices of policymakers, professional development providers, and teachers in five countries

ABSTRACT Climate change (CC) is the most significant global issue facing humanity, yet research addressing the perspectives of the key players influential in developing and implementing school-based CC curricula at a cross-country national level is scarce. This study examined the perceptions of policymakers, teacher professional development providers and CCE teachers in relation to: CC knowledge, representation in the curriculum, content and pedagogy, and support for teaching. The voices of these educators were gathered across five countries (Australia, England, Finland, Indonesia, and Israel) through semi-structured interviews. Analysis revealed much commonality across the countries and across role types. Although participants agreed that CCE is multidisciplinary and expressed widespread support for including CC in the curriculum through a cross-curriculum approach, their conceptualisations of CC knowledge were inconsistent. Participants recognised the importance of a science basis in CCE, and of student action, with some participants also emphasising emotional, ethical and value-based inclusions. Most suggested active learning focused pedagogies. Variations in approaches to CC implementation between countries suggest that CCE is in a transitional phase. In all five countries, the interviewees called for the curriculum to make more explicit connections to CC and for governmental leadership in supporting CCE, professional development and provision of resources.

SELF-EFFICACY, JOB PERFORMANCE, AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL ON ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AMONG PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS

<p>The study aimed to investigate the influence of self-efficacy, job performance, and transformational leadership style on organizational commitment using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to 400 public school teachers in Region XI, Philippines. Findings revealed a high level of self-efficacy, a very high level of job performance, and high levels of transformational leadership and organizational commitment. There is a strong, positive, and significant correlation between self-efficacy and organizational commitment; job performance and organizational commitment; and transformational leadership and organizational commitment. Further results showed that the best-fit model was model 3 showing the direct causal relationships of Self-Efficacy, Job Performance, and Transformational Leadership Style on Organizational Commitment. Moreover, the Organizational Commitment of the respondents was defined by the retained indicators, namely: Affective Commitment and Individual Performance. Self-efficacy was described with the following retained indicators: Disciplinary Self-efficacy, and Creative Positive School Climate. On the other hand, Job performance was described in terms of the indicators Workload and Working Environment. Finally, Transformational Leadership retained the following indicators: Political Skill Inventory, and Perception of Relational Uncertainty. Findings suggest that the policy-making body of the Department of Education should look into the provision of professional development, workload allocations, and benefits of the teachers to further improve their organizational commitment.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0517/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Aligning Professional Development With Service Coordinator Knowledge and Skills

Service coordinators under Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) help families navigate the early intervention (EI) system and ensure regular communication among team members so services are aligned with family priorities and recommended EI practices. To meet the demands of service coordination, personnel entering the EI field who will serve as service coordinators must receive high-quality professional development to orient them to their unique roles and responsibilities. The purpose of this program evaluation was to examine the effectiveness of one state's service coordination training program and its alignment with the Knowledge and Skills for Service Coordinators (KSSC), a resource document in the Division for Early Childhood and IDEA Infant Toddler Coordinators Association (DEC & ITCA) Joint Position Statement: Service Coordination in Early Intervention (2020). Survey results suggested that the training program was associated with increased knowledge and skills for service coordinator participants in many of the KSSC areas. Participants also reported using what they learned in their work with families. The rubric used to evaluate this training program could be a resource for state-level professional development providers to evaluate alignment of current and future training for service coordinators with the KSSC.

Decision making in continuing professional development organisations during a crisis.

Early in COVID-19, continuing professional development (CPD) providers quickly made decisions about program content, design, funding and technology. Although experiences during an earlier pandemic cautioned providers to make disaster plans, CPD was not entirely prepared for this event. We sought to better understand how CPD organisations make decisions about CPD strategy and operations during a crisis. This is a descriptive qualitative research study of decision making in two organisations: CPD at the University of Toronto(UofT) and the US-based Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education (SACME). In March 2021, using purposive and snowball sampling, we invited faculty and staff who held leadership positions to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interview focused on the individual's role and organisation, their decision-making process and reflections on how their units had changed because of COVID-19. Transcripts were reviewed, coded and analysed using thematic analysis. We used Mazmanian et al.'s Ecological Framework as a further conceptual tool. We conducted eight interviews from UofT and five from SACME. We identified that decision making during the pandemic occurred over four phases of reactions and impact from COVID-19, including shutdown, pivot, transition and the 'new reality'. The decision-making ability of CPD organisations changed throughout the pandemic, ranging from having little or no independent decision-making ability early on to having considerable control over choosing appropriate pathways forward. Decision making was strongly influenced by the creativity, adaptability and flexibility of the CPD community and the need for social connection. This adds to literature on the changes CPD organisations faced due to COVID-19, emphasising CPD organisations' adaptability in making decisions. Applying the Ecological Framework further demonstrates the importance of time to decision-making processes and the relational aspect of CPD. To face future crises, CPD will need to embrace creative, flexible and socially connected solutions. Future scholarship could explore an organisation's ability to rapidly adapt to better prepare for future crises.

REGULATORY MECHANISMS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NURSING: INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT

The article addresses the problem of the development of nursing in the international context. Based on the analysis of regulatory documents of the World Health Organization, the WHO European Regional Office, the World Council of Nurses, information materials, resolutions of the World Health Assembly & other subjects of international policy, world trends that influence the development of the health system, determine the regulatory regulation of health workers at different levels of management have been identified. The international context of the world trends for the nursing professional development is disclosed: patient-oriented and family-centered approaches to the professional activity of a nurse, a competent approach to the continuous professional development of a person during his career, which includes continuous medical education, continuous professional education and training of medical workers at a medical institution; legal regulation of nurses’ activities for the provision of high-quality comprehensive medical services; strengthening the role of junior medical staff as an important component of human resources to improve public health; expanding the functions of junior medical staff and engaging them actively in health care management, interprofessional cooperation and joint practices; personalization, leadership development; introduction of competent models for health professionals aiming at continuing education and training. It is concluded that the defined global strategic guidelines and directions of action should be considered in the context of reforming the healthcare sector in Ukraine as imperatives of forming the latest state policy on nursing for implementation at the state, regional, local levels of management, as a guide for providers of continuous professional development of health professionals.

Why does teacher learning vary in professional development? Accounting for organisational conditions

ABSTRACT Professional development providers often struggle with how some teachers take up and internalise new instructional practices while others have difficulty implementing new ideas and strategies. Teacher personal characteristics account for only part of this differentiation in learning, and there are unanswered questions regarding how organisational conditions shape teacher learning in professional development (PD). To address these questions, we examined U.S. elementary teachers’ learning and change in a science professional development project. We expected to find that, in addition to personal characteristics, teacher change would be differentiated by the type and number of constraints within the organisational environment. Instead, we found that teacher change was differentiated by teachers’ ability to draw on areas of alignment and iterative learning as resources to resist anti-science and teacher-centred aspects of the organisational environment. These resources were generated through coherence between the PD, teacher pedagogical beliefs, and existing instructional routines, as well as observing student learning while trying out PD strategies.

Factors That Predict K-12 Teachers' Ability to Apply Computational Thinking Skills

Background and Objective . Teacher assessment research suggests that teachers have good conceptual understanding of CT. However, to model CT based problem-solving in their classrooms, teachers need to develop the ability to recognize when and how to apply CT skills. Does existing professional development (PD) equip teachers to know when and how to apply CT skills? What factors should PD providers consider while developing trainings for CT application skills? Method . This retrospective observational study used a binomial regression model to determine what factors predict teachers’ probability of performing well on a CT application skills test. Participants . Participants of this study were 129 in-service K-12 teachers from a community of practice in India. Findings . Results show that teachers who have received at least one CT training, who have a higher teaching experience, and are currently teaching CT will have a higher probability of applying CT skills correctly to problems irrespective of the subject they teach and their educational backgrounds. However, receiving higher number of CT PD trainings was a negative predictor of teachers’ performance. Implications . Implications for school administrators, professional development providers, and researchers are discussed. Teachers need ample opportunity to teach CT in their teaching schedules. Continuous professional development does not necessarily result in improved CT application skills unless careful consideration is given to the pedagogies used and to the resolution of misconceptions that teachers may have developed in prior training. Mixing plugged and unplugged pedagogical approaches may be beneficial to encourage transfer of CT application skills across different types of problems. Lastly, there is a need to develop valid and reliable instruments that measure CT application skills of teachers.

The importance of sustained professional development for diversifying leadership

As longtime professional development providers and program evaluators, we share what we have learned about individual and institutional gender equity impacts of faculty development programs over 20 years, through the lens of current departmental leaders. We’ll describe our lessons learned from 18 interviews of 2020 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics chairs connected to the ADVANCE program at the University of Washington (UW), where we helped grow the number of women STEM department chairs from one to nine over the last 20 years.

PCK in place and with a purpose: a case of historic site-based professional development on hallowed ground at Gettysburg

PurposeThis paper aims to describe a professional development workshop designed to enhance teachers' pedagogical content knowledge.Design/methodology/approachThe program draws on a carefully articulated definition of pedagogical knowledge as elaborated by Shulman, and features the work of scholars focused on pushing new interpretations of the meaning of Gettysburg, especially in polarized political times.FindingsTeacher participants have been found to draw new meaning from their visit that, for many, has had a profound impact on the way they make sense of Gettysburg as a historic site of political importance.Originality/valueThe program offers a model for professional development providers interested in enhancing the pedagogical content knowledge of teachers and engaging them in examination of the past for the purpose of re-examining contemporary political concerns.

Big Assumptions in Online and Blended Continuing Professional Development: Finding Our Way Forward Together.

Continuing professional development (CPD) providers and faculty face a practice gap between our knowledge of effective practices in CPD and our implementation of them, particularly in online environments. Developmental psychologists Bob Kegan and Lisa Lahey have attributed such knowledge-implementation gaps to an "Immunity to Change" rooted in tacit "Big Assumptions." These Big Assumptions produce fears or worries, reveal competing commitments, and result in actions or inactions that hinder intended change. We sought to understand the barriers to change in online and blended CPD, to support CPD leaders in pursuing their goals for optimal use of technology in CPD. This inquiry arose from the 13th National Continuing Professional Development Accreditation Conference of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada, a virtual conference held in October 2022. After introducing the Immunity to Change framework and best practices in online and blended learning, we invited audience members to list Big Assumptions in CPD through chat and polling software. These responses were analyzed and grouped into five interrelated Big Assumptions that suggest a number of key barriers to optimal implementation of online CPD. We present data that counter each Big Assumption along with practical approaches to facilitate desired change for CPD.

Through education and continuous professional development — to new professional achievements

The profession of a doctor requires constant training, because information is updated quite rapidly and the acquired knowledge must meet modern requirements and have scientific basis. Moreover, specialists need to improve not only their skills, but also have legal and organizational knowledge. Consequently, we needed a platform to discuss important and urgent issues of dentistry; however, the pandemic and the war deprived us the opportunity to meet in person. The non-governmental organization “Ukrainian Dental Association”, which united doctors of all specialties, took up the solution of this issue together with providers of continuous professional development (CPD). Already in the first half of the year, seven educational seminars for dentists were held in real time; as a result, the number of views reached 20,000.

A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Speech-Language Pathologists' Executive Function Services.

The purpose of this study was to examine school-based speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') implementation of services to address students' executive function (EF) needs, with particular emphasis on the prevalence and characteristics of EF interventions and the factors and barriers that influence service provision for students with EF needs. We applied an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design, beginning with a quantitative survey followed by a series of qualitative interviews. We analyzed the survey results using descriptive data and binary logistic regressions and used the emergent trends to inform our interview protocol, so that we could explore those trends in greater detail and context. We synthesized our quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the characteristics of EF interventions and the factors influencing services. Most SLPs reported that they addressed their students' EF needs through some sort of direct or indirect intervention. Direct interventions varied by targeted domain, service delivery setting, and teaching techniques, though most SLPs favored strategy instruction and highly contextualized services. Indirect services included accommodations and consultation. SLPs commonly reported the lack of collaborative support, time, and knowledge as barriers, and most reported that professional development would be helpful to improve their services. Speech-language pathology graduate programs and providers of professional development should be mindful of their role in preparing SLPs to address EF needs, while SLPs may use these results to inform their own practice. Further guidance and research are necessary to elucidate the SLPs' role in mitigating the negative impact of EF challenges on students' education. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24101241.

Determinants of term premature rupture of membrane: case-control study in Saint Paul’s Millennium Medical College Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BackgroundThe term premature rupture of the membranes is the rupture of the membranes before the onset of labor beyond 37 weeks of gestation. Several factors, including obstetric, gynecologic, socioeconomic, and medical, are identified as potential risk factors. This clinical event has detrimental maternal and neonatal complications.ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the determinants of the term premature rupture of the membranes in Ethiopia.MethodsThis institution-based unmatched case-control study was conducted on 246 women admitted to Saint Paul’s hospital millennium medical college from October 2019 to January 2020 (82 cases and 164 controls). Data were collected using an interviewer-based questionnaire and data extraction tools, and data were entered using Epi data 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS 20. The association between independent variables and premature rupture of the membrane was estimated using an odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals and P-value < 0.05.ResultsFactors like a history of vaginal discharge (AOR 3.508;95% CI:1.595.7.716), place of Antenatal care follow-up (health center and Mercy Ethiopia) (AOR 5.174;95% CI:2.165,12.362), the previous history of rupture of membrane (AOR 9.955;95% CI:3.265,20.35), and gestational age (AOR 3.018;95% CI:1.338,6.811) were associated with term premature rupture of membrane. There were more maternal and neonatal complications, including puerperal sepsis, wound infection, anemia/PPH, a hospital stays of more than seven days, clinical amnionitis, neonatal hypoglycemia, early onset neonatal sepsis, and respiratory distress encountered by women who presented with premature rupture of membrane.ConclusionProper screening, close monitoring, and early interventions in those mothers with identified risk factors would help to reduce its negative consequences. Moreover, the provision of continuous professional skill development and improving the quality of ANC service is needed.

Teaching Information Literacy in University Libraries in Kenya during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kenya detected its first COVID-19 case on March 19th, 2020, which led to educational institutions being shut down and learning activities shifting online. This change greatly impacted university operations, including university libraries. Before the pandemic, university libraries were teaching information literacy (IL) through conventional methods, which were mostly physical. Universities transitioning to online education necessitated libraries to rethink IL instruction. The purpose of this study is to assess the suitability of the modes of teaching, librarian skills, and resources required for IL delivery in university libraries in Kenya during the COVID-19 period. The objectives are to establish the modes of teaching IL used by university libraries, the skills, and resources required in the teaching of IL in an online environment, identify the challenges faced to offer IL during the COVID-19 pandemic period and recommend the best practices in IL delivery in an online environment. The study used systematic review of existing literature. Multi-platforms, synchronous and asynchronous, were employed at varied degrees; the success of the online modes of teaching was affected by the inaccessibility of the requisite resources, unpreparedness by the librarians and students as well as the demand for new skills. The study recommends contextualization of teaching initiatives, provision of professional development to librarians, development of contingency plans, and evaluation of the online modes of teaching for continual improvement.

Strategies for overcoming the digital divide during the COVID‐19 pandemic in higher education institutions in Ghana

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic led to the closure of higher educational institutions (HEIs) and affected the teaching learning processes in educational institutions of all levels. The pandemic increased the digital gap of the existing minimal Internet connectivity and access to digital technology. As a result of the impact of the pandemic on education, HEIs in Ghana moved from traditional face‐to‐face classes to remote education or hybrid learning. Therefore, it is important to understand how digital technologies and digital divide influenced teaching and learning in sub‐Saharan Africa. Thus, the purpose of this research was to investigate the strategies universities in Ghana used to overcome the digital divide during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study also aimed to explore the challenges and experiences of dealing with the digital divide during the pandemic. Data were collected following a qualitative research design. Thirty‐five in‐depth and semi‐structured interviews (25 teaching faculty and 10 administrators) from two private and three public universities were obtained and analysed via thematic analysis approach. Findings were thematized by challenges of dealing with digital divide during the COVID‐19 pandemic, provision of affordable Internet connectivity for students, faculty and staff, use of digital technologies and resources for hybrid and remote courses, creation of information communication and technology platforms for students, faculty and administrators, and provision of professional development workshops/trainings on digital skills and knowledge. These results were discussed with the three‐level model of the digital divide framework (school, classroom and student) and the development history of digital infrastructure in sub‐Saharan Africa. By analysing the Ghana HEIs' experiences, this study contributes to a balanced understanding of the digital divide issue during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to the closure of higher educational institutions (HEIs) worldwide, including those in sub‐Saharan Africa, and changed learning and teaching process to remote learning in higher education. There is dearth of studies regarding how digital technologies and digital divide influenced teaching and learning progress during the COVID‐19 pandemic in sub‐Saharan Africa. Lack of understanding about the strategies universities in Africa (Ghana) used to overcome the digital divide during the COVID‐19 pandemic. What this paper adds This study, unlike earlier ones with a similar focus, investigated the strategies higher education institutions in Ghana in sub‐Saharan Africa used to overcome digital divide during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The results show the following: evidence of students lack of access to affordable Internet bandwidth, adoption of remote education, using digital technologies for hybrid and remote courses, creation of ICT platforms for instructors and students, trainings on digital skills for instructors and students, and challenges of dealing with digital divide during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Implications for practice and/or policy The paper identifies the instructional strategies HEIs in Ghana used to address and reduce the challenges of digital divide during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The findings were theoretically analysed under a three‐level model of the digital divide in education, proving the utility of this comprehensive approach. Then, they were interpreted concerning the development history of sub‐Saharan Africa to reduce the discursive unbalance in the digital divide studies. The paper makes detailed recommendations on how HEIs can address the effects of digital divide on teaching and learning experience during future disruptions and increase the use of digital technologies and ICT tools in remote/hybrid and or distance learning environment in sub‐Saharan Africa.