Professional Development Topics Research Articles

Game Lab Innovations in Education: Insights from a Board Game Design Project

From the perspective of educators, game development has great potential as a teaching method, as it promotes group collaboration, project-based learning and the development of content tailored to a given target group. This paper is based on a study that was carried out through an international project, implementing an educational game development concept called Game Lab into an educational context. The study explored professional development topics such as game-based learning, game development, and game testing, along with the Game Lab method focusing on group dynamics, progression, and creativity. It employed an abductive analysis of written responses from twelve teachers who participated in the Let’s Play project, which involved a Game Lab component. The teachers, ranging in age from their thirties to their sixties, represented all levels of education from preschool to upper secondary school. They responded to a survey with open-ended questions and reflection notes, providing insights into their experiences with game development methods as pedagogical tools. Their responses were analyzed to identify key themes and patterns. Findings suggest that this approach has broadened participants' perspectives on utilizing diverse games and game development techniques in education, aligning with prior research on production pedagogy. It underscores the importance of integrating in-game content with real-world contexts as a modern teaching method. Participants also highlighted that effective game-based learning supports a constructivist approach to teaching over behaviorism. The participants emphasized their increased insight and understanding of game development and game systems and how the combined effect of educational game design and the Game Lab method (working in teams) resulted in a more valuable learning outcome than they would have experienced alone. They also reported an improved understanding on how working with the development of a board game made them dig much deeper into the topic at hand. In addition, they found that this increased their motivation for learning, knowing that this was going to be a product that was to be tested and played by others (pupils and teachers). Furthermore, the participants highlighted the role of group dynamics in fostering teamwork and consensus during the collaborative game development process.

Using the Ranked Discrepancy Model to Identify Priority Topics for Professional Development for Agricultural Extension

Using the Ranked Discrepancy Model to Identify Priority Topics for Professional Development for Agricultural Extension

Supporting farmers in coping with water extremes: aligning farmer needs and advisor confidence, skills, and expertise

Abstract Temperate regions, where water supply has not historically been a limiting factor in agriculture or other industries, are expected to face new challenges related to water availability and use. It is important to investigate the gap between farmers’ need for professional support around water management and the services that agricultural advisors can provide. Needs assessments generally consider one of these topics or the other, though we suggest a deeper understanding of the two together is called for. Here, we report on a farmer survey conducted in the state of Maine in the United States (n = 174) and a survey of agricultural advisors conducted in twelve northeastern states (n = 381). By comparing two investigations, we find (a) opportunities for outreach programs both targeted towards the needs of specific agricultural sectors, and (b) professional development topics for agricultural advisors to close the gap between current capacity in the region and farmer needs. Based on these results, we suggest a framework informed by theories of social learning for targeted outreach. We propose that this approach can serve as a model for moving forward with program development in agricultural services into the future, both in the United States and around the world.

Comparing STEM and Non-STEM Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Multicultural Classrooms: Insights from TALIS 2018 U.S. Data

AbstractDrawing on U.S. data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018, this study first compared STEM and non-STEM teachers’ self-efficacy in multicultural classrooms (TSMC), then identified the factors related to TSMC for each group of teachers, and lastly explored the similarities and differences among the factors. Results from general linear model univariate analysis revealed that STEM teachers scored significantly lower in TSMC than their non-STEM counterparts. Results from multilevel modeling analysis indicated that gender and professional development needs were significant predictors of TSMC for both groups; factors such as initial teacher preparation, professional development topics, and school instructional leadership emerged as significant predictors only for non-STEM teachers. The implications and significance of these results were discussed.

Identifying Teaching and Laboratory Instruction Concerns of Illinois Agriculture Teachers

Concerns of teachers must be identified to provide quality teacher education programs and professional development. The theoretical framework of this study was the Teacher Career Cycle (Fessler & Christensen, 1992). The theory explains that as teachers move through the cycle, their characteristics and professional needs change. The purpose of this study was to identify the concerns of Illinois agriculture teachers of different experience levels. A multi-part instrument of demographic information, two teacher concern statements, and a Likert-type scale of concerns was administered. The sample was divided into three experience groups: early career, mid-career, and late career. The results indicate that certain concerns do change with the level of experience and that mid-career teachers in this sample have the most concerns. We recommend that these results be shared with the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers, universities, state agricultural education staff, and other stakeholders. Those leading professional development should consider years of experience when planning for workshops. Professional development topics on student motivation, funding for supplies, and student safety should be explored.

Exploring School Improvement Opportunities through Distributed Leadership Practices for Science and Mathematics in South African Schools

School leadership practices are significant in addressing learner-attainment gaps in school subjects such as science and mathematics. This paper uses an exploratory qualitative case-study approach with four purposely selected high schools to explore how distributed leadership (DL) improves opportunities for teaching and learning in science and mathematics. The four schools constituted two suburban and two township schools prioritizing science and mathematics on school improvement agendas. Principals, deputy principals, heads of department, and teachers of science and mathematics participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic content analysis in which the emerging themes were compared to the DL tenets was used to make sense of the gathered data. The findings indicate that DL practices influence the teaching and learning of science and mathematics, irrespective of a school’s socioeconomic status. The participating schools developed useful mechanisms for school improvement through science and mathematics that were compatible with the DL setups existing in their schools. The study recommends that DL should be promoted in schools by being one of the topics for professional development made available to science and mathematics teachers.

SLPs' perceptions of language learning myths about children who are DHH.

This article reports on speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') knowledge related to myths about spoken language learning of children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH). The broader study was designed as a step toward narrowing the research-practice gap and providing effective, evidence-based language services to children. In the broader study, SLPs (n = 106) reported their agreement/disagreement with myth statements and true statements (n = 52) about 7 clinical topics related to speech and language development. For the current report, participant responses to 7 statements within the DHH topic were analyzed. Participants exhibited a relative strength in bilingualism knowledge for spoken languages and a relative weakness in audiovisual integration knowledge. Much individual variation was observed. Participants' responses were more likely to align with current evidence about bilingualism if the participants had less experience as an SLP. The findings provide guidance on prioritizing topics for speech-language pathology preservice and professional development.

Practical and Pertinent: Describing the Need for Meaningful Professional Development Among Agricultural Educators

Practical and Pertinent: Describing the Need for Meaningful Professional Development Among Agricultural Educators

Examining level of school garden integration among Georgia elementary agricultural education teachers

This study used the GREEN (Garden Resources, Education, and Environment Nexus) tool to examine the level of school garden integration in elementary agricultural teachers’ classrooms. The tool describes the 19 necessary components (e,g., organizational support, garden space) for gardens to become integrated within the school. This study utilized mixed methods with a concurrent triangulation design based on quantitative data obtained from an online questionnaire and qualitative data collected from focus groups. The findings were used to validate the findings produced by the other method. The population consisted of elementary agriculture teachers in Georgia. Though a definitive model does not yet exist for elementary agriculture education, it was clear that teachers rely on hands-on, experiential teaching activities such as garden maintenance tasks and taste tests. Teachers struggle most with volunteer and parent involvement and social events in the garden, largely because of the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should consider how the results of the GREEN tool can shape professional development topics and help teachers set goals to improve their garden’s level of integration. Research should also examine how COVID-19 impacted school garden programs.

Professional development in a Twitter hematology/oncology network for trainees.

11034 Background: While resources exist to address the needs of graduate medical trainees, online resources to assist trainees with specialty-specific professional development have not been fully developed or described in the past. The Hem-Onc Fellows Network (@HemOncFellows) is an online community for hematology-oncology trainees in all stages of training, including medical students, residents, fellows, and doctoral students. The network's goals are to provide professional development in hematology-oncology, create a community and safe space for hematology-oncology trainees, and amplify the voices and needs of trainees. Methods: The @HemOncFellows Twitter account was created in February of 2021. The hashtag #HOFellows was registered and certified with healthcare Symplur. The network hosts Twitter Spaces (TS) with guests every two weeks and distributes a newsletter. Fifteen TS were held between July 2021 and February 2022. For each TS, a specific topic of professional development was discussed. At least one content expert was invited to each TS to provide additional commentary. Demographics of TS participants and newsletter subscribers were gathered and qualitative and quantitative analysis was performed. Results: Since its inception, the Hem-Onc Fellows Network has grown to more than 2200 followers. Symplur has over 500 #HOFellows tweets from November of 2021 to early February of 2022. The network organized 15 TS: 14 in professional development topics and one meet-and-greet for new matched fellows in December. TS had an average of 41 participants per event. Most participants were United States-based but there were participants from 21 countries worldwide. Forty-eight participants attended three or more spaces, including 15 hem-onc fellows and 17 internal medicine residents. The newsletter has 48 subscribers. Conclusions: We demonstrate that implementing a trainee network on Twitter attracted participation and engagement from a diverse pool of trainees worldwide. TS represents a novel educational tool for engaging trainees and facilitating professional development.

A scoping study of in-service teacher professional development for inter/multicultural education and teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students

ABSTRACT Every year, significant resources are devoted to the professional development of educators, warranting a closer evaluation of whether professional development is effective and where it can be improved. Focussing on professional development in intercultural and multicultural education, this article presents a scoping study of relevant literature to identify factors that have been highlighted as helpful and hindering for educators. Peer-reviewed journals from the last two decades were scoped for articles about professional development aimed at Pre-K–12 educators. A literature search of four academic databases identified 159 relevant articles which were then qualitatively coded with NVivo. A numerical analysis identified areas of research concentration and those needing research attention, while a thematic analysis yielded four broad areas of results: teacher capacities and dispositions, features of professional development, professional development activities and professional development topics. Discussion is concentrated on the overall state of the field, particularly on features specific to inter/multicultural professional development such as educator resistance and reluctance, content organisation, the under-utilisation of technology, and safe opportunities for discussion, criticality and meta-cognitive reflection. The article presents results that may inform the design of inter/multicultural professional development in education along with suggested areas for future research.

Network Community as a Resource for Supporting the Activities of Mathematics Teachers in the Context of COVID-19

The process of professional development in the information society is associated with the constant updating of organizational forms of interaction and the provision of conditions for the continuous professional development of a modern teacher. The transition to remote interaction of subjects of the educational process in the conditions of COVID-19 has significantly complicated this process. High demands were placed on the level of IT competencies of the teacher, related to the provision of the educational process in the conditions of using distance technologies and e-learning. The teacher has faced with complex professional tasks. At this stage, network communities have become a key resource for supporting the teacher's professional activities. The review of scientific and pedagogical publications on the research topic determines the basis of the article. The paper attempts to clarify the concept of "network professional community to identify the key capabilities of the "network professional community to identify the levels of effective interaction and constructive work, as well as to determine the optimal conditions for professional development in the conditions of remote interaction of the subjects of the educational process. The generalization of the regional experience of the network community is aimed at the formation of strategic directions in the formation of a continuous system of professional development of mathematics teachers in the information society, to determine the effective conditions for the organization of professional interaction in the network structure. Based on the results of monitoring the work of the network community of mathematics teachers, the authors identified active forms of professional interaction and relevant topics for professional development. The paper defines the structural components of the model of continuing education in the context of the network community of mathematics teachers, as well as the key characteristics of the network professional community at the regional level.

Identification of Gaps in Training, Research, and School-Based Practice: A Survey of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists.

Purpose Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) encounter many challenges in the school environment. We sought to identify school-based SLPs' needs in the areas of training and research to support school-based practice. Method We collected surveys from 145 school-based SLPs practicing in Wisconsin. Respondents were asked to describe aspects of preservice training that most and least prepared them for school-based practice. Respondents next described training needs for early-career SLPs and desired topics for general professional development. Respondents then described research topics that require further study to advance school-based practice. After completing this series of open-ended questions, the respondents completed a series of preferential-ranking questions about general needs for training and research. We employed mixed methods to analyze the data, using grounded theory for the qualitative analysis. Results During preservice training, respondents most valued the applied aspects of their training. Respondents noted that early-career SLPs require significant support, particularly with the professional responsibilities of school-based practice (e.g., individualized education programs, interprofessional practice, and scheduling). When describing general professional development and research needs, the respondents placed high value on practical topics that have clear implications for school-based practice. Conclusions Understanding the perceived needs of school-based SLPs can assist in designing training supports and ensuring that the developing evidence base is relevant to SLPs practicing in the schools. This exploration-stage study established a foundation for future testing of implementation initiatives to fill gaps in school-based practice.

Emergency Remote Early Childhood Teaching: A Temporary Setting or Contemporary Necessity?

The COVID-19 pandemic and the protection of social distance between educators and learners have impacted all levels of education – significantly, early childhood. It has hindered activities carried out in a direct meeting and has forced education in the 2020-2021 school year to continue through emergency remote teaching. The study determined the fundamental structure of the views of early childhood educators on emergency remote teaching to reveal how they are thinking forward regarding their teaching skillset for either the continuity or change of education in the next school year. A phenomenological design of qualitative research was employed, and a local sample of 10 educators voluntarily informed the study. Through the interviews, five theme clusters emerged that reflected their 88 significant statements. The results evidenced to the extent that early childhood educators view emergency remote teaching as beyond being a temporary solution to learning when a pandemic threatens physical classes, but its potential to become a contemporary necessity is premature and highly dependent on how families will respond and how schools will proceed as a result of their response. Thus, further exploration of professional development topics is needed to support early childhood educators to teach in any situation moving forward.

Obstacles to Success of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in General Education Settings

The purpose of this study was to survey teacher opinions of 14 potential obstacles to teaching in general education classes attended by students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The anonymous participant responses were received from 16 elementary school teachers, 60 middle school teachers, and 131 high school teachers. Participants completed a questionnaire in which they rated 14 items. Rating data were uploaded to STATA data analysis software. The Kruskal-Wallis (K-W) statistic was used to analyze and interpret the data. Results identified items that significantly discriminated among teachers of the three grade levels and show a difference in the perceptions of teachers at different grade levels for some obstacles. Teachers at the elementary school level generally perceived greater obstacles than teachers at the middle school level, who perceived greater obstacles than those at the high school level. The results can be considered by educators and service providers when identifying professional development topics and resources to assist educators and service providers in the provision of instruction to maximize the potential for academic and social success for students with ASD in general education settings.

EXPLORING PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION TOWARDS TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Considering the role of teachers which is uneasy, it is necessary to develop an effective means of supporting and retaining teachers to provide good quality learning environment for students and a supportive work environment for teachers. Based on the urgency of professional development for teachers, pre-service teachers’ perception towards teacher professional development (TPD) becomes prominent to explore. The survey reflects the pre-service teachers’ perception with regard to professional development. The perception covers the most needed topics in TPD and the most needed learning activities which may give high impacts to their knowledge for teaching. This study involves pre-service teachers from English Department Batch 2016 who were taking internship program as English teachers in public or private schools in Banjarmasin.Regarding the pre-service teachers’ perception related to the needed topics, classroom management and knowledge of instructional practices in their subject field are the greatest area of development need followed by knowledge of their main subject and also ICT skills. On the concern of pre-service teachers’ perception related to most needed learning activities of TPD, courses or workshops is recognized as the most beneficial learning activities to improve teachers’ competences.The results of this study are expected to provide the basic thought for the implication for teacher preparation program in the future. Furthermore, the targeted implementation of the findings will give insights on the most needed professional development topics and most preferred learning activities which can be considered by the related institution when conducting teacher preparation program.

Dell Medical School at the University of Texas, Austin.

Dell Medical School at the University of Texas, Austin.

Professional Needs of Doctoral-Level Students and Early Career Professionals in School Psychology

In light of persistent workforce shortages, school psychologists must support the professional growth and well-being of graduate students and early career professionals (ECPs) in their field. This exploratory study examined the self-reported needs, interests, and challenges of doctoral-level ECPs and graduate students in school psychology. Participants were 87 ECP members (n = 55) and student affiliates (SAs; n = 32) of Division 16 of the American Psychological Association (APA D16). A brief online survey assessed their interest in a variety of professional development topics, conference programming formats, and other resources (e.g., webinars and Internet articles). Participants also responded to open-ended items assessing professional challenges as well as organizations accessed outside of APA D16. Whereas ECPs in faculty positions expressed the most interest in research-related professional development, ECPs in practice and SAs expressed the greatest interest in practice-oriented programming. Both ECPs and SAs valued symposia, informal sessions, brief Internet articles, and webinars as forums for professional support. Finally, ECPs and SAs noted challenges related to interpersonal relations in the workplace, diversity and multiculturalism, and pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training. The results of this study suggest that school psychology professional organizations have a significant role in supporting ECPs and SAs with a range of developmental tasks and professional challenges. Moreover, these organizations can support ECPs and graduate students by providing concise and time-efficient conferencing programming (< 3-h trainings) as well as a variety of accessible digital resources (e.g., webinars and Internet articles).

Development and Implementation of a Nonclinical Professional Development Rotation.

Residency programs often struggle with strategies to formally teach leadership and communications skills. To provide a catalyst for professional development, Vanderbilt University Medical Center implemented a curriculum aimed at addressing this gap. Starting in 2014, the authors implemented a 2-week professional development rotation for first-year anesthesiology residents. Experts provided a series of didactic and experiential sessions focused on various professional development topics. Outcomes were assessed using pre- and postrotation surveys. Sixty-nine residents completed the rotation over a 4-year period, and 82% (54 of 66) strongly agreed that nonclinical professional development should be a component of training.

Supporting Physical Health Of Black Male Faculty Through A Wellness-integrated Professional Development Program: FIT Leaders

PURPOSE: An intervention strategy examining the integration of professional development and wellness for black male faculty at an R1 university was conducted. The intervention was directed at supporting the retention and academic promotion of black male faculty through minimizing the impact of culturally relevant physical (i.e., hypertension, obesity) and cognitive (i.e. John-Henryism, social isolation, discrimination, etc.) challenges. The implications on the physical health of the participants are presented here. METHOD: A 24-week intervention brought together black male faculty of differing ranks at a university fitness center twice per week. Each session included a 45 min trainer lead exercise session followed by a 30 min semi-guided discussion on culturally relevant professional development topics. A series of assessments implemented in a pre-/post-structure around the intervention included cardiovascular measures including central aortic pressure, brachial blood pressure (BP) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-pwv) measured via the Sphygmocor Xcel Device, body composition via BodPod, strength and cardiorespiratory fitness via graded exercise treadmill test. Pre-post analyses using paired T-tests were performed using STATA 13.4. RESULTS: Among 9 participants the mean age was 40.4 +/- 4.1 years. Cardiovascular measures improved including Aortic Systolic Pressure 123+/-11 vs 117+/-12 mmHg, p=0.007; Brachial systolic BP 136+/-10 vs 128+/-12mmHg, p=0.002; Brachial diastolic BP 87+/-10 vs. 84+/-10, p=0.057; and Cf-pwv 8.3+/-1.4 vs. 6.9=+/-0.6 m/s (n=6, p=0.007). Adiposity measures improved including body mass index 29.6+/-5.0 vs. 29.0+/-4.9 kg/m2, p=0.014; waist circumference 96.6+/-11.8 vs. 93.4+/-12 cm, p<0.001; and body fat percentage 26.9+/-7.7 vs. 23.4+/-7.6%, p=0.005. Max chest press improved from 174.4+/-52.1 vs. 191.4+/-45.9 lbs, p=0.008. There were no improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, highest VO2max 37.1+/-7.4 vs. 37.5+/-6.9 ml/kg/min (n=7), p=0.801. CONCLUSION: Changes in the physical health of participants indicate that this intervention shows promise for supporting the physical wellness of black male faculty in parallel with culturally relevant leadership support.