Professional development refers to a wide range of learning opportunities connected to a person's line of work. Professional development uses a variety of businesses and professions to teach employees how to use new information and abilities to perform better at work. Many professions mandate that members engage in ongoing education that has been approved by the industry, often as a condition of maintaining employment. Professionals frequently voluntarily pursue new knowledge.
There are many misconceptions regarding professional development, its goal, and how it works. This publication aims to provide basic information, inform readers, and encourage participation in efforts to raise the standard of professional development and enhance its outcomes.
Why Do Educators Need Professional Development? Didn’t They Learn What They Need to Know In College?
College and University programs cannot provide extensive learning experiences required for graduates to become competent. Students learn from experience once they graduate, pass their state's certification exams, and find employment. It takes new teachers and principal’s years to develop the skills necessary to be effective in their positions, as it does in all professions.
Given how difficult teaching is, one-third of teachers leave the field within three years, and half depart within five (Ingersoll, 2003). Each year, even seasoned educators face numerous difficulties, such as shifting course content, emerging instructional strategies, technological advancements, altered rules and regulations, and changing student learning requirements. Teachers who don't participate in good professional development don't grow their abilities, and students suffer as a result.
Professional Development Examples
Continued Growth" is one of the evaluation criteria outlined in the agreement between SUNY and United University Professions. Such things as ongoing education, membership in professional organizations, enrollment in training programs, research, improved job performance, and greater duties and responsibilities are examples of continuing growth.
The degree of the employee's participation in professional growth is discussed between the supervisor and the employee. Each employee's performance program should include at least one activity. Professional development may be focused on enhancing an area that was identified as "in need of improvement" during a previous evaluation, or it may be connected to a worker's new duties or long-term professional objectives.
Examples of activities that support professional development include:
Continuing Education
- Enrollment in formal training courses, degree programs, or workshops.
- Pursuing credentials through educational programs, such as diplomas, accreditations, or other qualifications.
Participation In Professional Organizations
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Attending meetings, conferences, and workshops organized by professional organizations at the local, regional, and national level.
Presenting papers at conferences. - Serving as a board member, committee member or an office.
- Coordinating events with the organization
Research
- Conducting research.
- Presenting conclusions of research to others.
Improve Job Performance
- Keeping up with systems, procedures, and technology.
- Gaining knowledge of fresh advances in your industry.
- Improving current abilities.
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Professional Development Approach
Skilled Based Training
- Learning conceptual information or necessary behaviors, practicing learning new information, and receiving performance feedback are all made possible by effective skill-based training.
- Making the most of a training program: Discuss your intentions for going with your supervisor and what you intend to gain from it; Debrief the experience after the conference. Talk about the training you attended and how you may immediately put what you learned to use at work. Put your newfound abilities into practice.
Job Assignments
- Working on actual difficulties and conundrums is a great way to learn.
- A responsibility that has been added to an existing employment, such as a short-term project, or an entirely new position.
- The most important component of a developmental assignment is challenge, or something that forces people to think and act outside of their comfort zones and expands them.
Development Relationships
Connection with others to learn. A person can play three main roles: (1) assessment (feedback provider, sounding board, point of comparison, and feedback interpreter); (2) challenge (conversation partner, assignment broker, and role model); and (3) support (counselor, cheerleader, reinforcer, cohort).