A Time-Sensitive Framework for Including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Professional Development Activities for Classroom Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millsaps, Lisa Tabor; Harrington, John A., Jr.

2017-01-01

This work shares a time-sensitive framework for teaching GIS to educators of all levels and disciplines. Existing relationships with teachers enabled the addition of GIS content in professional development activities. The amount of time devoted to GIS-related content varied depending on time made available for interaction with the audience.…

Integrating Problem-Based Learning with ICT for Developing Trainee Teachers' Content Knowledge and Teaching Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karami, Mehdi; Karami, Zohreh; Attaran, Mohammad

2013-01-01

Professional teachers can guarantee the progress and the promotion of society because fostering the development of next generation is up to them and depends on their professional knowledge which has two kinds of sources: content knowledge and teaching skill. The aim of the present research was studying the effect of integrating problem-based…

The influence of a train-the-trainer professional development on teacher perceptions of science integration and inquiry-based instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blythe, Jessica Marie

The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of the train-the-trainer professional development form of professional development on participants' perceptions of agriscience integration and inquiry-based instruction (IBI). The independent variables considered were elements of high-quality professional development, such as duration, active participation, coherence, and school culture; teacher attitudes towards professional development; and teacher demographics. The dependent variables assessed were teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to assess the impacts of a teacher professional development program and experimental follow-up support on secondary teachers' perceptions of science integration and IBI. This study was a census of all teachers who attended a 2012 professional development workshop facilitated by a National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador at the FFA and/or NAAE National Convention. Participants completed four surveys over the subsequent year to assess their perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Descriptive methods were used to analyze teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Correlations and follow-up regression analysis were conducted to determine the relationships between the teachers' perceptions and the elements of high-quality teacher professional development. Results of the study revealed that respondents had favorable perceptions of science integration into agriculture programs and planned to increase the levels of science integration in their programs. Additionally, a majority of respondents reported utilizing IBI more than once a week. Because participants of the study did not utilize the experimental follow-up support system for the workshop, clear effects could not be determined. There was a positive correlation between science integration and IBI. A variation of positive and negative correlations was found between the dependent and independent variables. Five models were found to be significant predictors of respondents' perceptions of science integration three models were found to be significant predictors of IBI. These findings indicate that teachers perceive science integration and IBI as positive influences in secondary agriculture education which supports the integration of science and science teaching techniques in secondary agriculture education programs. Though relationships exist between science integration and IBI, and various elements of school culture and professional development, further investigation is needed to better understand these relationships and their predictive variability.

Student Teachers' Beliefs about the Teacher's Role in Inclusive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Domovic, Vlatka; Vidovic Vlasta, Vizek; Bouillet, Dejana

2017-01-01

The main aim of this research is to examine the basic features of student teachers' professional beliefs about the teacher's role in relation to teaching mainstream pupils and pupils with developmental disabilities. The starting assumption of this analysis is that teacher professional development is largely dependent upon teachers' beliefs about…

An Exploration of Infant and Toddler Child Care Consultation: A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John, Christine Marie

2015-01-01

This qualitative, multiple case study was an exploration of the professional development (PD) experience of consultation as it occurred within infant and toddler child care settings. Consultation is dependent upon the establishment of a relationship between the consultant and the consultee and offers opportunities for professional growth and…

How do doctors choose where they want to work? - motives for choice of current workplace among physicians registered in Finland 1977-2006.

PubMed

Heikkilä, Teppo Juhani; Hyppölä, Harri; Aine, Tiina; Halila, Hannu; Vänskä, Jukka; Kujala, Santero; Virjo, Irma; Mattila, Kari

2014-02-01

Though there are a number of studies investigating the career choices of physicians, there are only few concerning doctors' choices of workplace. A random sample (N=7758) of physicians licensed in Finland during the years 1977-2006 was surveyed. Respondents were asked: "To what extent did the following motives affect your choice of your current workplace?" Respondents were grouped based on several background variables. The groups were used as independent variables in univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The factors Good workplace, Career and professional development, Non-work related issues, Personal contacts and Salary were formed and used as dependent variables. There were significant differences between groups of physicians, especially in terms of gender, working sector and specialties. The association of Good workplace, Career and professional development, and Non-work related issues with the choice of a workplace significantly decreased with age. Female physicians were more concerned with Career and professional development and Non-work related issues. Since more females are entering the medical profession and there is an ongoing change of generations, health care organizations and policy makers need to develop a new philosophy in order to attract physicians. This will need to include more human-centric management and leadership, better possibilities for continuous professional development, and more personalized working arrangements depending on physician's personal motives. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teachers' professional development needs and current practices at the Alexander Science Center School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gargus, Gerald Vincent

This investigation represents an in-depth understanding of teacher professional development at the Alexander Science Center School, a dependent charter museum school established through a partnership between the California Science Center and Los Angeles Unified School District. Three methods of data collection were used. A survey was distributed and collected from the school's teachers, resulting in a prioritized list of teacher professional development needs, as well as a summary of teachers' opinions about the school's existing professional development program. In addition, six key stakeholders in the school's professional development program were interviewed for the study. Finally, documents related to the school's professional development program were analyzed. Data collected from the interviews and documents were used to develop an understand various components of the Alexander Science Center School's professional development program. Teachers identified seven areas that had a high-priority for future professional development including developing skills far working with below-grade-level students, improving the analytical skills of student in mathematics, working with English Language Learners, improving students' overall reading ability levels, developing teachers' content-area knowledge for science, integrating science across the curriculum, and incorporating hands-on activity-based learning strategies to teach science. Professional development needs identified by Alexander Science Center School teachers were categorized based on their focus on content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, or curricular knowledge. Analysis of data collected through interviews and documents revealed that the Alexander Science Center School's professional development program consisted of six venues for providing professional development for teachers including weekly "banked time" sessions taking place within the standard school day, grade-level meetings, teacher support meetings, classroom coaching/Big Lab co-teaching, summer institutes, and off-campus conferences and seminars. Results indicated that the effectiveness of the six venues was closely tied to the level of collaborative planning that took place between the Alexander Science Center School and the associated California Science Center. Examination of teachers' and stakeholders opinions reflect that after a year-and-a-half of operations, the school's professional development program is perceived as disjointed and ineffective, but that the foundation of a sound program has been established.

[The theory of dependent-care--a conceptual framework for assessing, supporting, and promoting parental competencies].

PubMed

Holoch, Elisabeth

2010-02-01

Parental competencies have influence on the professional health care needs of a child and its caregivers. One reason for this is the influence of parental competencies on the healthy development of the child. This applies especially to infants and young children. In order to develop their inborn abilities to regulate themselves and their behaviour, infants and young children are dependent on the perception of and appropriate response to their behaviour by the persons they are most closely attached to. The differentiation of self-regulating abilities is a precondition for a healthy development. The current rise of sleeping and feeding disorders, as well as interaction problems among infants and young children, indicates that parents are increasingly dependent on support in the perception and development of their parental competencies. Paediatric nurses can make an important contribution to this, where a concept of parental competencies, defined by nursing professionals, is available. The Theory of Dependent-Care and especially the concept of Dependent-Care Agency will be presented in this paper. It will be examined how they can provide a theoretical framework for the systematic assessment, support, and promotion of parental competencies by paediatric nurses. To conclude, issues for further investigation of parental Dependent-Care Agency and the necessity for a more detailed conceptualisation of the Theory of Dependent-Care will be demonstrated.

Bridging and bonding interactions in higher education: social capital and students’ academic and professional identity formation

PubMed Central

Jensen, Dorthe H.; Jetten, Jolanda

2015-01-01

It is increasingly recognized that graduates’ achievements depend in important ways on their opportunities to develop an academic and a professional identity during their studies. Previous research has shown that students’ socio-economic status (SES) and social capital prior to entering university affects their ability to obtain these identities in higher education. However, what is less well understood is whether social capital that is built during university studies shapes identity development, and if so, whether the social capital gained during university years impacts on academic and professional identity differently. In a qualitative study, we interviewed 26 Danish and 11 Australian university students about their social interaction experiences, their opportunities to develop bonding capital as well as bridging capital, and their academic and professional identity. Findings show that while bonding social capital with co-students facilitated academic identity formation, such social capital does not lead to professional identity development. We also found that the development of bridging social capital with educators facilitated students’ professional identity formation. However, bonding social capital among students stood in the way of participating in bridging interaction with educators, thereby further hindering professional identity formation. Finally, while students’ parental background did not affect the perceived difficulty of forming professional identity, there was a tendency for students from lower SES backgrounds to be more likely to make internal attributions while those from higher SES backgrounds were more likely to make external attributions for the failure to develop professional identity. Results point to the importance of creating opportunities for social interaction with educators at university because this facilitates the generation of bridging social capital, which, in turn, is essential for students’ professional identity development. PMID:25762954

Bridging and bonding interactions in higher education: social capital and students' academic and professional identity formation.

PubMed

Jensen, Dorthe H; Jetten, Jolanda

2015-01-01

It is increasingly recognized that graduates' achievements depend in important ways on their opportunities to develop an academic and a professional identity during their studies. Previous research has shown that students' socio-economic status (SES) and social capital prior to entering university affects their ability to obtain these identities in higher education. However, what is less well understood is whether social capital that is built during university studies shapes identity development, and if so, whether the social capital gained during university years impacts on academic and professional identity differently. In a qualitative study, we interviewed 26 Danish and 11 Australian university students about their social interaction experiences, their opportunities to develop bonding capital as well as bridging capital, and their academic and professional identity. Findings show that while bonding social capital with co-students facilitated academic identity formation, such social capital does not lead to professional identity development. We also found that the development of bridging social capital with educators facilitated students' professional identity formation. However, bonding social capital among students stood in the way of participating in bridging interaction with educators, thereby further hindering professional identity formation. Finally, while students' parental background did not affect the perceived difficulty of forming professional identity, there was a tendency for students from lower SES backgrounds to be more likely to make internal attributions while those from higher SES backgrounds were more likely to make external attributions for the failure to develop professional identity. Results point to the importance of creating opportunities for social interaction with educators at university because this facilitates the generation of bridging social capital, which, in turn, is essential for students' professional identity development.

Graduate-Assistant Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of the Supervisor's Role in Professional Socialization: Part II.

PubMed

Thrasher, Ashley B; Walker, Stacy E; Hankemeier, Dorice A; Mulvihill, Thalia

2016-10-01

Many new athletic trainers (ATs) obtain graduate-assistant (GA) positions to gain more experience and professional development while being mentored by a veteran AT; however, GA ATs' perceptions of the supervisor's role in professional development are unknown. To explore the supervisor's role in the professional development of GAs in the collegiate setting. Qualitative study. Phone interviews. A total of 19 collegiate GAs (15 women, 4 men; average age = 23 ± 0.15 years; National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I = 13, II = 3, III = 2; National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics = 2; postprofessional athletic training program = 5). Data were collected via phone interviews and transcribed verbatim. Interviews were conducted until data saturation occurred. Data were analyzed through phenomenologic reduction. Trustworthiness was established via member checks and peer review. Three themes emerged: (1) GAs' expectations of supervisors, (2) professional development, and (3) mentoring and support. Participants expected their supervisors to provide mentorship, support, and feedback to help them improve their athletic training skills, but they also realized supervisors were busy with patient care responsibilities. Most participants felt their supervisors were available, but others believed their supervisors were too busy to provide support and feedback. Participants felt their supervisors provided professional development by teaching them new skills and socializing them into the profession. Furthermore, they thought their supervisors provided mentorship professionally, personally, and clinically. Supervisors supported the participants by standing behind them in clinical decisions and having open-door policies. The graduate assistantship allows new ATs to gain experience while pursuing professional development, mentorship, and support from a supervisor. The extent of development is highly dependent on the supervisor, but most supervisors mentor GAs. When looking for graduate assistantships, future GAs should seek positions in which supervisors actively provide mentoring and professional development.

Grassroots inter-professional networks: the case of organizing care for older cancer patients.

PubMed

Bagayogo, Fatou Farima; Lepage, Annick; Denis, Jean-Louis; Lamothe, Lise; Lapointe, Liette; Vedel, Isabelle

2016-09-19

Purpose The purpose of this paper of inter-professional networks is to analyze the evolution of relationships between professional groups enacting new forms of collaboration to address clinical imperatives. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a case study based on semi-structured interviews with physicians and nurses, document analysis and informal discussions. Findings This study documents how two inter-professional networks were developed through professional agency. The findings show that the means by which networks are developed influence the form of collaboration therein. One of the networks developed from day-to-day, immediately relevant, exchange, for patient care. The other one developed from more formal and infrequent research and training exchanges that were seen as less decisive in facilitating patient care. The latter resulted in a loosely knit network based on a small number of ad hoc referrals while the other resulted in a tightly knit network based on frequent referrals and advice seeking. Practical implications Developing inter-professional networks likely require a sustained phase of interpersonal contacts characterized by persuasion, knowledge sharing, skill demonstration and trust building from less powerful professional groups to obtain buy-in from more powerful professional groups. The nature of the collaboration in any resulting network depends largely on the nature of these initial contacts. Originality/value The literature on inter-professional healthcare networks focusses on mandated networks such as NHS managed care networks. There is a lack of research on inter-professional networks that emerged from the bottom up at the initiative of healthcare professionals in response to clinical imperatives. This study looks at some forms of collaboration that these "grass-root" initiatives engender and how they are consolidated.

[Mental health in primary health care: practices of the family health team].

PubMed

Correia, Valmir Rycheta; Barros, Sônia; Colvero, Luciana de Almeida

2011-12-01

The inclusion of mental health care actions in the context of the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS; Sistema Único de Saúde) contributes to the consolidation of the Brazilian Psychiatric reform and demands redirecting the practices of family health teams with users with mental health needs. The objective of this study is to identify and analyze the scientific production and actions developed by family health team professionals in mental health care. Systematic analysis originated the following themes: home visits to mentally ill patients and their relatives; attachment and welcoming; referrals; therapeutic workshops. In conclusion, the mental health actions developed in primary care are not performed consistently and depend on the professional or on the political decision of the administrator, which shows that professionals should use new practices to develop comprehensive care, and, therefore, there is a need to invest in improving the qualification of the professionals.

Characteristics of the Process of Culture Development Project Activities (Culture of Social Engineering) at the Future Bachelors of Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikitina, Natalya I.; Romanova, Elena Yu.; Vasilyeva, Tatyana V.; Nikishina, Irina N.; Grebennikova, Veronica M.

2017-01-01

In modern Russia professional activity productivity of social work specialist depends largely on his abilities and skills in the field of social design. University graduate's (social work bachelor`s) high level of professional-project activity culture can be regarded as one of the necessary conditions of successful labour market adaptation of…

Determinants of job satisfaction of healthcare professionals in public hospitals in Belgrade, Serbia--Cross-sectional analysis.

PubMed

Kuburović, Nina B; Dedić, Velimir; Djuricić, Slavisa; Kuburović, Vladimir

2016-01-01

The quality of health care significantly depends on the satisfaction of the employees. The objective of this study was to establish the level of professional satisfaction of healthcare professionals in state hospitals in Belgrade, Serbia, and to determine and to rank the factors which impact on their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Professional satisfaction survey was designed and conducted as a cross-sectional study in 2008. Completed questionnaires were returned by 6,595 healthcare professionals from Belgrade's hospitals. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t-test, χ² test and ANOVA. Factor analysis was applied in order to define determinants of professional satisfaction, i.e. dissatisfaction. This study showed that the degree of professional satisfaction of Serbian healthcare professionals was low. The main causes of professionals'dissatisfaction were wages, equipment, the possibility of continuous medical education/training and the opportunities for professional development. Healthcare professionals with university education were more satisfied with all the individual aspects of job satisfaction than those with secondary school and college education. There were significantly more healthcare professionals satisfied with their job among males, older than 60 years, in the age group 50-59 years, with managerial function, and with 30 or more years of service. Development strategy of human resources in the Serbian health care system would significantly improve the professional satisfaction and quality of the provided health care.

Obsessive passion: a dependency associated with injury-related risky behaviour in dancers.

PubMed

Akehurst, Sally; Oliver, Emily J

2014-01-01

Grounded in self-determination theory, obsessive passion for an activity has been associated with increased risky behaviour and rigid persistence, both symptomatic of dependence. However, it is unknown whether obsessive passion may predict the development of dependence, and furthermore, theoretically important relationships between basic need satisfaction, passion, exercise dependence and subsequent risky behaviour have not been fully explored. A sample of 100 professional dancers (50(fs); 50(ms); Mage = 20.88; SD = 2.69) completed self-ratings of risk-related behaviours (doctor visits; following treatment, and warming up), passion for dance and dance dependence. Findings supported the maladaptive nature of obsessive passion in relation to risky behaviour and as predicted dance dependence mediated this relationship. Interestingly, need satisfaction was positively related to both obsessive passion and harmonious passion. Results are discussed in the light of self-determination theory and dysfunctions of obsessive passion, suggesting that professional dancers are at risk of employing maladaptive behaviours if high in obsessive passion, which may be detectable via symptoms of dance dependence.

Administrative skills for academy physicians.

PubMed

Aluise, J J; Schmitz, C C; Bland, C J; McArtor, R E

To function effectively within the multifaceted environment of the academic medical center, academic physicians need to heighten their understanding of the economics of the health care system, and further develop their leadership and managerial skills. A literature base on organizational development and management education is now available, which addresses the unique nature of the professional organization, including academic medical centers. This article describes an administration development curriculum for academic physicians. Competency statements, instructional strategies, and references provide health care educators with a model for developing administrative skills programs for academic physicians and other health care professionals. The continuing success of the academic medical center as a responsive health care system may depend on the degree to which academic physicians and their colleagues in other fields gain sophistication in self-management and organizational administration. Health care educators can apply the competencies and instructional strategies offered in this article to administrative development programs for physicians and other health professionals in their institutions.

District nursing workforce planning: a review of the methods.

PubMed

Reid, Bernie; Kane, Kay; Curran, Carol

2008-11-01

District nursing services in Northern Ireland face increasing demands and challenges which may be responded to by effective and efficient workforce planning and development. The aim of this paper is to critically analyse district nursing workforce planning and development methods, in an attempt to find a suitable method for Northern Ireland. A systematic analysis of the literature reveals four methods: professional judgement; population-based health needs; caseload analysis and dependency-acuity. Each method has strengths and weaknesses. Professional judgement offers a 'belt and braces' approach but lacks sensitivity to fluctuating patient numbers. Population-based health needs methods develop staffing algorithms that reflect deprivation and geographical spread, but are poorly understood by district nurses. Caseload analysis promotes equitable workloads but poorly performing district nursing localities may continue if benchmarking processes only consider local data. Dependency-acuity methods provide a means of equalizing and prioritizing workload but are prone to district nurses overstating factors in patient dependency or understating carers' capability. In summary a mixed method approach is advocated to evaluate and adjust the size and mix of district nursing teams using empirically determined patient dependency and activity-based variables based on the population's health needs.

Developing services to support parents caring for a technology-dependent child at home.

PubMed

Kirk, S; Glendinning, C

2004-05-01

A group of children with complex health care needs have emerged as a result of medical advances and government policies emphasizing the community as the arena for care. Some of these children remain dependent on the medical technology that enabled them to survive and require care of a complex and intensive nature to be carried out by their parents at home. To explore the experiences of families caring at home for a technology-dependent child; to examine their needs for practical and other support; and to examine how far services are currently meeting these needs. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with the parents of 24 technology-dependent children and with 44 health, social care and other professionals. Services in the community were not sufficiently developed to support this group of families. Major problems were identified in the purchasing and provision of both short-term care/home support services and specialist equipment/therapies in the community. Service provision could be poorly planned and co-ordinated at an operational level and few families had a designated key worker. Parents felt that professionals did not always recognize either the emotional costs entailed in providing care of this nature or their expertise in caregiving. Information-giving to parents was often described as poor and participants reported that hospital professionals failed to negotiate the transfer of caregiving responsibility to parents. Services need to work in partnership with families and with each other at both strategic and operational levels, to develop integrated and co-ordinated services that can meet the needs of this group of families.

Graduate-Assistant Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of the Supervisor's Role in Professional Socialization: Part II

PubMed Central

Thrasher, Ashley B.; Walker, Stacy E.; Hankemeier, Dorice A.; Mulvihill, Thalia

2016-01-01

Context: Many new athletic trainers (ATs) obtain graduate-assistant (GA) positions to gain more experience and professional development while being mentored by a veteran AT; however, GA ATs' perceptions of the supervisor's role in professional development are unknown. Objective: To explore the supervisor's role in the professional development of GAs in the collegiate setting. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Phone interviews. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 19 collegiate GAs (15 women, 4 men; average age = 23 ± 0.15 years; National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I = 13, II = 3, III = 2; National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics = 2; postprofessional athletic training program = 5). Data Collection and Analysis: Data were collected via phone interviews and transcribed verbatim. Interviews were conducted until data saturation occurred. Data were analyzed through phenomenologic reduction. Trustworthiness was established via member checks and peer review. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) GAs' expectations of supervisors, (2) professional development, and (3) mentoring and support. Participants expected their supervisors to provide mentorship, support, and feedback to help them improve their athletic training skills, but they also realized supervisors were busy with patient care responsibilities. Most participants felt their supervisors were available, but others believed their supervisors were too busy to provide support and feedback. Participants felt their supervisors provided professional development by teaching them new skills and socializing them into the profession. Furthermore, they thought their supervisors provided mentorship professionally, personally, and clinically. Supervisors supported the participants by standing behind them in clinical decisions and having open-door policies. Conclusions: The graduate assistantship allows new ATs to gain experience while pursuing professional development, mentorship, and support from a supervisor. The extent of development is highly dependent on the supervisor, but most supervisors mentor GAs. When looking for graduate assistantships, future GAs should seek positions in which supervisors actively provide mentoring and professional development. PMID:27834507

Distance Learning in Scientific and Professional Fields of Communication (Interdisciplinary Approach)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skorikova, Tatyana Petrovna; Khromova, Sergey Sergeevich; Dneprovskaya, Natalia Vitalievna

2016-01-01

Modern level of informational technologies development allows the authors of educational courses to decrease their dependence from technical specialists and to independently develop distance-learning courses and their separate online components, which require special methodical learning. The aim of present study is to develop a distance-learning…

[Alcohol use among adolescents: concepts, epidemiological characteristics and etiopatogenic factors].

PubMed

Pechansky, Flavio; Szobot, Claudia Maciel; Scivoletto, Sandra

2004-05-01

Alcohol is the most consumed substance among young people, and the onset of its use is starting at an earlier age, raising the risks of future dependence. The use of alcohol in adolescence is associated with a series of risk behaviors, besides raising the risk of involvement in accidents, sexual violence, and participating in gangs. Alcohol use by adolescents is strongly associated with violent death, poor academic performance, learning difficulties and damage in the development and structuring of cognitive-behavioral and emotional abilities. Alcohol consumption causes neurochemical modifications, with damage in memory, learning and impulse control. Professionals who deal with adolescents must be prepared for a thorough evaluation regarding the possible abusive use or dependence of alcohol in this age group. However, it is important to emphasize that the criteria utilized by some diagnostic tools for abuse and dependence were developed for adults, and must be applied with caution in adolescents. Thus, it is fundamental that these professionals be aware of the characteristics and peculiarities of adolescence and chemical dependence in this age-group.

Collaborative Inquiry and the Professional Development of Science Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Gaalen L.

1991-01-01

Argues that the nature and meaning of collaborative relationships depend upon their particular, practical context. Describes an ongoing collaborative research project, the Students' Intuitions and Science Instruction Group (University of British Columbia), detailing its research agenda, postulates pertaining to teacher development, collaborative…

Overcoming barriers to nicotine dependence treatment.

PubMed

Ferry, L H

1999-09-01

Tobacco dependence is the most overlooked and undertreated preventable cause of chronic disease in the developed world. Three barriers to effective treatment must be overcome: the reluctance of nicotine addicts to seek help; inadequate training of health professionals to treat hard core smokers; and a health care system that does not acknowledge the need for professional treatment of nicotine addiction. Effective physicians are equipped with the knowledge and skills to identify high-risk smokers who need more assistance to quit. All smokers should be engaged in a tailored office intervention based on their needs. Adoption of simple clinical protocols can eliminate the barriers that prevent effective counseling and treatment in the office setting.

Test development and use in five Iberian Latin American countries.

PubMed

Wechsler, Solange M; Oakland, Thomas; León, Carmem; Vivas, Eleonora; de Almeida, Leandro; Franco, Amanda; Pérez-Solís, María; Contini, Norma

2014-08-01

The abundance of scholarship on test development and use generally is higher in English-speaking than in Iberian Latin American countries. The purpose of this article is to help overcome this imbalance by describing and identifying similarities and differences in test development and use in two Iberian (Portugal and Spain) and three of the largest Latin American (Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela) countries. The stages of test development in each country, roles of professional associations, presence of standards for test use, professionals' educational training, commonly used tests, together with prominent challenges to continued progress are discussed. Test development and use in these five countries are transitioning from a dependence on the use of translated tests to greater reliance on adapted and finally nationally constructed tests. Continued growth requires adherence to international standards guiding test development and use. Stronger alliance among professional associations in the Iberian Latin American countries could serve as a catalyst to promote test development in these regions. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Enhancing mathematics teachers' quality through Lesson Study.

PubMed

Lomibao, Laila S

2016-01-01

The efficiency and effectivity of the learning experience is dependent on the teacher quality, thus, enhancing teacher's quality is vital in improving the students learning outcome. Since, the usual top-down one-shot cascading model practice for teachers' professional development in Philippines has been observed to have much information dilution, and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization demanded the need to develop mathematics teachers' quality standards through the Southeast Asia Regional Standards for Mathematics Teachers (SEARS-MT), thus, an intensive, ongoing professional development model should be provided to teachers. This study was undertaken to determine the impact of Lesson Study on Bulua National High School mathematics teachers' quality level in terms of SEARS-MT dimensions. A mixed method of quantitative-qualitative research design was employed. Results of the analysis revealed that Lesson Study effectively enhanced mathematics teachers' quality and promoted teachers professional development. Teachers positively perceived Lesson Study to be beneficial for them to become a better mathematics teacher.

Operational safety assessment of turbo generators with wavelet Rényi entropy from sensor-dependent vibration signals.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoli; Wang, Baojian; Chen, Xuefeng

2015-04-16

With the rapid development of sensor technology, various professional sensors are installed on modern machinery to monitor operational processes and assure operational safety, which play an important role in industry and society. In this work a new operational safety assessment approach with wavelet Rényi entropy utilizing sensor-dependent vibration signals is proposed. On the basis of a professional sensor and the corresponding system, sensor-dependent vibration signals are acquired and analyzed by a second generation wavelet package, which reflects time-varying operational characteristic of individual machinery. Derived from the sensor-dependent signals' wavelet energy distribution over the observed signal frequency range, wavelet Rényi entropy is defined to compute the operational uncertainty of a turbo generator, which is then associated with its operational safety degree. The proposed method is applied in a 50 MW turbo generator, whereupon it is proved to be reasonable and effective for operation and maintenance.

Strategies for healthcare professionals to facilitate patient illness understanding.

PubMed

Nunstedt, Håkan; Rudolfsson, Gudrun; Alsén, Pia; Pennbrant, Sandra

2017-12-01

To describe how healthcare professionals facilitate patient illness understanding. Healthcare professionals and patients differ in their illness understanding. If the information provided by healthcare professionals is not adapted to the patient's daily life, it may be unusable for the patient. Previous research has found that healthcare professionals should individualise the information to enable the patient to apply the knowledge to the personal situation and to develop illness understanding. However, little is known of how healthcare professionals can facilitate patient illness understanding. A qualitative descriptive study based on individual, semi-structured, open-ended and face-to-face interviews was conducted with healthcare professionals (n = 11) concerning how they facilitate patients illness understanding. Three health centres were involved during the period of March to November 2014. The interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The result identified a continuous and collaborative process with three strategies used by healthcare professionals to facilitate the patient's illness understanding: (i) assess the patient's illness understanding, (ii) interact with the patient to develop illness understanding and (iii) support the patient's personal development for illness understanding. The steps in the process depend on each other. The results of our analysis indicate that healthcare professionals can use the continuous and collaborative process to enhance the patient's self-care ability and turn his or her knowledge into action for improving illness understanding. The three continuous and collaborative process strategies involving pedagogical approaches can create conditions for healthcare professionals to obtain a holistic view of the patient's life and to be a key resource for person-centred care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of the introduction of market incentives on occupational health services and occupational health professionals: experiences from The Netherlands.

PubMed

Plomp, Harmen Nico

2008-10-01

This paper describes the reform of the regulations on safety and health in the Netherlands towards a more competitive market and its impact on occupational health services (OHSs) and the health professionals over the period 1994-2005. Aims are to identify the crucial factors that bring about the intended effects (such as lower disability rates) and to evaluate the outcomes from the perspective of the occupational health professional. The paper contributes to the discussion of how the professionals could define and contain their professional identity and credibility in competitive circumstances. Open interviews were completed with 12 key persons and secondary analyses were made on documents and various monitors. The reform changed the OHS safety market fundamentally. OHSs were transformed from medium sized regional units into business organizations mostly operating on a national level. Private insurance companies became key players. Only after the development of an effective social infrastructure, however, intended effects (lower absenteeism and disability) occurred. Occupational health professionals were initially opposed but by redefining their professional domain and identity, they finally succeeded in gaining negotiating power in order to preserve and develop expertise and professional integrity. The effectiveness of the introduction of market incentives depends strongly on their social embeddedness. Health professionals should adapt their strategy to the conditions of the competitive market, in order to preserve a credible and professional identity.

A Scholarship Model for Student Recruitment and Retention in STEM Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yelamarthi, Kumar; Mawasha, P. Ruby

2010-01-01

A scholarship program offers enrichment, support, higher recruitment and retention, improved professional development towards employment, and increased graduate opportunities for underrepresented groups. In this paper, it is postulated that the development of a successful and competitive scholarship program is dependent on several variables…

[Physician's professional retirement. Family dynamics].

PubMed

Aguirre Gas, Héctor G

2011-01-01

Human beings have a natural resistance to think about their old age, both personally and professionally. Governments have targeted efforts to successfully prolong the life of the population, situation which already is a social and economic problem. “Old is a person with physical, intellectual and emotional limitations, who has a reduced autonomy and welfare, as a result of the years lived”. Not everyone ages at the same age; it will depend on health, habits, physical and intellectual activity, nutritional status, vices and attitude towards life. A physician may decide not to continue exercising medicine due to: health problems, because they do not want to, because they do not feel competent, because of the risk of having to deal with a complaint or a lawsuit, to have a new life project, or because they have no patients. The options available for a doctor at the time of retirement will depend on his/her age, health status, stage of the aging process: autonomy, dependency or old age; his/her physical and mental condition, professional development, economic situation and family environment. A doctor may remain independent, join another family or seek shelter in a retirement home.

Inter-professional education of prospective speech-language therapists and primary school teachers through shared professional practice placements.

PubMed

Wilson, Leanne; McNeill, Brigid; Gillon, Gail T

2017-07-01

Preliminary studies of inter-professional education (IPE) among student speech-language therapists (SLTs) and student teachers suggest that workshop-based applications are beneficial in preparing participants for elements of collaborative practice. Situating IPE within the students' professional practice placements may provide another useful avenue to develop attitudes, knowledge and skills for inter-professional collaboration. Research examining the impact of different approaches to IPE is required to advance our understanding of effective design and evaluation of such initiatives. To understand how student SLTs and student teachers develop competency for collaborative practice when co-working during professional practice placements to support children's speech and literacy development. A case study design was used to monitor the impact of the IPE. Student SLTs (n = 4) were paired with student teachers (n = 4) to participate in shared professional practice placements in junior school classrooms. An inductive thematic analysis of interviews conducted with participants after the IPE was employed to explore the development of competencies in collaborative practice. Change in inter-disciplinary knowledge and perceptions over the IPE was evaluated via survey to further explore the development of collaborative competencies. Integration of qualitative and quantitative findings suggested that participants began to develop four broad areas of collaborative competency: understanding of professional roles and expertise, communication skills to support shared decision-making, inter-dependency in supporting children's learning, and flexibility to implement alternative instructional practices. Interview analysis also revealed factors related to the facilitators and learning contexts that supported and/or limited the collaboration between participants. Shared placement experiences between student SLTs and student teachers may be an effective method for building participants' competencies in multiple aspects of collaborative practice. Active facilitation by both SLT and classroom teacher supervisors alongside careful consideration of learning contexts (e.g., classroom structure) will help to ensure that learning is maximized for prospective professionals. © 2016 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Social integration of people with severe mental illness: relationships between symptom severity, professional assistance, and natural support.

PubMed

Tsai, Jack; Desai, Rani A; Rosenheck, Robert A

2012-04-01

Reducing dependency on professionals and social integration has been a major goal of recovery-oriented mental health services. This cross-sectional study examined 531 male outpatients at three public mental health centers in Southern Connecticut. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to answer: (1) Do clients who have more severe clinical problems rely more on professional support and mental health services, and rely less on natural supports? (2) Do clients who have greater natural supports rely less on professional support and mental health services? Results found clients with more severe clinical problems do not rely more on professional support and report less natural social support. Natural support was also found to be a complement, rather than a substitute for professional support. These findings suggest the social integration of male clients with severe mental illness may include being more connected to mental health providers even as they develop increasing natural supports.

Development of a systematic career coaching program for medical students.

PubMed

Hur, Yera; Cho, A Ra; Kwon, Mihye

2018-03-01

This study aimed to develop a systematic career-coaching program (SCCP) that can be used by medical teaching schools to address a growing need for career-coaching. The program objectives were to help students (1) develop a comprehensive self-understanding of their aptitudes, interests, and personality traits; (2) explore possible career choices and decide on a career path; and (3) develop the competencies needed to prepare for their future careers. The SCCP was based on the ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation) model and decision-making questioning model. Medical professionals, medical education and career counseling experts, and students participated in designing the program. The SCCP describes coaching content, tools, operational methods, and appropriate timing, and identifies the professionals and specialists who can offer their expertise in the different coaching phases. It is designed to allow medical schools to offer the program in segments or in its entirety, depending on the curriculum and environment. The SCCP represents a viable career-coaching program for medical students that can be applied in part or in its entirety, depending on a medical school's curriculum and educational environment.

Ethics and surgical innovation: challenges to the professionalism of surgeons.

PubMed

Angelos, Peter

2013-01-01

The future of surgical progress depends on surgeons finding innovative solutions to their patients' problems. Surgical innovation is critical to advances in surgery. However, surgical innovation also raises a series of ethical issues that challenge the professionalism of surgeons. The very criteria for defining surgical progress have changed as patients may value more than simply reductions in morbidity and mortality. The requirement for informed consent prior to surgery is difficult when an innovative surgical procedure is planned since the risks of the novel operation may not be known. In addition, even if the risks are known in the hands of the innovator, the actual risks to patients when surgeons are learning the new technique are unknown. New techniques often depend on new technology which may be significantly more expensive than traditional techniques. There are no clear criteria to decide which new innovative techniques are going to turn out to be truly beneficial to patients. Many surgical innovations depend on new products which may have been developed as collaborative efforts between surgical device companies and surgeons. Although many currently accepted therapies were developed in this fashion, the collaboration of surgeons and device companies raises the potential for significant harmful conflicts of interest. In the decades to come, careful attention to these and other ethical issues will help to define the future professional standing of surgeons. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Surgical Associates Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning through Cases: Adopting a Nested Approach to Case-Study Work in the Gold Fields Participatory Course Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotz-Sisitka, Heila; Raven, Glenda

2004-01-01

This paper argues that there is a need, in southern Africa, to develop in-depth understanding in educational reform initiatives. Through ongoing reflexive development of a professional development programme in environmental education, we have found that case-study methodology, which emphasizes context-dependent knowledge, is significant for…

Professional Socialization of Iranian BSN Students: A Grounded Theory Study.

PubMed

Dinmohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Peyrovi, Hamid; Mehrdad, Neda

2017-12-01

Introduction: Professional socialization is a critical aspect of nursing students' development, which begins with entry into the nursing program and continues when their professional practice begins. The aim of this study was to explore the socialization of Iranian BSN students in the nursing profession. Methods: An exploratory qualitative approach utilizing Straussian version of the grounded theory (1998) method was used. Individual in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 14 participants chosen from two large nursing schools in an urban area through purposive and theoretical sampling. The data were analyzed, using the constant comparative method. Results: Five main categories and eleven subcategories emerged and integrated around one core category. Professional metamorphosis as the core variable was a complex and interrelated process (consisting of three stages: dependence, disintegration, and integration) with dynamic, ongoing, and personal features influenced by professional and extra-professional context. The students assumed a passive role in the initial of their studies. However, during the last year of the educational program, they gradually involved actively in dealing with own personal and professional issues. Conclusion: This study introduced "professional metamorphosis of BSN students" as a substantive grounded theory in the socio-cultural context of the health care system in Iran. During this process, students move from outsider personal position to insider professional position. The nurse educators and administrators may develop effective educational interventions to promote professional socialization of students with an understanding of the promoting and driving forces influencing socialization.

Professional Socialization of Iranian BSN Students: A Grounded Theory Study

PubMed Central

Dinmohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Peyrovi, Hamid; Mehrdad, Neda

2017-01-01

Introduction: Professional socialization is a critical aspect of nursing students’ development, which begins with entry into the nursing program and continues when their professional practice begins. The aim of this study was to explore the socialization of Iranian BSN students in the nursing profession. Methods: An exploratory qualitative approach utilizing Straussian version of the grounded theory (1998) method was used. Individual in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 14 participants chosen from two large nursing schools in an urban area through purposive and theoretical sampling. The data were analyzed, using the constant comparative method. Results: Five main categories and eleven subcategories emerged and integrated around one core category. Professional metamorphosis as the core variable was a complex and interrelated process (consisting of three stages: dependence, disintegration, and integration) with dynamic, ongoing, and personal features influenced by professional and extra-professional context. The students assumed a passive role in the initial of their studies. However, during the last year of the educational program, they gradually involved actively in dealing with own personal and professional issues. Conclusion: This study introduced "professional metamorphosis of BSN students" as a substantive grounded theory in the socio-cultural context of the health care system in Iran. During this process, students move from outsider personal position to insider professional position. The nurse educators and administrators may develop effective educational interventions to promote professional socialization of students with an understanding of the promoting and driving forces influencing socialization. PMID:29302575

Management mechanisms for development of personnel professional competencies at a loading and haulage company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shishkina, S. V.; Pristupa, Yu D.; Pavlova, L. D.; Fryanov, V. N.

2018-05-01

The necessity for development a management mechanism for development of personnel professional competencies at a loading and haulage company in order to ensuring the compliance of competencies with labor functions, regulated by the current professional standards, is substantiated. A functional diagram of the organizational and technical system of the loading and haulage company was developed, that includes the interaction mechanism between the personnel and the objects of the main production. The problem of algorithm development to assess the correspondence of communicative competencies and labor functions of loading and haulage companies, ensuring the achievement of the management goal with a minimum risk of an emergency situation or an accident, was set and solved. The idea of management problem solving consists in the operational development and implementation of anticipatory measures at each deviation in personnel actions from normative or target indicators. The dependence of the risk of imbalance of communicative competences and labor functions in a given period of time is established. The effectiveness of the developed and implemented mechanism is confirmed by the positive dynamics of the test results.

The University Scientist's Role in Promoting Collaborative K-12 Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, D.; Brown, L. L.; Carlsen, W. S.

2004-12-01

Comprehensive K-12 science teacher professional development is dependent upon the successful interaction between the university and K-12 communities (National Research Council, 2001), which can be realized through partnerships between university scientists and K-12 science teachers. This paper will identify some best practices of university scientists in the professional development of science teachers, first by citing the professional development and science education literature (Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1998; National Research Council, 1996a, 1996b), and then by highlighting how these best practices were actualized in summer workshops for science educators offered at Penn State. Each summer the Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports seven one-week courses for secondary science teachers taught by university scientists from disciplines representative of NASA's research interests. Approximately 100 teachers enroll in these two-credit, graduate-level workshops from a variety of locations and contexts throughout the United States. These summer courses share a number of important features (duration, general format, teacher recruitment and admission, location, number of participants, etc.), making them a unique dataset for comparative research on science teacher professional development. By recognizing the role of university scientists relating to both practice and standards of professional development, we identify areas in which teachers could be empowered to lead and, alternatively, where scientists and administrators should improve and continue to direct-- both supporting a culture of collaboration that builds K-12 science teacher capacity (Fullan, 2001, 2003; Hawley & Valli, 1999). In our observations and analysis of the evaluations, three best practices, as defined by the literature, appeared to distinguish the exceptional workshops: First, teachers give high marks and make affirmative comments about workshops with clearly presented curricular goals. Second, teachers respond well to workshops and the university scientists who taught them when they are treated as professionals. Third, teachers welcome the opportunity to be integrally involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the workshops. By identifying best practices and delineating the roles of university scientists in K-12 professional development, teachers, university faculty, and policy makers are better equipped to improve the quality of professional development programs at all levels; school, district, university, and state, ultimately actualizing the symbiotic relationship that needs to exists between professional development and school improvement efforts (Fullan, 2001, 2003; Hawley & Valli, 1999).

Supervising Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of Professional Socialization of Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainers in the Collegiate Setting

PubMed Central

Thrasher, Ashley B.; Walker, Stacy E.; Hankemeier, Dorice A.; Pitney, William A.

2015-01-01

Context: Many newly credentialed athletic trainers gain initial employment as graduate assistants (GAs) in the collegiate setting, yet their socialization into their role is unknown. Exploring the socialization process of GAs in the collegiate setting could provide insight into how that process occurs. Objective: To explore the professional socialization of GAs in the collegiate setting to determine how GAs are socialized and developed as athletic trainers. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Individual phone interviews. Patients or Other Participants: Athletic trainers (N = 21) who had supervised GAs in the collegiate setting for a minimum of 8 years (16 men [76%], 5 women [24%]; years of supervision experience = 14.6 ± 6.6). Data Collection and Analysis: Data were collected via phone interviews, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed by a 4-person consensus team with a consensual qualitative-research design. The team independently coded the data and compared ideas until a consensus was reached, and a codebook was created. Trustworthiness was established through member checks and multianalyst triangulation. Results: Four themes emerged: (1) role orientation, (2) professional development and support, (3) role expectations, and (4) success. Role orientation occurred both formally (eg, review of policies and procedures) and informally (eg, immediate role immersion). Professional development and support consisted of the supervisor mentoring and intervening when appropriate. Role expectations included decision-making ability, independent practice, and professionalism; however, supervisors often expected GAs to function as experienced, full-time staff. Success of the GAs depended on their adaptability and on the proper selection of GAs by supervisors. Conclusions: Supervisors socialize GAs into the collegiate setting by providing orientation, professional development, mentoring, and intervention when necessary. Supervisors are encouraged to use these socialization tactics to enhance the professional development of GAs in the collegiate setting. PMID:25347237

Supervising athletic trainers' perceptions of professional socialization of graduate assistant athletic trainers in the collegiate setting.

PubMed

Thrasher, Ashley B; Walker, Stacy E; Hankemeier, Dorice A; Pitney, William A

2015-03-01

Many newly credentialed athletic trainers gain initial employment as graduate assistants (GAs) in the collegiate setting, yet their socialization into their role is unknown. Exploring the socialization process of GAs in the collegiate setting could provide insight into how that process occurs. To explore the professional socialization of GAs in the collegiate setting to determine how GAs are socialized and developed as athletic trainers. Qualitative study. Individual phone interviews. Athletic trainers (N = 21) who had supervised GAs in the collegiate setting for a minimum of 8 years (16 men [76%], 5 women [24%]; years of supervision experience = 14.6 ± 6.6). Data were collected via phone interviews, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed by a 4-person consensus team with a consensual qualitative-research design. The team independently coded the data and compared ideas until a consensus was reached, and a codebook was created. Trustworthiness was established through member checks and multianalyst triangulation. Four themes emerged: (1) role orientation, (2) professional development and support, (3) role expectations, and (4) success. Role orientation occurred both formally (eg, review of policies and procedures) and informally (eg, immediate role immersion). Professional development and support consisted of the supervisor mentoring and intervening when appropriate. Role expectations included decision-making ability, independent practice, and professionalism; however, supervisors often expected GAs to function as experienced, full-time staff. Success of the GAs depended on their adaptability and on the proper selection of GAs by supervisors. Supervisors socialize GAs into the collegiate setting by providing orientation, professional development, mentoring, and intervention when necessary. Supervisors are encouraged to use these socialization tactics to enhance the professional development of GAs in the collegiate setting.

Professional ideologies and the development of syringe exchange: Wales as a case study.

PubMed

Keene, J M; Stimson, G V

1997-12-01

This paper is derived from an evaluative study of HIV prevention programs for drug injectors across Wales. It considers how different professional territories and ideologies, concepts of drug misuse and models of HIV prevention may influence policy development. The research involved monitoring the introduction and development of agency and community based syringe exchange schemes and initiatives taken by community pharmacists. Interviews with staff, managers and administrators, and descriptions of service history, development and delivery inform the discussion. HIV prevention varied in different areas of Wales depending on the particular professional group involved, local ideologies regarding drug use treatment, and the extent to which HIV prevention was seen either as a specialist area of expertise and specific remit of drug workers or a generic health care task. Drug agencies with an abstinence policy rejected syringe exchange; instead, prevention in those areas developed in ad hoc ways as health care workers and pharmacists attempted to develop a community based service. Drug agencies with a pre-existing harm minimisation model easily integrated syringe exchange into their work and played the major part in establishing the service, but there was difficulty in extending it beyond their professional caseloads. As there were disincentives to use treatment agencies, and their catchment areas were limited, these factors influenced effective service provision.

Attitudes of elderly Korean patients toward death and dying: an application of Q-methodology.

PubMed

Yeun, Eunja

2005-11-01

The aim of this study was to identify the attitudes of elderly Korean patients toward death and dying using Q-methodology to aid in the development of basic strategies for nursing care of elderly Koreans. Thirty participants at a university hospital sorted 40 selected Q-statements on a nine-point scale. Data analysis identified three types of attitudes toward death and dying in elderly patients in Korea: religion-dependent, science-adherent, and sardonic. Religion-dependent elders are highly dependent upon religion as evidenced by their reply that they would like to rely on God and a minister the most. Science-adherent elders have great affection for life and believe in modern medical advancements. The sardonic elders regard death as the dispensation of nature so there is no need to be afraid of death and dying. This study will contribute to the understanding that nurses and other health professionals have of the perceptions of elderly Koreans about death and dying. Also, the findings may provide the basis for the development of more appropriate strategies to improve death and dying education programs of health professionals.

Operational Safety Assessment of Turbo Generators with Wavelet Rényi Entropy from Sensor-Dependent Vibration Signals

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaoli; Wang, Baojian; Chen, Xuefeng

2015-01-01

With the rapid development of sensor technology, various professional sensors are installed on modern machinery to monitor operational processes and assure operational safety, which play an important role in industry and society. In this work a new operational safety assessment approach with wavelet Rényi entropy utilizing sensor-dependent vibration signals is proposed. On the basis of a professional sensor and the corresponding system, sensor-dependent vibration signals are acquired and analyzed by a second generation wavelet package, which reflects time-varying operational characteristic of individual machinery. Derived from the sensor-dependent signals’ wavelet energy distribution over the observed signal frequency range, wavelet Rényi entropy is defined to compute the operational uncertainty of a turbo generator, which is then associated with its operational safety degree. The proposed method is applied in a 50 MW turbo generator, whereupon it is proved to be reasonable and effective for operation and maintenance. PMID:25894934

EMR continuance usage intention of healthcare professionals.

PubMed

Sayyah Gilani, Mina; Iranmanesh, Mohammad; Nikbin, Davoud; Zailani, Suhaiza

2017-03-01

Electronic medical records (EMRs) have been proven to be effective tools for improving the safety and quality of healthcare despite their relatively low usage rate in hospitals. The long-term development by EMRs depends on the continued use of healthcare professionals. In this study, technology continuance theory (TCT) was used to evaluate the short-term and long-term continuance acceptance of EMRs among healthcare professionals. Data were gathered by surveying 195 medical professionals in Iran. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. The analysis showed that the TCT provided a deep understanding of user continuance intention toward EMRs. In addition, the findings illustrated that the determinants of continuance intention vary between short-term and long-term users. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.

[Sexuality in Down syndrome individuals].

PubMed

Castelão, Talita Borges; Schiavo, Márcio Ruiz; Jurberg, Pedro

2003-02-01

To evaluate parents and health professionals' opinions on the sexuality of Down syndrome individuals and to describe how these individuals see their own sexuality. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses have been applied in the study. A total of 809 questionnaires were to parents and health professionals (348). Twelve focal groups' sessions were carried out separately with parents, professionals and DS individuals. Chi-square test was performed in the analysis. Parents see their children as eternal kids as they are afraid of the utmost outcome of their children's sexual life: unwanted pregnancy, and risk of syndrome recurrence. Health professionals revealed to be unprepared to provide sexual advice for DS individuals and adequate parents' attitude to their children's sexual drive. Down syndrome sexuality develops similarly to other individuals, but DS individuals experience restrictions depending on their social context.

Dependence and resistance in community mental health care-Negotiations of user participation between staff and users.

PubMed

Femdal, I; Knutsen, I R

2017-10-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Implementation of user participation is described as a change from a paternalistic healthcare system to ideals of democratization where users' voices are heard in relational interplays with health professionals. The ideological shift involves a transition from welfare dependency and professional control towards more active service-user roles with associated rights and responsibilities. A collaborative relationship between users and professionals in mental health services is seen as important by both parties. Nevertheless, the health professionals find it challenging in practice to reorient their roles and to find productive ways to cooperate. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This study illuminates how user participation is negotiated and involves multiple and shifting subject positions in the collaboration between users and professionals in community mental health care. By taking different positions, the relationship between users and professionals develops through dynamic interaction. This study challenges understandings of equality and implicit "truths" in user participation by illuminating subtle forms of power and dilemmas that arise in user-professional negotiations. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Instead of denying the appearance of power, it is important to question the execution of power in the interplay between users and professionals. Focusing on the negotiation processes between users and professionals is important for increasing reflection on and improving understanding of the dynamic in collaboration and speech. By focusing on negotiations, power can be used in productive ways in user-professional relationships. Introduction Implementation of user participation is considered important in today's mental health care. Research shows, however, that user participation lacks clarity and provokes uncertainty regarding shifting roles. Aim To investigate negotiation of user participation in a microstudy of interplay between users and health professionals in community mental health care. Method This qualitative study is based on semi-structured in-depth interviews, involving ten service users and ten professionals in community mental health care in Norway. The analysis is inspired by Willig's model for Foucauldian discourse analysis. Results The study illuminates the dynamic nature of user participation that arises through negotiation between users' and professionals' positions as change enablers, dependents, resisters, persuaders and knowledge holders. Discussion Discourses of user participation allow for different subject positions in mental health care. User participation also involves government and questions of power, as well as ambitions of change and control. Professionals act in different ways to make and keep users active, participating, enterprising and self-governing, and users respond and take part within the same discursive framework. Implications for practice Awareness of subjects' positions in discourses is important to increase reflection on the dynamic interplay in user-professional collaboration. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of a systematic career coaching program for medical students

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Purpose This study aimed to develop a systematic career-coaching program (SCCP) that can be used by medical teaching schools to address a growing need for career-coaching. The program objectives were to help students (1) develop a comprehensive self-understanding of their aptitudes, interests, and personality traits; (2) explore possible career choices and decide on a career path; and (3) develop the competencies needed to prepare for their future careers. Methods The SCCP was based on the ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation) model and decision-making questioning model. Medical professionals, medical education and career counseling experts, and students participated in designing the program. Results The SCCP describes coaching content, tools, operational methods, and appropriate timing, and identifies the professionals and specialists who can offer their expertise in the different coaching phases. It is designed to allow medical schools to offer the program in segments or in its entirety, depending on the curriculum and environment. Conclusion The SCCP represents a viable career-coaching program for medical students that can be applied in part or in its entirety, depending on a medical school’s curriculum and educational environment. PMID:29510607

Professional Development Needs of American International Schools Overseas: An Opportunity for Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortloff, Warren G.; Escobar-Ortloff, Luz Marina

This paper discusses U.S. international schools overseas, addressing the typical American international schools' staff development needs and looking at past and present involvement of U.S. universities in support of these schools. The two major types of overseas schools are those operated by the Department of Defense Dependent Schools system and…

How to Keep Teachers Healthy and Growing: The Influence of Job Demands and Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evers, Arnoud T.; Yamkovenko, Bogdan; Van Amersfoort, Daniël

2017-01-01

Purpose: Education depends on high-quality teachers who are committed to professional development and do not get burned out. The purpose of this paper was to investigate how job demands and resources can affect the health and cognitive development of teachers using the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation model. Design/methodology/approach: A…

Administrative skills for academic physicians.

PubMed

Aluise, J J; Scmitz, C C; Bland, C J; McArtor, R E

1989-01-01

To function effectively within the multifaceted environment of the academic medical center, academic physicians need to heighten their understanding of the economics of the health care system, and further develop their leadership and managerial skills. A literature base on organizational development and management education now exists that addresses the unique nature of the professional organization, including academic medical centers. This article describes an administration development curriculum for academic physicians. Competency statements, instructional strategies and references provide the academic physician with guidelines for expanding their professional expertise to include organizational and management skills. The continuing success of the academic medical center as a responsive health care system may depend upon the degree to which academic physicians gain sophistication in self-management and organizational administration.

Declarative knowledge and professional vision in teacher education: effect of courses in teaching and learning.

PubMed

Stürmer, Kathleen; Könings, Karen D; Seidel, Tina

2013-09-01

Teachers' professional vision includes the ability to apply general pedagogical knowledge about components of effective teaching and learning to reason about significant features of classroom practice. It requires teachers to (a) describe, (b) explain, and (c) predict classroom situations. Although the acquisition of underling knowledge can be considered as a key element of university-based teacher education programmes, to date, there has been little empirical research on teacher candidates' development of professional vision. This study aims to improve understanding of how different university-based courses in teaching and learning impact the development of professional vision. Participants were teacher candidates (N= 53) attending the same teacher education programme at a German university. They were enrolled in one of three different compulsory courses in teaching and learning, lasting one semester. In a pre-test-post-test design, participants' declarative knowledge about teaching and learning was measured with a test, professional vision with the online tool Observer. Analysis of covariance and multivariate analysis of variance were conducted. Teacher candidates in all three courses showed significant gains both in declarative knowledge and professional vision. Patterns of results differed depending on the course attended. A video-based course with a focus on effective teaching resulted in highest gains in prediction of the consequences of observed events for student learning processes, which is the highest level of knowledge transfer. The development of professional vision is a strongly knowledge-guided process. In line with their content and aims, university-based courses can enhance teaching-relevant knowledge for teacher candidates. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Providing support to nursing students in the clinical environment: a nursing standard requirement.

PubMed

Anderson, Carina; Moxham, Lorna; Broadbent, Marc

2016-10-01

This discussion paper poses the question 'What enables or deters Registered Nurses to take up their professional responsibility to support undergraduate nursing students through the provision of clinical education?'. Embedded within many nursing standards are expectations that Registered Nurses provide support and professional development to undergraduate nursing students undertaking clinical placements. Expectations within nursing standards that Registered Nurses provide support and professional development to nursing students are important because nursing students depend on Registered Nurses to help them to become competent practitioners. Contributing factors that enable and deter Registered Nurses from fulfilling this expectation to support nursing students in their clinical learning include; workloads, preparedness for the teaching role, confidence in teaching and awareness of the competency requirement to support students. Factors exist which can enable or deter Registered Nurses from carrying out the licence requirement to provide clinical education and support to nursing students.

[Nursing in the framework of long-term care insurance as a basic principle of a specific nursing approach of rehabilitation?].

PubMed

Dangel, Bärbel; Korporal, Johannes

2003-02-01

Activating nursing based on the criteria of the long-term care insurance may be understood as a second specific and nursing approach of rehabilitation beneath medical rehabilitation. Activating nursing is unspecific, characterized by the norms and guidelines of the long-term care insurance, but defined as the general norm of practical nursing. A professional nursing definition for a specific concept is lacking just as funding of nursing science. Adhering to activating nursing as a nursing complement to medical rehabilitation in the framework of long-term care insurance requires professional development and funding. Furthermore, more support of social law is necessary, which depends on professional nursing and nursing science-based indication and the intervention approach. The article develops an approach--based on a study about rehabilitation of people in need for care--and reflects on implementation and acceptance by people in the need of care.

Pre-service teacher professional development on climate change: Assessment of workshop success and influence of prior knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veron, D. E.; Ad-Marbach, G.; Fox-Lykens, R.; Ozbay, G.; Sezen-Barrie, A.; Wolfson, J.

2017-12-01

As states move to adopt the next generation science standards, in-service teachers are being provided with professional development that introduces climate change content and best practices for teaching climate change in the classroom. However, research has shown that it is challenging to bring this information into the higher education curriculum in education courses for pre-service teachers due to curricular and programming constraints. Over two years, the Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Assessment and Research (MADE-CLEAR) project explored a professional development approach for pre-service teachers which employed paired workshops that resulted in participant-developed lesson plans based on climate change content. The workshops were designed to provide pre-service teachers with climate change content related to the carbon cycle and to model a variety of techniques and activities for presenting this information in the classroom. Lesson plans were developed between the first and second workshop, presented at the second workshop and discussed with peers and in-service teachers, and then revised in response to feedback from the second workshop. Participant climate change content knowledge was assessed before the first workshop, and after the final revision of the lesson plan was submitted to the MADE-CLEAR team. Climate content knowledge was also assessed using the same survey for additional pre-service teacher groups who did not participate in the professional development. Results show that while the paired workshop approach increased climate content knowledge, the amount of improvement varied depending on the participants' prior knowledge in climate change content. In addition, some alternate conceptions of climate change were not altered by participant involvement in the professional development approach. Revised lesson plans showed understanding of underlying climate change impacts and demonstrated awareness of appropriate techniques for introducing this complex topic. These findings will be useful to those planning pre-service teacher professional development on climate change in the future.

Is an "ideal" service institution image the same for all referral sources? The case of chemical dependency treatment programs.

PubMed

Johnson, K; LaTour, M S

1993-01-01

In a competitive market like chemical dependency treatment, segmenting the professional referral market according to an "ideal" service image may offer a service institution a strategic advantage. Results of this study suggest that while different professionals in a referral market may attach differential importance to the same service feature, a favorable or unfavorable "image" seems to encompass how well both the professional and the professionals' client are treated by the service institution.

Plants and Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunsell, Eric; Hug, J. William

2007-01-01

Investigations with Wisconsin Fast Plants can make the subject matter come alive...or dead, depending on the experimental treatment. This became apparent when a university-based teacher educator and a fifth-grade teacher collaborated on a professional development experience aimed at increasing understanding of how science inquiry could be used…

The Internet as a New Tool in the Rehabilitation Process of Patients—Education in Focus

PubMed Central

Forczek, Erzsébet; Makra, Péter; Sik Lanyi, Cecilia; Bari, Ferenc

2015-01-01

In the article we deal with the rehabilitation of patients using information technology, especially Internet support. We concentrate on two main areas in the IT support of rehabilitation: one of them is the support for individual therapy, the other one is providing patients with information, which is the basic step in emphasising individual responsibility. In the development of rehabilitation programmes, the knowledge of the IT professional and the therapist, in the IT support of web guidance, medical expertise plays the primary role. The degree of assistance involved in the rehabilitation process depends on the IT knowledge of medical (general practitioner, nursing staff) professionals as well. The necessary knowledge required in healing and development processes is imparted to professionals by a special (full-time) university training. It was a huge challenge for us to teach web-based information organisation skills to doctors and nurses, and it is also a complex task to put forward such an IT viewpoint to information specialists in order to create the foundations of the cooperation between IT and healthcare professionals. PMID:25711359

The Internet as a new tool in the rehabilitation process of patients--education in focus.

PubMed

Forczek, Erzsébet; Makra, Péter; Lanyi, Cecilia Sik; Bari, Ferenc

2015-02-23

In the article we deal with the rehabilitation of patients using information technology, especially Internet support. We concentrate on two main areas in the IT support of rehabilitation: one of them is the support for individual therapy, the other one is providing patients with information, which is the basic step in emphasising individual responsibility. In the development of rehabilitation programmes, the knowledge of the IT professional and the therapist, in the IT support of web guidance, medical expertise plays the primary role. The degree of assistance involved in the rehabilitation process depends on the IT knowledge of medical (general practitioner, nursing staff) professionals as well. The necessary knowledge required in healing and development processes is imparted to professionals by a special (full-time) university training. It was a huge challenge for us to teach web-based information organisation skills to doctors and nurses, and it is also a complex task to put forward such an IT viewpoint to information specialists in order to create the foundations of the cooperation between IT and healthcare professionals.

Macroeconomic adjustment in developing countries: instability, short-run growth, and external dependency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leff, N.H.; Sato, K.

1980-05-01

This paper presents an aggregate model for analyzing macroeconomic adjustment and short-run growth in less-developed countries. The model is built on standard theoretical lines; but an important finding of the paper is that empirically, macroeconomic adjustment in the real sector of some differs from the professional expectations that may be prevalent in more-developed countries. This observation leads us to a reconsideration of the macroeconomics of the developing economies, and particularly of some short-term features that affect the long-run expansion path. The analysis also shows why these economies are often subject to chronic inflation and macroeconmic dependence on foreign-capital inflows. 13more » references, 4 tables.« less

Reinventing a School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertram, Vince M.

2004-01-01

The success of public schools is highly dependent on how well they adapt to changes in the competitive and political climate. Educators must look to one another, professional associations, and communities for support in developing strategies and sharing best practices to ensure the success of all students. This article describes how Lafayette…

Teaching Math to the Talented

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.; Peterson, Paul E.; Woessmann, Ludger

2011-01-01

Maintaining America's productivity as a nation depends importantly on developing a highly qualified cadre of scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and other professionals. To realize that objective requires a system of schooling that produces students with advanced math and science skills. To see how well schools in the United States do at…

Comparing nurse managers and nurses' perceptions of nurses' self-leadership during capacity building.

PubMed

Jooste, Karien; Cairns, Lindi

2014-05-01

This paper compares the perceptions of nurse managers and nurses about self-leadership of professional nurses while taking ownership of capacity building during unit management. The Nursing Strategy for South Africa states that the competency of nurses is dependent upon factors that lead to capacity building. A quantitative design was followed by conducting a survey. The target population included nurse managers and professional nurses working at an academic public hospital in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The findings indicate shortcomings in relation to advising professional nurses about self-direction while taking ownership of their daily pressures and stresses associated with unit management. Professional nurses should develop their confidence by focusing on their self-leadership strengths when managing a unit. Recommendations are made to promote self-leadership while taking ownership of nurses during capacity building of unit management. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Organization-based self-development prescriptive model for the promotion of professional development of Iranian clinical nurses.

PubMed

Rahimaghaee, Flora; Nayeri, Nahid Dehghan; Mohammadi, Eesa; Salavati, Shahram

2015-01-01

Professional development is reiterated in the new definition of modern organizations as a serious undertaking of organizations. This article aims to present and describe a prescriptive model to increase the quality of professional development of Iranian nurses within an organization-based framework. This article is an outcome of the results of a study based on grounded theory describing how Iranian nurses develop. The present study adopted purposive sampling and the initial participants were experienced clinical nurses. Then, the study continued by theoretical sampling. The present study involved 21 participants. Data were mainly collected through interviews. Analysis began with open coding and continued with axial coding and selective coding. Trustworthiness was ensured by applying Lincoln and Guba criteria such as credibility, dependability, and conformability. Based on the data gathered in the study and a thorough review of related literature, a prescriptive model has been designed by use of the methodology of Walker and Avant (2005). In this model, the first main component is a three-part structure: Reformation to establish a value-assigning structure, a position for human resource management, and a job redesigning. The second component is certain of opportunities for organization-oriented development. These strategies are as follows: Raising the sensitivity of the organization toward development, goal setting and planning the development of human resources, and improving management practices. Through this model, clinical nurses' professional development can transform the profession from an individual, randomized activity into more planned and systematized services. This model can lead to a better quality of care.

Organization-based self-development prescriptive model for the promotion of professional development of Iranian clinical nurses

PubMed Central

Rahimaghaee, Flora; Nayeri, Nahid Dehghan; Mohammadi, Eesa; Salavati, Shahram

2015-01-01

Background: Professional development is reiterated in the new definition of modern organizations as a serious undertaking of organizations. This article aims to present and describe a prescriptive model to increase the quality of professional development of Iranian nurses within an organization-based framework. Materials and Methods: This article is an outcome of the results of a study based on grounded theory describing how Iranian nurses develop. The present study adopted purposive sampling and the initial participants were experienced clinical nurses. Then, the study continued by theoretical sampling. The present study involved 21 participants. Data were mainly collected through interviews. Analysis began with open coding and continued with axial coding and selective coding. Trustworthiness was ensured by applying Lincoln and Guba criteria such as credibility, dependability, and conformability. Based on the data gathered in the study and a thorough review of related literature, a prescriptive model has been designed by use of the methodology of Walker and Avant (2005). Results: In this model, the first main component is a three-part structure: Reformation to establish a value-assigning structure, a position for human resource management, and a job redesigning. The second component is certain of opportunities for organization-oriented development. These strategies are as follows: Raising the sensitivity of the organization toward development, goal setting and planning the development of human resources, and improving management practices. Conclusions: Through this model, clinical nurses’ professional development can transform the profession from an individual, randomized activity into more planned and systematized services. This model can lead to a better quality of care. PMID:26457100

Teacher Research Programs: An Effective Form of Professional Development to Increase Student Achievement and Benefit the Economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2008-12-01

U.S. high school students perform markedly less well in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) than students in other economically advanced countries. This low level of STEM performance endangers our democracy and economy. The President's Council of Advisors in Science and Technology's 2004 report attributed the shortfall of students attracted to the sciences is a result of the dearth of teachers sufficiently conversant with science and scientists to enable them to communicate to their students the excitement of scientific exploration and discovery, and the opportunities science provides for highly rewarding and remunerative careers. Nonetheless, the United States has made little progress in correcting these deficiencies. Studies have shown that high-quality teaching matters more to student achievement than anything else schools do. This belief is buttressed by evidence from Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP) that highly motivated, in-service science teachers require professional development to enable them and their students to perform up to their potential. Columbia's Summer Research Program is based on the premise that to teach science effectively requires experience in using the tools of contemporary science to answer unsolved questions. From its inception, SRP's goal has been to enhance interest and improve performance in science of students. It seeks to achieve this goal by increasing the professional competence of teachers. The reports of Elmore, Sanders and Rivers, and our own studies, show that professional development is a "key lever for improving student outcomes." While most middle and high school science teachers have taken college science courses that include cookbook laboratory exercises, the vast majority of them have never attempted to answer an unsolved question. Just as student learning depends on the expertise of teachers, the expertise of teachers depends on the quality of their professional development. Columbia University's teacher research program is a very effective form of professional development for pre- college science teachers and has a direct correlation to increased student motivation and achievement in science. The Program is premised on the beliefs that hands-on experience in the practice of science improves the quality and authenticity of science teaching, and that improved science teaching is correlated with increased student interest and achievement in science. The author will present the methodology of the program's evaluation citing statistically significant findings. The author will also show the economic benefits of teacher participation in a well-designed research program.

Is Media Literacy Passive or Active?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Zachary S.

2010-01-01

The ability to "read" and "write", i.e. literacy, was once considered a trade secret by the professional scribes who depended on it for job security. The ability to read and write is still the most commonly understood notion of literacy, but technological developments require that the definition of literacy be expanded and…

The Factors That Affect Science Teachers' Participation in Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roux, Judi Ann

2013-01-01

Scientific literacy for our students and the possibilities for careers available in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas are important topics for economic growth as well as global competitiveness. The achievement of students in science learning is dependent upon the science teachers' effectiveness and experienced science…

Medical versus fiscal gatekeeping: navigating professional contingencies at the pharmacy counter.

PubMed

Chiarello, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

This paper theorizes that care provision depends on the set of "contingencies," or organizational and institutional structures, rules, narratives, and routines, surrounding professional work. Drawing on 95 interviews with U.S. pharmacists, I demonstrate how pharmacists prioritize specific contingencies and reveal how ethical decision-making depends on both organizational positioning and locus in inter-professional hierarchies. © 2014 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

The Professional Development Plan of a Health Care Workforce as a Qualitative Indicator of the Health Care System's Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saiti, Anna; Mylona, Vasiliki

2015-01-01

The quality of a health care system is heavily dependent on a capable and skillful health care workforce so as to guarantee the delivery of quality health care services to its user groups. Hence, only through continuous training and development can the health care workforce follow rapid scientific progress while equitably balancing investment…

Transforming Health Professionals into Population Health Change Agents

PubMed Central

Naccarella, Lucio; Butterworth, Iain; Moore, Timothy

2016-01-01

Background With the recognition that professional education has not kept pace with the challenges facing the health and human service system, there has been a move to transformative education and learning professional development designed to expand the number of enlightened and empowered change agents with the competence to implement changes at an individual, organisation and systems level. Design and Methods Since 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria, Australia, in collaboration with The University of Melbourne’s School of Population and Global Health, has delivered seven population health short courses aimed to catalyse participants’ transformation into population health change agents. This paper presents key learnings from a combination of evaluation data from six population health short courses using a transformative learning framework from a 2010 independent international commission for health professionals that was designed to support the goals of transformative and interdependent health professionals. Participatory realist evaluation approaches and qualitative methods were used. Results Evaluation findings reveal that there were mixed outcomes in facilitating participants’ implementation of population health approaches, and their transformation into population health agents upon their return to their workplaces. Core enablers, barriers and requirements, at individual, organisational and system levels influence the capability of participants to implement population health approaches. The iterative and systemic evolution of the population health short courses, from a one off event to a program of inter-dependent modules, demonstrates sustained commitment by the short course developers and organisers to the promotion of transformative population health learning outcomes. Conclusions To leverage this commitment, recognising that professional development is not an event but part of an ongoing transformative process, suggestions to further align recognition of population health professional development programs are presented. Significance for public health With decreasing health and wellbeing of whole populations, increasing inequities among specific population groups, health professional educators are increasingly turning their attention to population health. This has implications for implementing evidence into practice. Professional development short courses are being conducted to equip participants (health service managers, health promotion managers and coordinators, health planners, population health planners and senior executives) with knowledge, skills and tools to implement population health approaches and transform them into population health change agents. The findings of this study indicate there were mixed outcomes in facilitating participants’ implementation of population health approaches and their transformation into population health agents upon their return to their workplaces. The study findings informed the evolution of the short courses, from a one off event to a program of interdependent modules, and further reveal that professional development is not an event but part of an on-going transformative process,suggestions to further align recognition of population health professional development programs are presented. PMID:27190973

[Training of medical physicists in radiation therapy at the International Educational Center of the Association of Medical Physicists in Russia].

PubMed

Kostylev, V A; Lysenko, M N; Zhgutov, A V; Ulanov, D V; Kislyakova, M V; Kazantsev, P V; Kostylev, D V; Narkevich, B Y

2015-01-01

The efficiency of radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients and use of the state-of-the-art accelerator facilities, in the first place, depends on the qualification and number of medical physicists. The need for the training and continuing professional development (CPD) of medical radiation physicists in Russia and CIS countries has dramatically increased today. The article considers the system of refresher training which should provide the continuing professional development and advance training of medical radiation physicists. The authors analyze the experience of the International Educational Center of the Association of Medical Physicists in Russia involved in the CPD of medical physicists under the IAEA TC projects, RMAPO and N.N. Blokhin RCRC joint educational programs.

The University of British Columbia model of interprofessional education.

PubMed

Charles, Grant; Bainbridge, Lesley; Gilbert, John

2010-01-01

The College of Health Disciplines, at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has a long history of developing interprofessional learning opportunities for students and practitioners. Historically, many of the courses and programmes were developed because they intuitively made sense or because certain streams of funding were available at particular times. While each of them fit generally within our understanding of interprofessional education in the health and human service education programs, they were not systematically developed within an educational or theoretical framework. This paper discusses the model we have subsequently developed at the College for conceptualizing the various types of interprofessional experiences offered at UBC. It has been developed so that we can offer the broadest range of courses and most effective learning experiences for our students. Our model is based on the premise that there are optimal learning times for health and human services students (and practitioners) depending upon their stage of development as professionals in their respective disciplines and their readiness to learn and develop new perspectives on professional interaction.

With nurse practitioners, who needs house officers?

PubMed Central

Dowling, S.; Barrett, S.; West, R.

1995-01-01

The boundaries between the work of doctors and that of nurses are changing, with nurses taking over important parts of junior hospital doctors' clinical work. In 1993 an exploratory study was carried out to identify the professional, educational, and management issues that such developments raise. Interviews were carried out with a range of stakeholders in three innovatory posts in which nurses were doing much of the clinical work of house officers. A complex picture of perceived benefits and problems for patients, junior doctors, and nurses emerged. These seemed to be associated with (a) the extent to which the contribution of professional nursing was valued in the new role and (b) the amount of clinical discretion which the postholder was allowed, this depending on the type of preparatory education provided and the management of the post. The study points to the need for strategic issues--such as the development of appropriate education and the professional recognition of these new clinical roles--to be addressed at a national and regional level. Images p312-a PMID:7633246

Partnership With Parents of Technology-Dependent Children: Clarification of the Concept.

PubMed

Mendes, Michele A

2016-01-01

A strategy based on the Hybrid Model of Concept Development was used to integrate previous concept analyses and research with data from interviews with parents and nurses caring for children dependent on technology to clarify the concept. Partnership was generally described positively in the literature, but some cautions were noted. Six characteristics of partnering were identified from the fieldwork data: respect, flexibility, caring professionalism, communication, acknowledgment of parental control, and support for parents. The concept of participation is clarified and extended to a unique area of nursing practice, the care of children dependent on technology in the home.

Emerging Considerations for Professional Development Institutes for Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, John G.; Marx, Ronald W.; Cimellaro, Luigia

2004-04-01

This paper describes two professional development institutes in project-based science. We collected data from these institutes in the form of structured questionnaires, individual written reflections by the teachers, and focus-group interviews. An analysis of the data revealed three factors that had been underrepresented in previous research: comfort, technology, and balance. In terms of comfort, the teachers expressed a need for both physical and psychological comfort for them to learn. The technological emphasis in our institutes caused teachers to stress in their comments our developing software. We found that, depending on teachers'' previous knowledge, technology could be a barrier or a support to the success of institutes. Finally, we found a necessity to balance elements within the institute and a need to balance cognitively demanding time on task with less demanding opportunities for informal interaction.

Hospital nurses' wellbeing at work: a theoretical model.

PubMed

Utriainen, Kati; Ala-Mursula, Leena; Kyngäs, Helvi

2015-09-01

To develop a theoretical model of hospital nurses' wellbeing at work. The concept of wellbeing at work is presented without an exact definition and without considering different contents. A model was developed in a deductive manner and empirical data collected from nurses (n = 233) working in a university hospital. Explorative factor analysis was used. The main concepts were: patients' experience of high-quality care; assistance and support among nurses; nurses' togetherness and cooperation; fluent practical organisation of work; challenging and meaningful work; freedom to express diverse feelings in the work community; well-conducted everyday nursing; status related to the work itself; fair and supportive leadership; opportunities for professional development; fluent communication with other professionals; and being together with other nurses in an informal way. Themes included: collegial relationships; enhancing high-quality patient care; supportive and fair leadership; challenging, meaningful and well organised work; and opportunities for professional development. Object-dependent wellbeing was supported. Managers should focus on strengthening the positive aspect of wellbeing at work, focusing on providing fluently organised work practices, fair and supportive leadership and togetherness while allowing nurses to implement their own ideas and promote the experience of meaningfulness. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Situating teacher learning in the practice of mathematics and science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, Monica Louise

Education reforms propose new content and pedagogy for students. Making such reforms possible in schools depends on creating new content and pedagogy for teachers' learning. This study investigated an approach to support teachers' learning which has been rapidly growing in popularity. Specifically, the study was designed to learn how a collaborative professional development experience, situated in teachers' own practice, might help elementary teachers develop knowledge for teaching. Eleven fourth and fifth grade teachers from two public schools participated in this professional development which was modeled after Japanese Lesson Study. A qualitative research methodology of critical inquiry was used to analyze the data. The researcher was both designer and participant. This intervention gave these teachers opportunities to learn content, pedagogy, and skills for collaborative inquiry, but not all the teachers continued their involvement. Challenges of time, talk and individualism were problems for all and were among the main reasons teachers in one group gave for leaving the program. Three characteristics of the teachers who completed the project included: (a) dissatisfaction with the learning outcomes of their students; (b) participation with colleagues in social activities throughout the school year; (c) an existing trusting relationship with the program facilitator. The features of this new pedagogy of professional development require teachers to break from typical orientations to practice. This produces a paradox. On one hand, many American teachers do not have the skills needed to be expert at this, for the professional culture does not support such work. On the other hand, if teachers are not given opportunities to collaborate in meaningful ways, the skills they need cannot develop. Although, these teachers were not yet experts in this collaborative inquiry process, the skills required began to develop in the course of engaging in this professional development activity. Future research should seek to identify how to address these challenges more directly by design and how to develop structures to change teachers' environment, to help teachers learn to think of themselves as part of a collective rather than individuals, and to learn the language and the nature of criticism when talking to other professionals.

Impact of instructional Approaches to Teaching Elementary Science on Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kensinger, Seth H.

Strengthening our science education in the United States is essential to the future success of our country in the global marketplace. Immersing our elementary students with research-based quality science instruction is a critical component to build a strong foundation and motivate our students to become interested in science. The research for this study pertained to the type of elementary science instruction in correlation to academic achievement and gender. Through this study, the researcher answered the following questions: 1. What is the difference in achievement for elementary students who have been taught using one of the three science instructional approaches analyzed in this study: traditional science instruction, inquiry-based science instruction with little or no professional development and inquiry-based science instruction with high-quality professional development? 2. What is the difference in student achievement between inquiry-based instruction and non-inquiry based (traditional) instruction? 3. What is the difference in student achievement between inquiry with high quality professional development and inquiry with little or no professional development? 4. Do the three instructional approaches have differentiated effects across gender? The student achievement was measured using the 2010 fourth grade Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) in Science. Data was collected from 15 elementary schools forming three main groupings of similar schools based on the results from the 2009 third grade PSSA in Mathematics and student and community demographics. In addition, five sub-group triads were formed to further analyze the data and each sub-group was composed of schools with matching demographic data. Each triad contained a school using a traditional approach to teaching science, a school utilizing an inquiry science approach with little or no professional development, and a school incorporating inquiry science instruction with high quality professional development. The five schools which provided its students with inquiry science and high quality professional development were Science Its Elementary (SIE) schools, as provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). The findings of the study indicated that there is evidence to suggest that elementary science achievement improves significantly when teachers have utilized inquiry instruction after receiving high-quality professional development. Specifically, the analysis of the whole group and the majority of the triad sub-groupings did result in a consistent trend to support science instruction utilizing inquiry with high-quality professional development compared to a traditional approach and an inquiry-based approach with little or no professional development. The gender analysis of this study focused on whether or not girls at the elementary school level would perform better than boys depending upon method of science instruction. The study revealed no relationship between approach to teaching science and achievement level based on gender. The whole group results and sub-group triads produced no significant findings for this part of the data analysis.

Towards Effective In-Service Teacher Development in the United Arab Emirates: Getting Teachers to Be in Charge of Their Own Professional Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alwan, Fatma Hamad

2000-01-01

Progress in education depends very much on keeping up with the various trends that emerge around the world. In-service teacher training (INSET) is a formal means through which teachers are constantly updated with the new findings in the field. There are also self-directed development activities that complement formal training. The need for this…

An Explanatory Mixed Method Study on Pre-Service Language Teachers' Communication Apprehension towards Their Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kavanoz, Suzan

2017-01-01

Promoting higher communication efficiency among teacher candidates and acting as models are among the main professional responsibilities of teacher educators. This makes the task of teachers even more important in language education classes where students are prospective language teachers and their development as language teachers highly depend on…

Educating English Language Learners: Opportunities for Improved Infrastructure. PERC Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowland, Jeannette; Reumann-Moore, Rebecca; Hughes, Rosemary; Lin, Joshua

2016-01-01

Academic success for ELLs depends on high quality instruction and the infrastructure needed to support it (e.g., staff, curricular materials, collaboration, professional development). This brief examines the challenges schools face in these areas and the strategies they use to mediate them. The purpose of this brief is to share these strategies…

Information Competence as a Means of Developing Leadership Qualities in Student-Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarzhanova, Galiya B.; Alimbekova, Anar A.; Slambekova, Tolkyn S.; Albytova, Nazymgul P.; Salykzhanova, Shynar B.

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the world requires skilled specialists in all spheres of life. In turn, the effectiveness of their education depends on both their will and the teacher's professionalism. This study investigates the advantages of the implementation of information technologies and the possible associated difficulties. It was found that in order to achieve…

What We Mean When We Say "Equity"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celeste, Eric

2016-01-01

Equity in teacher development means that all students have a right and a need to be exposed to excellent teaching. This is dependent on ensuring that all teachers have access to high-quality professional learning. This article discusses both what Learning Forward means when using the term "equity" and why examining equity is crucial to…

Exploring telemonitoring and self-management by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a qualitative study embedded in a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Fairbrother, Peter; Pinnock, Hilary; Hanley, Janet; McCloughan, Lucy; Sheikh, Aziz; Pagliari, Claudia; McKinstry, Brian

2013-12-01

To explore patient and professional views on self-management in the context of telemonitoring in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Semi-structured interviews with patients with COPD and healthcare professionals participating in a randomized controlled trial of telemonitoring in Lothian, Scotland, explored experiences of using telemonitoring, and dynamics in patient-practitioner relationships. Transcribed data were analyzed using the Framework approach. 38 patients (mean age 67.5 years) and 32 professionals provided 70 interviews. Patients considered that telemonitoring empowered self-management by enhancing their understanding of COPD and providing additional justification for their decisions to adjust treatment or seek professional advice. Professionals discussed telemonitoring as promoting compliance with medical advice and encouraged patients to exercise personal responsibility within clinical parameters, but expressed concerns about promoting the sick role and creating dependence on telemonitoring. Telemonitoring assisted many patients to embrace greater responsibility for their health but the model of service provision remained clinician-centered. A medical model of 'compliant self-management' may paradoxically have promoted dependence on professionals. Patients and professionals shared responsibility for meeting the central objective of prompt management of exacerbations of COPD. Care is needed, however, to minimize the risk in some patients, of telemonitoring increasing dependence on practitioner support. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methods for detrending success metrics to account for inflationary and deflationary factors*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, A. M.; Penner, O.; Stanley, H. E.

2011-01-01

Time-dependent economic, technological, and social factors can artificially inflate or deflate quantitative measures for career success. Here we develop and test a statistical method for normalizing career success metrics across time dependent factors. In particular, this method addresses the long standing question: how do we compare the career achievements of professional athletes from different historical eras? Developing an objective approach will be of particular importance over the next decade as major league baseball (MLB) players from the "steroids era" become eligible for Hall of Fame induction. Some experts are calling for asterisks (*) to be placed next to the career statistics of athletes found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs (PED). Here we address this issue, as well as the general problem of comparing statistics from distinct eras, by detrending the seasonal statistics of professional baseball players. We detrend player statistics by normalizing achievements to seasonal averages, which accounts for changes in relative player ability resulting from a range of factors. Our methods are general, and can be extended to various arenas of competition where time-dependent factors play a key role. For five statistical categories, we compare the probability density function (pdf) of detrended career statistics to the pdf of raw career statistics calculated for all player careers in the 90-year period 1920-2009. We find that the functional form of these pdfs is stationary under detrending. This stationarity implies that the statistical regularity observed in the right-skewed distributions for longevity and success in professional sports arises from both the wide range of intrinsic talent among athletes and the underlying nature of competition. We fit the pdfs for career success by the Gamma distribution in order to calculate objective benchmarks based on extreme statistics which can be used for the identification of extraordinary careers.

The use of interpreters in medical settings and forensic medical examinations in Australia: the relationship between medicine and linguistics.

PubMed

Schreiber, Jason R; Odell, Morris S

2014-07-01

Medical examinations are dependent on combining communication with professional competence. In the development of a global multicultural community with the use of multiple languages, doctors have become increasingly dependent on language facilitation such as interpreting and translation. Despite professional studies, the use of language facilitation with its associated problems has not been fully explored in graduate and post-graduate medical and forensic medical training. There may still be some lack of reciprocal understanding between the medical and linguistic fields, their ethics, obligations and limits although both fields and their ethical frameworks are closer related than might be expected. This article is a discussion that aims at providing a basic understanding of guidelines as to the origin and appropriate use of language interpretation in medical and forensic medical examinations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Incorrect evaluation of the frequency of malnutrition and of its screening in hospitalized children by health care professionals.

PubMed

Restier, Lioara; Duclos, Antoine; Jarri, Laura; Touzet, Sandrine; Denis, Angelique; Occelli, Pauline; Kassai-Koupai, Behrouz; Lachaux, Alain; Loras-Duclaux, Irene; Colin, Cyrille; Peretti, Noel

2015-10-01

Malnutrition screening is essential to detect and to treat patients with stunting or wasting. The aim was to evaluate the subjective perception of frequency and assessment of malnutrition by health care professionals. In a paediatric university hospital, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with a Likert scale approach to health care professionals and compared with objective measurements on a given day of frequency of malnutrition and of its screening. 279 health care professionals participated. The malnutrition rate, estimated versus measured, was 16.8% and 34.8%, respectively. Conversely, the estimated frequency of malnutrition screening versus measured frequency was 80.6% versus 43.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the perception of health care professionals did not differ depending on their professional category or speciality. In conclusion, health care staff underestimates the prevalence of malnutrition in children by half and overestimates the frequency of appropriate screening practices for detection of malnutrition. This flawed/unreliable perception may disrupt both screening and the management of malnourished children. There is an urgent need to find out the reasons behind these errors caused by subjective perception in order to develop appropriate educational training to remedy the situation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

(Dis)-Trust in transitioning ventilator-dependent children from hospital to homecare.

PubMed

Manhas, Kiran Pohar; Mitchell, Ian

2015-12-01

Scholarly work is needed to develop the conceptual and theoretical understanding of trust to nursing practice. The transition from hospital care to complex pediatric homecare involves nurses in myriad roles, including management and care provision. Complex pediatric homecare transforms children, families, professionals, and communities, but its exact implications are unclear. To conduct an ethical inquiry into the role and responsibilities of nurses in the qualitative experience of adults involved in the hospital-to-home transition of young, ventilator-dependent children. We followed methods described by Franco Carnevale. We used a sociologically grounded theoretical orientation-trust-to re-interpret qualitative data for an ethical inquiry into a specific facet of that data. The participants included 26 adults, including 14 nurses, involved in the hospital-to-home transition in a Canadian province. Participants represented family, hospital, home, and government. The Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board at the University of Calgary approved this study. First, the concept and practice of trust was salient to the experience of transition. For example, responsibilities' allocation between hospital-based professionals to mothers, home-based nurses, and non-professionals necessitated reliance and vulnerability. Second, the consequences of distrust connected to recognized challenges. For example, tensions along rural-urban, medical-family, and professional-personal divide each revealed suspicion and uncertainty that led to isolation and anxiety for all involved. Third, recommendations to improve the experience and mitigate the challenges of transition can be grounded in trust promotion. For example, transition-specific education programs and codes of ethics would promote openness, recognize mutual vulnerability, and advance trust in transition. The challenges to transition evidenced distrust, while trust represents a powerful tool to counter these challenges and their implications. A climate of trust could bridge divides between mothers and professionals; rural and urban professionals; and professionals with differing relationships with the family. © The Author(s) 2014.

Medical student professionalism narratives: a thematic analysis and interdisciplinary comparative investigation.

PubMed

Bernard, Aaron W; Malone, Matthew; Kman, Nicholas E; Caterino, Jeffrey M; Khandelwal, Sorabh

2011-08-12

Professionalism development is influenced by the informal and hidden curriculum. The primary objective of this study was to better understand this experiential learning in the setting of the Emergency Department (ED). Secondarily, the study aimed to explore differences in the informal curriculum between Emergency Medicine (EM) and Internal Medicine (IM) clerkships. A thematic analysis was conducted on 377 professionalism narratives from medical students completing a required EM clerkship from July 2008 through May 2010. The narratives were analyzed using established thematic categories from prior research as well as basic descriptive characteristics. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the frequency of thematic categories to prior research in IM. Finally, emerging themes not fully appreciated in the established thematic categories were created using grounded theory. Observations involving interactions between attending physician and patient were most abundant. The narratives were coded as positive 198 times, negative 128 times, and hybrid 37 times. The two most abundant narrative themes involved manifesting respect (36.9%) and spending time (23.7%). Both of these themes were statistically more likely to be noted by students on EM clerkships compared to IM clerkships. Finally, one new theme regarding cynicism emerged during analysis. This analysis describes an informal curriculum that is diverse in themes. Student narratives suggest their clinical experiences to be influential on professionalism development. Medical students focus on different aspects of professionalism depending on clerkship specialty.

Medical Student Professionalism Narratives: A Thematic Analysis and Interdisciplinary Comparative Investigation

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Professionalism development is influenced by the informal and hidden curriculum. The primary objective of this study was to better understand this experiential learning in the setting of the Emergency Department (ED). Secondarily, the study aimed to explore differences in the informal curriculum between Emergency Medicine (EM) and Internal Medicine (IM) clerkships. Methods A thematic analysis was conducted on 377 professionalism narratives from medical students completing a required EM clerkship from July 2008 through May 2010. The narratives were analyzed using established thematic categories from prior research as well as basic descriptive characteristics. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the frequency of thematic categories to prior research in IM. Finally, emerging themes not fully appreciated in the established thematic categories were created using grounded theory. Results Observations involving interactions between attending physician and patient were most abundant. The narratives were coded as positive 198 times, negative 128 times, and hybrid 37 times. The two most abundant narrative themes involved manifesting respect (36.9%) and spending time (23.7%). Both of these themes were statistically more likely to be noted by students on EM clerkships compared to IM clerkships. Finally, one new theme regarding cynicism emerged during analysis. Conclusions This analysis describes an informal curriculum that is diverse in themes. Student narratives suggest their clinical experiences to be influential on professionalism development. Medical students focus on different aspects of professionalism depending on clerkship specialty. PMID:21838887

Healthcare professionals' perspectives on environmental sustainability.

PubMed

Dunphy, Jillian L

2014-06-01

Human health is dependent upon environmental sustainability. Many have argued that environmental sustainability advocacy and environmentally responsible healthcare practice are imperative healthcare actions. What are the key obstacles to healthcare professionals supporting environmental sustainability? How may these obstacles be overcome? Data-driven thematic qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews identified common and pertinent themes, and differences between specific healthcare disciplines. A total of 64 healthcare professionals and academics from all states and territories of Australia, and multiple healthcare disciplines were recruited. Institutional ethics approval was obtained for data collection. Participants gave informed consent. All data were de-identified to protect participant anonymity. Qualitative analysis indicated that Australian healthcare professionals often take more action in their personal than professional lives to protect the environment, particularly those with strong professional identities. The healthcare sector's focus on economic rationalism was a substantial barrier to environmentally responsible behaviour. Professionals also feared conflict and professional ostracism, and often did not feel qualified to take action. This led to healthcare professionals making inconsistent moral judgements, and feeling silenced and powerless. Constraints on non-clinical employees within and beyond the sector exacerbated these difficulties. The findings are consistent with the literature reporting that organisational constraints, and strong social identification, can inhibit actions that align with personal values. This disparity can cause moral distress and residue, leading to feelings of powerlessness, resulting in less ethical behaviour. The data highlight a disparity between personal and professional actions to address environmental sustainability. Given the constraints Australian healthcare professionals encounter, they are unlikely to shift to environmentally responsible practice without support from institutions and professional associations. Professional development is required to support this endeavour. The poor transference of pro-ecological behaviour from one setting to another is likely to have international implications for healthcare practice. © The Author(s) 2013.

The transformation process for palliative care professionals: The metamorphosis, a qualitative research study.

PubMed

Mota Vargas, Rafael; Mahtani-Chugani, Vinita; Solano Pallero, María; Rivero Jiménez, Borja; Cabo Domínguez, Raquel; Robles Alonso, Vicente

2016-02-01

Palliative care professionals are exposed daily to high levels of suffering. This makes them particularly vulnerable to suffering from stress, which can lead to burnout and/or compassion fatigue. To analyse the professional trajectory of palliative care workers over time and the factors which influence this trajectory. A qualitative study was designed based on the Grounded Theory approach, using semi-structured individual interviews. Interviews were recorded audio-visually and transcribed verbatim for subsequent analysis using the procedure described by Miles and Huberman. This process was supported using ATLAS.ti 6 software. A total of 10 palliative care professionals from Extremadura (Spain) took part in the study. The analysis revealed a common trajectory followed by participants in their working lives: pre-palliative care/honeymoon/frustration/maturation. In addition, factors which influence this trajectory were identified. Details of the self-care strategies that these professionals have developed are described. The result of this process, which we have metaphorically termed 'metamorphosis', is the formation of a professional who can work satisfactorily within a palliative care context. During their professional activity, palliative care professionals go through a series of phases, depending on the relationship between the cost of caring and the satisfaction of caring, which can influence both the care provided to patients and families and their own personal circumstances. Being aware of this risk, and implementing self-care strategies, can protect professionals and enable them to conduct their work in an optimal manner. Reflecting on the experiences of these professionals could be useful for other health professionals. © The Author(s) 2015.

Investigating Professional Learning Communities in Turkish Schools: The Effects of Contextual Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellibas, Mehmet Sukru; Bulut, Okan; Gedik, Serafettin

2017-01-01

A great number of studies have focused on professional learning communities in schools, but only a limited number of studies have treated the construct of professional learning communities as a dependent variable. The purpose of this research is to investigate Turkish schools' capacity for supporting professional learning communities and to…

Politics, profit, and psychiatric diagnosis: a case study of tobacco use disorder.

PubMed

Hirshbein, Laura D

2014-11-01

The idea of tobacco or nicotine dependence as a specific psychiatric diagnosis appeared in 1980 and has evolved through successive editions of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Not surprisingly, the tobacco industry attempted to challenge this diagnosis through behind-the-scenes influence. But another entity put corporate muscle into supporting the diagnosis-the pharmaceutical industry. Psychiatry's ongoing professional challenges have left it vulnerable to multiple professional, social, and commercial forces. The example of tobacco use disorder illustrates that mental health concepts used to develop public health goals and policy need to be critically assessed. I review the conflicting commercial, professional, and political aims that helped to construct psychiatric diagnoses relating to smoking. This history suggests that a diagnosis regarding tobacco has as much to do with social and cultural circumstances as it does with science.

Working toward equitable opportunities for science students with disabilities: using professional development and technology.

PubMed

Bargerhuff, Mary Ellen; Cowan, Heidi; Kirch, Susan A

2010-01-01

As a result of federal legislation, adolescents with disabilities and other exceptionalities are increasingly included in science and math classes alongside their peers who are typically developing. The effectiveness of this placement option, however, is largely dependent on the skill level of the general educator and the support afforded to this teacher through various channels. Efforts arising from two National Science Foundation grants address both skill and support. Center's Lesson Adaptations for Student Success (CLASS) project used summer professional development opportunities to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to provide students with physical, sensory and learning disabilities equitable access to laboratory and field experiences. Second, to support teachers back in their classrooms, the Ohio Resource Center's Lesson Adaptations for Student Success (OR-CLASS) uses web resources to share high quality, peer-reviewed lesson plans, complete with specific recommendations on adaptations for students with a variety of exceptional learning needs.

Development of the Seating and Mobility Script Concordance Test for Spinal Cord Injury: Obtaining Content Validity Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Laura J.; Fitzgerald, Shirley G.; Lane, Suzanne; Boninger, Michael L.

2005-01-01

The appropriateness of a consumer's seating and mobility system varies considerably depending on the competence, proficiency, and experience of the professionals assisting the user. At present, there is a scarcity of skilled and knowledgeable therapists to evaluate and recommend seating and mobility devices. There is also a lack of measurement…

The Relationship between Teachers' Attitudes toward Measurement and Evaluation and Their Perceptions of Professional Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, Kamil; Arastaman, Gökhan; Dasci, Elif

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: The quality of teaching at schools mostly depends on the teachers' competencies. One of these competencies is measurement and evaluation (MaE). Evaluation of the students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development requires skills and knowledge about various measuring tools and techniques. It is essential for a teacher to…

Self and Peer Assessment of Pediatricians, Psychiatrists and Medicine Specialists: Implications for Self-Directed Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Violato, Claudio; Lockyer, Jocelyn

2006-01-01

Self-regulation in medicine depends on accurate self-assessment. The purpose of the present study was to examine the discrepancy between self and peer assessments for a group of specialist physicians from internal medicine (IM), pediatrics, and psychiatry clinical domains (i.e., patient management, clinical assessment, professional development,…

Preparation of Staff of Tourism-Recreational Sphere in Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oborin, M. S.; Gvarliani, T. E.; Nagoeva, T. A.; Ponomareva, M. A.

2017-01-01

Subject: The domestic system of a professional training for tourist-recreational activity and resort business is considered in the article. The topic of the research can be considered actual due to the growing interest of the subjects of the tourist market to the development of the country's activities, the success of which depends on the…

Professional Development of Mexican Secondary EFL Teachers: Views and Willingness to Engage in Classroom Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roux, Ruth; Valladares, Jorge Luis Mendoza

2014-01-01

The effective implementation of any educational reform is largely dependent on the preparation of teachers. In the case of the National English Program in Basic Education, (NEPBE) implemented in public schools in Mexico in 2009, teacher preparation options have been designed by both public and private higher education institutions in several…

Defining Assessment Literacy: Is it Different for Language Testers and Non-Language Testers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeong, Heejeong

2013-01-01

Language assessment courses (LACs) are taught by professionals who have majored in the area of language testing (language testers or LTs), but also by others who come from different language-related majors (non-language testers, non-LTs). Different language assessment courses may be developed, depending on who teaches the course and the…

"Do They Think We Live in Huts?"--Cultural Essentialism and the Challenges of Facilitating Professional Development in Cross-Cultural Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvaré, Bretton T.

2017-01-01

Depending on the particular definition of culture they employ, pedagogical approaches meant to promote integration, inclusion, and empowerment across cultural divides can end up magnifying existing feelings of alienation, exclusion, and disempowerment. This article explores the negative consequences that can arise when "funds of…

SEM in Central Asia: A Look at Professional Needs in the Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chekmareva, Larissa M.

2013-01-01

Private tuition-dependent universities in Central Asia compete for fee-paying students not only within the country and the region, but also internationally--in the CIS, East Asia, Europe, and the United States. In the universities where state financial support is limited or unavailable, steady student enrollment is the key to budget, development,…

Impact of Curriculum Training on State-Funded Prekindergarten Teachers' Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breffni, Lorraine

2011-01-01

The number of state-funded prekindergarten programs continues to grow in the United States. The quality of these early childhood programs, however, often depends on the type of professional development provided. In this investigative study, an experimental pre-post causal-comparative research design was employed to evaluate the impact of an 8-week…

Critical Issues in International Education: Narratives of Spouses of International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teshome, Yalem; Osei-Kofi, Nana

2012-01-01

This study examines the day-to-day experiences of female spouses of international students living in the United States as legal dependents of their male student spouses. Although these women are well-educated professionals, as legal dependents, they are prohibited from engaging in educational and professional endeavors during their sojourn. As a…

Preparing Practitioners to Respond to Resistance: A Cross-Professional View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grossman, Pam; Compton, Christa; Shahan, Emily; Ronfeldt, Matthew; Igra, Danielle; Shaing, Julia

2007-01-01

Teaching depends upon relationships. Yet teaching is only one of a number of professions in which practice depends heavily upon the quality of human relationship between practitioners and their clients. To explore how other professions prepare professionals for the work of building and maintaining relationships, we embarked on a study that…

Neuropsychology in South Africa: confronting the challenges of specialist practice in a culturally diverse developing country.

PubMed

Watts, Ann D; Shuttleworth-Edwards, Ann B

2016-11-01

This was an invited paper on the history and current status of neuropsychology in South Africa. Information was gathered from literature searches, personal communication, and the authors' experiences while occupying relevant professional and academic positions for over 30 years. Since its origins in the 1950s, the development of neuropsychology in South Africa has faced numerous challenges, against a background of extreme sociocultural and socioeconomic disparity in the country that is on-going. The creation of the South African Clinical Neuropsychological Society in the 1980s, a credentialing and training body, gave impetus to the discipline. In the absence of a neuropsychology category within the South African professional framework, university instruction has been ad hoc with vastly different levels of competency depending on the institution involved. The small number of practitioners and/or academics involved in neuropsychology includes mainly masters, and some doctoral level psychologists registered in clinical, counseling or educational categories. A prime emphasis of neuropsychological research has been local norming of psychometric tests to facilitate valid assessment practices in the country. South Africa is on the cusp of achieving a hard-won neuropsychology professional register. It is anticipated that this development will provide impetus to the discipline by promoting training programs, the creation of neuropsychology posts, wider service delivery, and increased research funding. Despite significant challenges in a culturally diverse, developing country, neuropsychology has evolved sufficiently to warrant the creation of a separate category in the professional framework. This development will facilitate training, research, and services in the country.

Factors affecting sustainable adoption of e-health technology in developing countries: an exploratory survey of Nigerian hospitals from the perspective of healthcare professionals

PubMed Central

Toycan, Mehmet

2018-01-01

Background E-health technology applications are essential tools of modern information technology that improve quality of healthcare delivery in hospitals of both developed and developing countries. However, despite its positive benefits, studies indicate that the rate of the e-health adoption in some developing countries is either low or underutilized. This is due in part, to barriers such as resistance from healthcare professionals, poor infrastructure, and low technical expertise among others. Objective The aim of this study is to investigate, identify and analyze the underlying factors that affect healthcare professionals decision to adopt and use e-health technology applications in developing countries, with particular reference to hospitals in Nigeria. Methods The study used a cross sectional approach in the form of a close-ended questionnaire to collect quantitative data from a sample of 465 healthcare professionals randomly selected from 15 hospitals in Nigeria. We used the modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the dependent variable and external factors as independent variables. The collected data was then analyzed using SPSS statistical analysis such as frequency test, reliability analysis, and correlation coefficient analysis. Results The results obtained, which correspond with findings from other researches published, indicate that perceived usefulness, belief, willingness, as well as attitude of healthcare professionals have significant influence on their intention to adopt and use the e-health technology applications. Other strategic factors identified include low literacy level and experience in using the e-health technology applications, lack of motivation, poor organizational and management policies. Conclusion The study contributes to the literature by pinpointing significant areas where findings can positively affect, or be found useful by, healthcare policy decision makers in Nigeria and other developing countries. This can help them understand their areas of priorities and weaknesses when planning for e-health technology adoption and implementation. PMID:29507830

Factors affecting sustainable adoption of e-health technology in developing countries: an exploratory survey of Nigerian hospitals from the perspective of healthcare professionals.

PubMed

Zayyad, Musa Ahmed; Toycan, Mehmet

2018-01-01

E-health technology applications are essential tools of modern information technology that improve quality of healthcare delivery in hospitals of both developed and developing countries. However, despite its positive benefits, studies indicate that the rate of the e-health adoption in some developing countries is either low or underutilized. This is due in part, to barriers such as resistance from healthcare professionals, poor infrastructure, and low technical expertise among others. The aim of this study is to investigate, identify and analyze the underlying factors that affect healthcare professionals decision to adopt and use e-health technology applications in developing countries, with particular reference to hospitals in Nigeria. The study used a cross sectional approach in the form of a close-ended questionnaire to collect quantitative data from a sample of 465 healthcare professionals randomly selected from 15 hospitals in Nigeria. We used the modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the dependent variable and external factors as independent variables. The collected data was then analyzed using SPSS statistical analysis such as frequency test, reliability analysis, and correlation coefficient analysis. The results obtained, which correspond with findings from other researches published, indicate that perceived usefulness, belief, willingness, as well as attitude of healthcare professionals have significant influence on their intention to adopt and use the e-health technology applications. Other strategic factors identified include low literacy level and experience in using the e-health technology applications, lack of motivation, poor organizational and management policies. The study contributes to the literature by pinpointing significant areas where findings can positively affect, or be found useful by, healthcare policy decision makers in Nigeria and other developing countries. This can help them understand their areas of priorities and weaknesses when planning for e-health technology adoption and implementation.

Professionalism of Lecturers at Faculty of Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tangkere, T. F. S.; Langitan, F. W.; Maukar, S. M. D.; Roring, R. F.

2018-02-01

The main objective of this research was to get the picture pertaining to the professionalization of Lecturers at Faculty of Education in Manado State University, Indonesia. The research method was naturalistic inquiry with qualitative approach. The research techniques were: deep interview, participative observation and document study. The data were analyzed by: data reduction, data display and conclusions, while the validation of data was done by four criteria, namely: credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability. The collecting procedure and data recording were done through observation and interviews. From the findings and conclusions, it can be identified that professionalization of Lecturers at Faculty of Education in Manado State University has been well processed. This can be proved by fulfillment of the minimum academic standard Ninety-one out of the total l12 lecturers has been certified. Based on conclusions, the researcher recommends that the teacher always develop their capability through increasing their academic qualification, self-development through attending educational trainings, conducting more research and publishing those researches through accredited journals. Dean of every Faculty and also execute supporting activities which will support self-development of the lectures and increase the budget for research of the lecturers.

Through the eyes of professional developers: Understanding the design of learning experiences for science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, Tara Eileen

Professional development is important for improving teacher practice and student learning, particularly in inquiry-oriented and technology-enhanced science instruction. This study examines professional developers' practices and their impact on teachers' classroom instruction and student achievement. It analyzes professional developers designing and implementing a five-year professional development program designed to support middle school science teachers. The professional developers are four university-based researchers who worked with sixteen science teachers over three years, setting program goals, facilitating workshops, providing in-classroom support for teachers, and continually refining the program. The analysis is guided by the knowledge integration perspective, a sociocognitive framework for understanding how teachers and professional developers integrate their ideas about teaching and learning. The study investigates the professional developers' goals and teachers' interpretations of those goals. It documents how professional developers plan teacher learning experiences and explores the connection between professional development activities and teachers' classroom practice. Results are based on two rounds of interviews with professional developers, audio recordings of professional developers' planning meetings and videotaped professional development activities. Data include classroom observations, teacher interviews, teacher reflections during professional development activities, and results from student assessments. The study shows the benefit of a professional development approach that relies on an integrated cycle of setting goals, understanding teachers' interpretations, and refining implementation. The professional developers based their design on making inquiry and technology accessible, situating professional development in teachers' work, supporting collaboration, and sustaining learning. The findings reflect alignment of the design goals with the perspective guiding the curriculum design, and consider multiple goals for student and teacher learning. The study has implications for professional development design, particularly in supporting inquiry-oriented science and technology-enhanced instruction. Effective professional developers formulate coherent conceptions of program goals, use evidence of teacher outcomes to refine their goals and practices, and connect student and teacher learning. This study illustrates the value of research on the individuals who design and lead professional development programs.

Beyond Interpersonal Competence: Teaching and Learning Professional Skills in Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brundiers, Katja; Wiek, Arnim

2017-01-01

Successful careers in sustainability are determined by positive real-world change towards sustainability. This success depends heavily on professional skills in effective and compassionate communication, collaborative teamwork, or impactful stakeholder engagement, among others. These professional skills extend beyond content knowledge and…

Burnout among plastic surgery residents

PubMed Central

Aldrees, Turki; Hassouneh, Basil; Alabdulkarim, Abdulaziz; Asad, Loujin; Alqaryan, Saleh; Aljohani, Emad; Alqahtani, Khalid

2017-01-01

Objectives: To develop a more comprehensive explanation and understanding of the prevalence of and factors associated with burnout for residents of the Saudi Plastic Surgery Residency Program. Methods: This is a cross sectional study. Data was gathered using a survey, which was distributed during April 2015, among all 57 plastic surgery residents enrolled in training programs across all regions of Saudi Arabia, 38 of whom responded (60% response rate). The dependent variable was professional burnout, which was measured by 3 subscales of the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). High scores on emotional exhaustion (EE) or depersonalization (DP) or low scores on personal accomplishment (PA) were taken to be indicative of professional burnout. Variables evaluating possible predictors of burnout, such as sociodemographic and professional characteristics, were also included. Results: The validated rate of high burnout status was 18%. Nearly three quarters (71%) of residents scored high in emotional exhaustion, and half (50%) scored high in depersonalization. A third (34%) scored low in personal accomplishment. However, only 5% were dissatisfied with the plastic surgery specialty as a career, and 69% would choose the same specialty again. Workload was not found to play a significant role in the development of burnout (mean 70 hours per week). Conclusion: Approximately half of plastic surgery trainees in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signs of professional burnout. PMID:28762436

Enhancing the supportive care of parents with advanced cancer: development of a self-directed educational manual.

PubMed

Turner, Jane; Clavarino, Alexandra; Yates, Patsy; Hargraves, Maryanne; Connors, Veronica; Hausmann, Sue

2008-08-01

Diagnosing and treating young patients with cancer can be stressful for health professionals; however, when the prognosis is poor and the patient has dependent children, even experienced clinicians can feel distressed and helpless. Parents with advanced cancer commonly express anxiety about the impact of the disease on their children, yet health professionals often feel unable to respond constructively because of lack of training, or concern that discussion about such difficult issues will compound parental distress. In response to this problem, an educational manual has been devised to assist oncology staff to better understand the emotional impact of parental advanced cancer, encompassing information about specific reactions of children, including strategies to help children and families cope. This paper describes the development and content of the resource which provides clinically relevant information and evidence-based recommendations to guide supportive care. The manual differs from the more traditional didactic resources in that it examines the very personal impact for professionals working with parents with advanced disease, encouraging reflection and engages the reader in clinical exercises which encourage active learning and application of knowledge into authentic clinical contexts. Although the manual is designed primarily for nurses, it is clear that much of the information is relevant for all health professionals involved in the care of parents with advanced cancer.

Developing professional status: an investigation into the working patterns, working relationships and vision for the future of UK clinical dental technicians.

PubMed

Leyssen, W; Clark, R K F; Gallagher, J E; Radford, D R

2013-01-01

To investigate the working patterns and patient base of registered clinical dental technicians (CDTs); their relationships with dentists and other professionals in the dental team; their willingness to work within the NHS and their expectations for the future as a new professional group. Face-to-face qualitative interviews of registered CDTs, selected because of their geographic representation and mode of working, informed the development of a postal questionnaire survey of all early registrants with the General Dental Council (GDC). The majority of CDTs reported working part-time, often combining clinical practice with their role as a dental technician. They reported both positive and negative working relationships with dentists and dental technicians, demonstrating collaboration and/or competition depending on whether the scope of CDTs was respected and patient care was shared or lost. CDTs role in the NHS was limited because they did not have the status of becoming a recognised provider of dental care. There was a desire to expand their scope of practice in future. CDTs are embracing their new status as an occupational group within dentistry. Core features of becoming a professional group were exhibited including the importance of social and financial status and the need to negotiate their current and future roles in the healthcare system.

Home-based palliative care: challenges in the care of technology-dependent children.

PubMed

Floriani, Ciro A

2010-01-01

To conceptualize palliative care and its indications in Pediatrics; to describe the difficulties involved in the delivery of such care at home for technology-dependent children; and to analyze, from a bioethical perspective, the moral dilemmas of palliative care assistance. A literature review of palliative care for technology-dependent children and a bioethical analysis of moral dilemmas. There are several obstacles to palliative care for technology-dependent children: structural difficulties at home; social isolation of both children and families; health professionals' sense of disbelief regarding this type of care; an excessive number of medical devices at home; uncertainty of a terminal prognosis; physical, emotional, social, material, and financial burden for parents and family; changes in family dynamics to adjust to these children; paternalistic relationship between professionals and family; changes in family roles, with shifts in the caregiver role. It is essential to outline an agenda based on the premise that the medical apparatus for technology-dependent children will change the landscape of the home, and such a change might become a problem to be faced by all those living together. Based on this assumption, actions performed in a setting other than a health care facility might exert an actual protective effect on children and family, offering support in their several needs and developing a model of care delivery that includes interventions in the different levels of burden on these vulnerated and unprotected individuals.

Five un-easy pieces of pharmaceutical policy reform.

PubMed

Rodwin, Marc A

2013-01-01

Improper dependencies slant policy over a drug's life span, biasing the development of new drugs, the testing and marketing approval for new drugs, and the monitoring of patient safety after drugs are marketed. This article examines five ways in which the public improperly depends on pharmaceutical firms that compromise the integrity of pharmaceutical policy. Today the public relies on pharmaceutical firms: (1) to set priorities on drug research and development; (2) to conduct clinical trials to test whether drugs are safe and effective; (3) to decide what clinical trial data to disclose to the public; (4) to monitor post marketing drug safety; (5) to supply product information to physicians and to finance continuing medical education and other professional activities. The article suggests options to overcome each of these dependencies. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Stress and burnout among healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore.

PubMed

Yang, Suyi; Meredith, Pamela; Khan, Asaduzzaman

2015-06-01

International literature suggests that the experience of high levels of stress by healthcare professionals has been associated with decreased work efficiency and high rates of staff turnover. The aims of this study are to identify the extent of stress and burnout experienced by healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore and to identify demographic characteristics and work situations associated with this stress and burnout. A total of 220 Singaporean mental health professionals completed a cross-sectional survey, which included measures of stress, burnout (exhaustion and disengagement), participants' demographic details, and working situation. Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVAs were used to examine between-group differences in the dependent variables (stress and burnout). Analyses revealed that healthcare professionals below the age of 25, those with less than five years experience, and those with the lowest annual income, reported the highest levels of stress and burnout. No significant differences were found with other demographic or work situation variables. Findings suggest that healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore are experiencing relatively high levels of stress and burnout. It is important that clinicians, administrators and policy makers take proactive steps to develop programs aimed at reducing stress and burnout for healthcare professionals. These programs are likely to also increase the well-being and resilience of healthcare professionals and improve the quality of mental health services in Singapore. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Career Mapping for Professional Development and Succession Planning.

PubMed

Webb, Tammy; Diamond-Wells, Tammy; Jeffs, Debra

Career mapping facilitates professional development of nurses by education specialists and nurse managers. On the basis of national Nursing Professional Development Scope and Standards, our education and professional development framework supports the organization's professional practice model and provides a foundation for the professional career map. This article describes development, implementation, and evaluation of the professional career map for nurses at a large children's hospital to support achievement of the nursing strategic goals for succession planning and professional development.

Family caregivers, patients and physicians: ethical guidance to optimize relationships.

PubMed

Mitnick, Sheryl; Leffler, Cathy; Hood, Virginia L

2010-03-01

Family caregivers play a major role in maximizing the health and quality of life of more than 30 million individuals with acute and chronic illness. Patients depend on family caregivers for assistance with daily activities, managing complex care, navigating the health care system, and communicating with health care professionals. Physical, emotional and financial stress may increase caregiver vulnerability to injury and illness. Geographically distant family caregivers and health professionals in the role of family caregivers may suffer additional burdens. Physician recognition of the value of the caregiver role may contribute to a positive caregiving experience and decrease rates of patient hospitalization and institutionalization. However, physicians may face ethical challenges in partnering with patients and family caregivers while preserving the primacy of the patient-physician relationship. The American College of Physicians in conjunction with ten other professional societies offers ethical guidance to physicians in developing mutually supportive patient-physician-caregiver relationships.

Politics, Profit, and Psychiatric Diagnosis: A Case Study of Tobacco Use Disorder

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The idea of tobacco or nicotine dependence as a specific psychiatric diagnosis appeared in 1980 and has evolved through successive editions of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Not surprisingly, the tobacco industry attempted to challenge this diagnosis through behind-the-scenes influence. But another entity put corporate muscle into supporting the diagnosis—the pharmaceutical industry. Psychiatry’s ongoing professional challenges have left it vulnerable to multiple professional, social, and commercial forces. The example of tobacco use disorder illustrates that mental health concepts used to develop public health goals and policy need to be critically assessed. I review the conflicting commercial, professional, and political aims that helped to construct psychiatric diagnoses relating to smoking. This history suggests that a diagnosis regarding tobacco has as much to do with social and cultural circumstances as it does with science. PMID:25211741

Toward a Behavior of Reciprocity.

PubMed

Gernsbacher, Morton Ann

It is frequently believed that autism is characterized by a lack of social or emotional reciprocity. In this article, I question that assumption by demonstrating how many professionals-researchers and clinicians-and likewise many parents, have neglected the true meaning of reciprocity. Reciprocity is "a relation of mutual dependence or action or influence," or "a mode of exchange in which transactions take place between individuals who are symmetrically placed." Assumptions by clinicians and researchers suggest that they have forgotten that reciprocity needs to be mutual and symmetrical-that reciprocity is a two-way street. Research is reviewed to illustrate that when professionals, peers, and parents are taught to act reciprocally, autistic children become more responsive. In one randomized clinical trial of "reciprocity training" to parents, their autistic children's language developed rapidly and their social engagement increased markedly. Other demonstrations of how parents and professionals can increase their behavior of reciprocity are provided.

A Descriptive-Comparative Study of Professional Development and Observed Quality in Early Care and Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romeyn, Rebecca

2010-01-01

With over 12 million children enrolled in early care and education programming across the U.S., families with children under the age of 5 years old are dependent on these programs. Although highly important, little regulation exists regarding qualifications necessary for individuals to work in these programs. Consequently, individuals in the field…

Professional Development for ECEC Practitioners with Responsibilities for Children at Risk: Which Competences and In-Service Training Are Needed?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peeters, Jan; Sharmahd, Nima

2014-01-01

There is growing evidence among researchers and international organisations that quality of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), and ultimately the outcomes for children and families--especially disadvantaged ones--is dependent on well-educated and competent staff, and that a lack of higher pre-service training can be partly compensated by…

Knowing Me, Knowing You: Professional Development for Support Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulbeck, Joy

2009-01-01

Meeting the challenges of delivering a 21st-century curriculum and a world-class quality education ultimately depends on the willingness of the staff on the ground to give 100% effort to their jobs. Although many people in schools work very hard, some staff members are way down on the scale with regard to performance. All too often, a significant…

Using Competency-Based Evaluation to Drive Teacher Excellence: Lessons from Singapore. Building an Opportunity Culture for America's Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner, Lucy

2010-01-01

The United States' education system needs to take its critical next step: fairly and accurately measuring teacher performance. Successful reforms to teacher pay, career advancement, professional development, retention, and other human capital systems that lead to better student outcomes depend on it. Where can the U.S. find the best-practice…

Poetic Transcription with a Twist: An Approach to Reflective Practice through Connection, Collaboration and Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smart, Fiona

2017-01-01

Learning from experience is integral to professional development, with the processes by which it is expected and enabled, varying depending on context and discipline. There is general consensus that it does not just happen. Rather learning from experience is a deliberate act. In higher education, much attention is given to reflective practice and…

Science Professional Learning Communities: Beyond a singular view of teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, M. Gail; Gardner, Grant E.; Robertson, Laura; Robert, Sarah

2013-07-01

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are frequently being used as a vehicle to transform science education. This study explored elementary teachers' perceptions about the impact of participating in a science PLC on their own professional development. With the use of The Science Professional Learning Communities Survey and a semi-structured interview protocol, elementary teachers' perceptions of the goals of science PLCs, the constraints and benefits of participation in PLCs, and reported differences in the impact of PLC participation on novice and experienced teachers were examined. Sixty-five elementary teachers who participated in a science PLC were surveyed about their experiences, and a subsample of 16 teachers was interviewed. Results showed that most of the teachers reported their science PLC emphasized sharing ideas with other teachers as well as working to improve students' science standardized test scores. Teachers noted that the PLCs had impacted their science assessment practices as well as their lesson planning. However, a majority of the participants reported a differential impact of PLCs depending on a teacher's level of experience. PLCs were reported as being more beneficial to new teachers than experienced teachers. The interview results demonstrated that there were often competing goals and in some cases a loss of autonomy in planning science lessons. A significant concern was the impact of problematic interpersonal relationships and communication styles on the group functioning. The role of the PLC in addressing issues related to obtaining science resources and enhancing science content knowledge for elementary science teachers is discussed.

Breast-feeding support in Ireland: a qualitative study of health-care professionals' and women's views.

PubMed

Whelan, Barbara; Kearney, John M

2015-08-01

To examine women's experience of professional support for breast-feeding and health-care professionals' experience of providing support. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews among women with experience of breast-feeding and health-care professionals with infant feeding roles. Interviews with women were designed to explore their experience of support for breast-feeding antenatally, in hospital and postnatally. Interviews with health-care professionals were designed to explore their views on their role and experience in providing breast-feeding support. Interview transcripts were analysed using content analysis and aspects of Grounded Theory. Overarching themes and categories within the two sets were identified. Urban and suburban areas of North Dublin, Ireland. Twenty-two women all of whom had experience of breast-feeding and fifty-eight health-care professionals. Two overarching themes emerged and in each of these a number of categories were developed: theme 1, facilitators to breast-feeding support, within which being facilitated to breast-feed, having the right person at the right time, being discerning and breast-feeding support groups were discussed; and theme 2, barriers to breast-feeding support, within which time, conflicting information, medicalisation of breast-feeding and the role of health-care professionals in providing support for breast-feeding were discussed. Breast-feeding is being placed within a medical model of care in Ireland which is dependent on health-care professionals. There is a need for training around breast-feeding for all health-care professionals; however, they are limited in their support due to external barriers such as lack of time. Alternative support such as peer support workers should be provided.

Work Uncertainty and the Promotion of Professional Women: The Case of Law Firm Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorman, Elizabeth H.

2006-01-01

Work uncertainty may affect gender disparities in professionals' upward mobility in organizational hierarchies. Professional work involves three forms of uncertainty--problem variability, strategic indeterminacy and dependence on autonomous actors--that weaken the association between performance and ability, leading organizational decision-makers…

[Management of technology in intensive care].

PubMed

Madureira, C R; Veiga, K; Sant'ana, A F

2000-12-01

The lives of hospitalized patients depend on diagnostic-therapeutic procedures and on the care provided by the health team. It also depends on the quality and availability of factors such as: physical structure and material and human and financial resources. The need to optimize these resources and re-establish patients' health has brought about the Intensive Care Units (ICU), whose design must consider the physical environment and clinical equipment which are indispensable in health care. Aiming at identifying the level of knowledge of health professionals as to technical and operational information in equipment manuals and the perception of the interviewed professionals in relation to the adequacy of the physical and electrical installations of such units, we conducted a descriptive study in an ICU of a public hospital in Salvador, Brazil. The results show that such installations were considered to be unsuitable for the safe development of activities and that most of the health team members did not know the technical or operational specifications in the equipment manuals.

Registered Nurses' perceptions of their work and professional development.

PubMed

Hallin, Karin; Danielson, Ella

2008-01-01

This paper is a report of a study to elucidate Registered Nurses' perceptions of their work and professional development 6 years after graduation. Nursing education and health care has rapidly changed in the last two decades. Education and experience are important components in Registered Nurses' ability to promote a high quality of care, but a great deal depends on their work circumstances. This study emphasizes Registered Nurses' view of their work in health care, at a time in their career when they have several years of experience. Data were collected in 2003 from in-depth interviews with 15 Registered Nurses 6 years after their graduation. The interviews were semi-structured and analysed with interpretive content analysis. The findings revealed two themes and five sub-themes. The first theme, An appropriate but demanding profession, consisted of two sub-themes: 'having found one's niche' and 'growing old in nursing may be difficult'. The second theme, A profession with opportunities and obstacles, consisted of three sub-themes: 'being aware of Registered Nurses' potential', 'having knowledge that is seldom made use of' and 'attaining professional growth is no matter of course'. Keeping Registered Nurses' satisfied and avoiding their dissatisfaction is crucial for both educators and employers. It is essential that employers give priority to Registered Nurses' time with patients and to motivate and support them in professional development. Further intervention studies regarding a change of the balance between obstacles and opportunities are needed.

Quantitative Analysis of Non-Financial Motivators and Job Satisfaction of Information Technology Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mieszczak, Gina L.

2013-01-01

Organizations depend extensively on Information Technology professionals to drive and deliver technology solutions quickly, efficiently, and effectively to achieve business goals and profitability. It has been demonstrated that professionals with experience specific to the company are valuable assets, and their departure puts technology projects…

Professional Supervision as Storied Experience: Narrative Analysis Findings for Australian-Based Registered Music Therapists.

PubMed

Kennelly, Jeanette D; Baker, Felicity A; Daveson, Barbara A

2017-03-01

Limited research exists to inform a music therapist's supervision story from their pre-professional training to their practice as a professional. Evidence is needed to understand the complex nature of supervision experiences and their impact on professional practice. This qualitative study explored the supervisory experiences of Australian-based Registered Music Therapists, according to the: 1) themes that characterize their experiences, 2) influences of the supervisor's professional background, 3) outcomes of supervision, and 4) roles of the employer, the professional music therapy association, and the university in supervision standards and practice. Seven professionals were interviewed for this study. Five stages of narrative analysis were used to create their supervision stories: a life course graph, narrative psychological analysis, component story framework and narrative analysis, analysis of narratives, and final integration of the seven narrative summaries. Findings revealed that supervision practice is influenced by a supervisee's personal and professional needs. A range of supervision models or approaches is recommended, including the access of supervisors from different professional backgrounds to support each stage of learning and development. A quality supervisory experience facilitates shifts in awareness and insight, which results in improved or increased skills, confidence, and accountability of practice. Participants' concern about stakeholders included a limited understanding of the role of the supervisor, a lack of clarity about accountability of supervisory practice, and minimal guidelines, which monitor professional competencies. The benefits of supervision in music therapy depend on the quality of the supervision provided, and clarity about the roles of those involved. Research and guidelines are recommended to target these areas. © the American Music Therapy Association 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Professionalization and public health: historical legacies, continuing dilemmas.

PubMed

Starr, Paul

2009-11-01

Professionalization in public health reflects wider institutional and political forces. Depending on the historical context in different countries, public health has developed as a medical specialty or as an independent field, entirely within the state or in mixed public-private institutions, closely or weakly tied to social movements, and in varying relations to fields such as engineering, nursing, environmental science, and the military. In early 20th-century America, the rise of the medical profession and the biomedical model of disease had a formative influence on public health, leading to a different institutional pattern from Britain. Public health in the United States emerged (1) largely outside the medical profession, but under the sway of the biomedical model; (2) without medicine's command of an exclusive jurisdiction and high status; and (3) with a limited role in healthcare organization and planning. Professionalism in public health continues to be subjected to contradictory pressures and uncertainties. Healthcare reform, bioterrorism, and environmental crises could expand its mandate and access to resources, but conflicts with other institutions are likely to result in limits on the capacity of public health professionals to assert an exclusive jurisdiction.

[Development of nursing pratice in family medecine groups].

PubMed

D'Amour, Danielle; Goudreau, Johanne; Hudon, Eveline; Beaulieu, Marie-Dominique; Lamothe, Lise; Jobin, Guy; Gilbert, Frédéric

2008-01-01

The purpose of the study was to analyze the development of nursing practice in family medicine groups (FMGs). The two-year case study consisted of 73 semi-directed interviews ofnurses, physicians and managers in five FMGs. The findings led to three main observations: nursing practice varies considerably from one FMG to another, the development of nurses' practice seems to be associated with the development of a collaborative relationship, and the satisfaction of the professionals in the FMG, nurses in particular, depends on the type of practice. It is important to implement measures to encourage the optimal use ofnurses' skills in a FMG.

[Post-partum: Guidelines for clinical practice--Short text].

PubMed

Sénat, M-V; Sentilhes, L; Battut, A; Benhamou, D; Bydlowski, S; Chantry, A; Deffieux, X; Diers, F; Doret, M; Ducroux-Schouwey, C; Fuchs, F; Gascoin, G; Lebot, C; Marcellin, L; Plu-Bureau, G; Raccah-Tebeka, B; Simon, E; Bréart, G; Marpeau, L

2015-12-01

To determine the post-partum management of women and their newborn whatever the mode of delivery. The PubMed database, the Cochrane Library and the recommendations from the French and foreign obstetrical societies or colleges have been consulted. Because breastfeeding is associated with a decrease in neonatal morbidity (lower frequency of cardiovascular diseases, infectious, atopic or infantile obesity) (EL2) and an improvement in the cognitive development of children (EL2), exclusive and extended breastfeeding is recommended (grade B) between 4 to 6 months (Professional consensus). In order to increase the rate of breastfeeding initiation and its duration, it is recommended that health professionals work closely with mothers in their project (grade A) and to promote breastfeeding on demand (grade B). There is no scientific evidence to recommend non-pharmacological measures of inhibition of lactation (Professional consensus). Pharmacological treatments for inhibition of lactation should not be given routinely to women who do not wish to breastfeed (Professional consensus). Because of potentially serious adverse effects, bromocriptin is contraindicated in inhibiting lactation (Professional consensus). For women aware of the risks of pharmacological treatment of inhibition of lactation, lisuride and cabergolin are the preferred drugs (Professional consensus). Whatever the mode of delivery, numeration blood count is not systematically recommended in a general population (Professional consensus). Anemia must be sought only in women with bleeding or symptoms of anemia (Professional consensus). The only treatment of post-dural puncture headache is the blood patch (EL2), it must not be carried out before 48 h (Professional consensus). Women vaccination status and their family is to be assessed in the early post-partum (Professional consensus). Immediate postoperative monitoring after caesarean delivery should be performed in the recovery room, but in exceptional circumstances, it may be performed in the delivery unit provided safety rules are maintained and regulatory authorities are informed (Professional consensus). An analgesic multimodal protocol developed by the medical team should be available and oral way should be favored (Professional consensus) (grade B). For every cesarean delivery, thromboprophylaxis with elastic stockings applied on the morning of the surgery and kept for at least 7 postoperative days is recommended (Professional consensus) with or without the addition of LMWH according to the presence or not of additional risk factors, and depending on the risk factor (major, minor). Early postoperative rehabilitation is encouraged (Professional consensus). Postpartum visit should be planned 6 to 8 weeks after delivery and can be performed by an obstetrician, a gynecologist, a general practitioner or a midwife, after normal pregnancy and delivery (Professional consensus). Starting effective contraception later 21 days after delivery in women who do not want closely spaced pregnancy is recommended (grade B), and to prescribe it at the maternity (Professional consensus). According to the postpartum risk of venous thromboembolism, the combined hormonal contraceptive use before six postpartum weeks is not recommended (grade B). Rehabilitation in asymptomatic women in order to prevent urinary or anal incontinence in medium or long-term is not recommended (Expert consensus). Pelvic-floor rehabilitation using pelvic-floor muscle contraction exercises is recommended to treat persistent urinary incontinence at 3 months postpartum (grade A), regardless of the type of incontinence. Postpartum pelvic-floor rehabilitation is recommended to treat anal incontinence (grade C). Postpartum pelvic-floor rehabilitation is not recommended to treat or prevent prolapse (grade C) or dyspareunia (grade C). The optimal time for maternity discharge for low risk newborn depends more on the organisation of the post-discharge follow up (Professional consensus). The months following the birth are a transitional period, and psychological alterations concern all parents (EL2). It is more difficult in case of psychosocial risk factors (EL2). In situations of proven psychological difficulties, the impact on the psycho-emotional development of children can be important (EL3). Among these difficulties, postpartum depression is the most common situation. However, the risk is generally higher in the perinatal period for all mental disorders (EL3). Postpartum is, for clinicians, a unique and privileged opportunity to address the physical, psychological, social and somatic health of their patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Theory and practice in the construction of professional identity in nursing students: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Arreciado Marañón, Antonia; Isla Pera, Ma Pilar

2015-07-01

The problem of nurses' professional identity continues to be seen in the disjunction between theoretical training and clinical placements. Moreover, it is not known how nursing students perceive these contradictions or how this discrepancy influences the construction of professional identity. To gain insight into nursing students' perception of their theoretical and practical training and how this training influences the process of constructing their professional identity. Qualitative, ethnographic study. Third-year nursing students at the l'Escola Universitària d'Infermeria Vall d'Hebron de Barcelona. Participant observation was conducted in the hospital setting and primary care. Discussion groups were held. The constant comparative method was used for the analysis. The study adhered to the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Students believed that both theoretical and practical trainings were indispensable. Nevertheless, clinical placements were considered essential to confer sense to the theory and to shape their identity, as they helped student nurses to experience their future professional reality and to compare it with what they had been taught in theoretical and academic classes. The role of the clinical placement mentor was essential. With regard to theory, the skills developed in problem-based learning gave novice nurses' confidence to approach the problems of daily practice and new situations. Equally, this approach taught them to reflect on what they did and what they were taught and this ability was transferred to the clinical setting. For students, both strategies (theory and practice) are vital to nursing education and the construction of a professional identity, although pride of place is given to clinical placements and mentors. The skills developed with problem-based learning favor active and reflective learning and are transferred to learning in the clinical setting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leading Professional Learning to Develop Professional Capital: The Saskatchewan Professional Development Unit's Facilitator Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osmond-Johnson, Pamela

2017-01-01

Drawing on data from a mixed methods study of the Saskatchewan Professional Development Unit's (SPDU) Facilitator Community, this paper highlights the potential of teacher-led professional learning in developing professional capital through engagement in teacher leadership. Analysis of survey, interview, and observational data revealed the…

34 CFR 263.1 - What is the Professional Development program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What is the Professional Development program? 263.1... Development Program § 263.1 What is the Professional Development program? (a) The Professional Development... Professional Development program requires individuals who receive training to— (1) Perform work related to the...

An Exploration of Autonetnography as an eResearch Methodology to Examine Learning and Teaching Scholarship in Networked Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Lyz

2016-01-01

As an experienced face-to-face teacher, working in a small Crown Dependency with no Higher Education Institute (HEI) to call its own, the subsequent geographical and professional isolation in the context of Networked Learning (NL), as a sub-set of eLearning, calls for innovative ways in which to develop self-reliant methods of professional…

Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin (MIPB). Volume 37, Number 2, April-June 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

holds an MA in Anthropology from California State University, Fullerton. 14 Military Intelligence “Harder to Do Than I Thought” Developing...intelligence is anthropological intelligence, no matter what forms it may take. Intelligence is an- thropological because it defi nes what it means...enlightenment. What we anthropologically call culture underlies and contextualizes all of our intelligence. We are culturally dependent creatures of

STEM professional development: What's going on from the presenters' and participants' perspectives?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Randi

This study was designed to explore elementary STEM professional development viewed from the presenters' and participants' perspectives. Numerous committees and educational organizations recommend investing in STEM professional development at the local, state, and national level. This investment must begin with research that inquires how STEM professional development is structured and what is needed for teacher and student success. Since there is a recent STEM education push in schools, elementary teachers need effective professional development in order to gain the necessary content, skills, confidence, and pedagogy required for those changing demands. This qualitative study embraced. Yin's case study methodology by observing short-duration STEM professional development for elementary teachers within a large metropolitan school system and an educational professional development agency. The study discussed the analysis and findings in the context of Bandura's sources of efficacy and Desimone's critical features of professional development. Data were gathered form professional development observations, presenter interviews, and participant interviews. The research questions for this study included: (a) based on Desimone's (2009) framework for professional development, what does content focused, active learning, coherence, duration, and collective participation look like in initial STEM professional development for elementary teachers? (b) are Bandura's (1997) four sources of self- efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and affective states evidenced within the short duration professional development? and (c) how do these two frameworks align between presenter and participant thoughts and actions? This study uncovered additional sources of efficacy are present in short-duration STEM professional development. These found sources include coherence, content, and active learning delivered in a definitive order. The findings of this study have implications for educators, policy makers, and developers of professional development. Future research is needed to add to the small body of literature about STEM professional development, specifically research to fully understand the structure of STEM professional development and how this differs for other areas of learning.

Developing a modern standard to define and assess professionalism in trainees.

PubMed

Schwartz, Ann C; Kotwicki, Raymond J; McDonald, William M

2009-01-01

Assessing professionalism in medical education poses many challenges. The authors discuss common themes and principles in managing professionalism in medical education. The authors review the development of standards of professionalism in medical education. They define educational goals for professionalism and also discuss the practical problems with assessing professionalism and addressing it with the trainees. Strategies for remediation of unprofessional conduct are outlined. Given the importance of role models in the development of professional behavior, maintaining an environment that fosters professionalism is an implicit feature of teaching professionalism. Professionalism should be a part of the objectives for each course and clinical rotation, using clearly defined goals and objectives. Assessment of professionalism should begin early and be conducted frequently, giving trainees the opportunity to change. A formal mentoring system can be an effective mechanism to develop role models and teach professionalism. Teaching professionalism through formal curricula is paramount in helping develop new generations of compassionate and responsible physicians. Additional strategies such as consistent role modeling of professional behaviors are also needed to encourage the development of professional physicians.

Rheumatology in Africa-challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Mody, Girish M

2017-03-07

Africa faces many health challenges despite sustained growth and development over the past decade. Contributory factors are the lack of financial resources, an inadequate health professional workforce, a high burden of communicable diseases, and an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. Rheumatology services are limited or non-existent in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past decade, partnerships with international academic institutions have resulted in some progress in the training of rheumatologists and health professionals and development of rheumatology services in countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia. Basic diagnostic tests, biological agents, and arthroplasty are either unavailable or not affordable by the majority of the population. Urbanization has resulted in a change in the epidemiology of rheumatic diseases with an increase in the prevalence of gout, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and scleroderma over the past four decades. Future growth of rheumatology services will depend on identifying committed individuals in underserved countries for training and supporting them to educate medical students, physicians, and health professionals in their home countries. There is a need to develop models of care using all categories of health workers and identify prevention strategies and cost-effective management programs for low resource settings. Africa affords an opportunity for collaborative research, including genetic and epigenetic studies, to improve our understanding of many of the rheumatic diseases.

Basic Beliefs About Behavioural Addictions Among Finnish and French Treatment Professionals.

PubMed

Koski-Jännes, Anja; Simmat-Durand, Laurence

2017-12-01

The ways in which addictive behaviours are perceived may decisively influence the ways they are handled. This study explores how treatment professionals' cultural and other background variables influence their beliefs about gambling and Internet addictions. Mailed surveys were conducted with addiction treatment professionals in Finland (n = 520) in 2007-2008 and France (n = 472) in 2010-2011. The data were analysed by descriptive statistical methods and logistic regression analysis. Cultural differences were the most consistent predictors of the responses concerning gambling and Internet addictions. The French professionals assessed the dependence risk in these behaviours as higher (P < 0.001) and they believed less than the Finns in the power of treatment (P < 0.001). The latter attributed more responsibility to the individual for solving these non-substance addictions (P < 0.001). The general views of gambling and Internet addictions mostly resembled each other but they varied with culture. The Finnish professionals' lower concern for the risk of dependence and the French professionals' distrust in treatment together with both groups' tendency to blame the individual for becoming addicted may all reduce professionals' willingness to help people who require treatment for their behavioural addictions.

Shaping parents: impact of contrasting professional counseling on parents' decision making for children with disorders of sex development.

PubMed

Streuli, Jürg C; Vayena, Effy; Cavicchia-Balmer, Yvonne; Huber, Johannes

2013-08-01

The management of disorders or differences of sex development (DSD) remains complex, especially with respect to parents' decision for or against early genitoplasty. Most parents still tend to disfavor postponing surgery until the child is old enough to provide consent. To identify the determinants of parental decisions for or against early sex assignment surgery in DSD children, and in particular to assess the influence of contrasting behavior of health-care professionals and the information they dispense. Preliminary data analysis from a focus group identified two broad approaches to counseling information. Two six-minute counseling videos were produced on this basis: one medicalized, by an endocrinologist, the other demedicalized, by a psychologist. Third-year medical students (N = 89) were randomized to watch either video as prospective parents and report its impact on their decision in a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analysis of questionnaire responses regarding decisions for or against surgery, including self-assessed impact of potential determinants. Thirty-eight of eighty-nine "parents" (43%) chose early surgery for "their" child, including 27/41 "parents" (66%) shown the medicalized video vs. 11/48 (23%) shown the demedicalized video (P < 0.001). Desired aims for "their" child also differed significantly depending on the counseling approach viewed. Yet "parents" perceived their personal attitudes on a four-point Likert scale as the main influence on their decision although their "attitude" was significantly shaped by the video. Parental decisions concerning early sex assignment surgery for DSD children depend on the health professional counseling received, to a degree of which neither parents nor professionals appear fully aware. In the absence of conclusive data for or against early surgery, there is a danger of medicalized or demedicalized parentalism resulting in irreversible and inadequately grounded decisions, regardless of the consensus statement of 2005 and the subsequent call for multidisciplinary management. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Maximizing competence through professional development: increasing disability knowledge among One-Stop Career Center staff.

PubMed

Hall, Allison Cohen; Timmons, Jaimie Ciulla; Boeltzig, Heike; Hamner, Doris; Fesko, Sheila

2006-01-01

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (USA) mandates that partners in the One-Stop Career Center system be prepared to serve a diverse customer base. Effective service delivery depends in part on a focus on human resources and professional development. This article presents innovative strategies for One-Stop Career Center staff training related to serving customers with disabilities. Findings from case study research conducted in several One-Stops across the country revealed that staff struggled with both knowledge and attitudes around disability issues. To address these concerns, local leaders developed practices that provided opportunities to gain practical skills and put acquired knowledge to use. These included a formalized curriculum focused on disability issues; informal support and consultation from a disability specialist; and exposure and learning through internships for students with disabilities. Implications are offered to stimulate thinking and creativity in local One-Stops regarding the most effective ways to facilitate staff learning and, in turn, improve services for customers with disabilities.

A Model of Sustainability for Professional Organizations: Using a Learning Management System to Offer Continuing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparrow, Gregory S.

2017-01-01

Professional membership organizations have long maintained their exposure and revenue stream through a variety of traditional avenues, most notably memberships, sponsored conferences, and professional journals. The synergy of this three-tiered model has depended on a certain enhanced status derived from membership benefits and proprietary…

What Professionals Think about Offenders with Learning Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cant, Richard; Standen, Penny

2007-01-01

There is evidence that people with learning disabilities who offend are treated differently within the criminal justice system compared to non-disabled offenders. As their treatment depends on decisions made by professionals within the criminal justice system, this study set out to explore the attitudes of these professionals. Semi-structured…

Literacy-Related Professional Development Preferences of Secondary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Shara L.; Lee, Elizabeth A.

2014-01-01

A survey of 100 teachers in one Ontario school board examined their literacy-related professional development preferences. The majority preferred short durations of literacy-related professional development. A small number did not want any literacy-related professional development. The most preferred forms of professional development were shared…

Developing the Developers: Supporting and Researching the Learning of Professional Development Facilitators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Emily; Boylan, Mark

2018-01-01

Research on teacher professional development is extensive but there are fewer studies about the practitioners who facilitate professional development. Here we report on a pilot programme for professional development facilitators rooted in a cycle of action research. Informed by a categorisation of professional knowledge and skills of facilitators,…

Professional development for primary science teaching in Thailand: Knowledge, orientations, and practices of professional developers and professional development participants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musikul, Kusalin

The purpose of this study was to examine an entire PD project as a case to understand the dynamic nature of science PD in a holistic manner. I used a pedagogical content knowledge model by Magnusson, Krajcik, and Borko (1999) as my theoretical framework in examining the professional developers' and teacher participants' knowledge, orientation, and practice for professional development and elementary science teaching. The case study is my research tradition; I used grounded theory for data analysis. The primary data sources were interview, card sort activity, and observation field notes collected during the PD and subsequently in teacher participants' classrooms. Secondary data sources were documents and artifacts that I collected from the professional developers and teachers. An analysis of the data led me to interpret the following findings: (a) the professional developers displayed multiple orientations. These orientations included activity-driven, didactic, discovery, and pedagogy-driven orientations. The orientations that were found among the professional developers deviated from the reformed Thai Science Education Standards; (b) the professional developers had limited PCK for PD, which were knowledge of teachers' learning, knowledge of PD strategies, knowledge of PD curriculum, and knowledge of assessment.; (c) the professional developers' knowledge and orientations influenced their decisions in selecting PD activities and teaching approaches; (d) their orientations and PCK as well as the time factor influenced the design and implementation of the professional development; (e) the elementary teachers displayed didactic, activity-driven, and academic rigor orientations. The orientations that the teachers displayed deviated from the reformed Thai Science Education Standards; and (f) the elementary teachers exhibited limited PCK. It is evident that the limitation of one type of knowledge resulted in an ineffective use of other components of PCK. This study demonstrates the nature of PD in the context of Thailand in a holistic view to understand knowledge, orientation, and implementation of professional developers and professional development participants. Furthermore, the findings have implications for professional development and professional developers in Thailand and include worldwide with respect to promoting sustain and intensive professional development and developing professional developers.

Conceptualizing and Evaluating Professional Development for School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldring, Ellen B.; Preston, Courtney; Huff, Jason

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present a review of the field of professional development for school leaders. The paper sets out a framework for defining what professional development is, articulates criteria to define "high quality" professional development, and describes goals for professional development. It then critiques the research on…

34 CFR 263.3 - What definitions apply to the Professional Development program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Professional Development... Professional Development Program § 263.3 What definitions apply to the Professional Development program? The following definitions apply to the Professional Development program: Bureau-funded school means a Bureau...

34 CFR 263.4 - What training costs may a Professional Development program include?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What training costs may a Professional Development... GRANT PROGRAMS Professional Development Program § 263.4 What training costs may a Professional Development program include? (a) A Professional Development program may include, as training costs, assistance...

34 CFR 263.4 - What training costs may a Professional Development program include?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What training costs may a Professional Development... GRANT PROGRAMS Professional Development Program § 263.4 What training costs may a Professional Development program include? (a) A Professional Development program may include, as training costs, assistance...

Business Educators' Perceptions of the Impact of Their Professional Development on Classroom Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shumack, Kellie A.; Forde, Connie M.

2011-01-01

Objective: This research investigated teachers' perceptions of the impact of professional development on the classroom instruction of secondary business teachers and the relationship between the impact of professional development and the number of hours spent in professional development. Background: Quality professional development for teachers…

IT Knowledge Requirements Identification in Organizational Networks: Cooperation Between Industrial Organizations and Universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudzajs, Peteris; Kirikova, Marite

ICT professionals face rapid technology development, changes in design paradigms, methodologies, approaches, and cooperation patterns. These changes impact relationships between universities that teach ICT disciplines and industrial organizations that develop and use ICT-based products. The required knowledge and skills of university graduates depend mainly on the current industrial situation; therefore the university graduates have to meet industry requirements which are stated at the time point of their graduation, not at the start of their studies. Continuous cooperation between universities and industrial organizations is needed to identify a time and situation-dependent set of knowledge requirements, which lead to situation aware, industry acknowledged, balanced and productive ICT study programs. This chapter proposes information systems solutions supporting cooperation between the university and the industrial organizations with respect to curriculum development in ICT area.

Transitioning Towards New Ways of Working: Do Job Demands, Job Resources, Burnout, and Engagement Change?

PubMed

Van Steenbergen, Elianne F; van der Ven, Cilia; Peeters, Maria C W; Taris, Toon W

2017-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a mandatory transition to New Ways of Working (NWW) on employees' job demands (i.e., mental demands, workload, and task ambiguity), job resources (i.e., autonomy, supervisor support, coworker support, and possibilities for development), and their levels of burnout and work engagement. Additionally, it was investigated whether the effects of the transition depended on employees' personal resources (Psychological Capital-PsyCap). Design/methodology/approach We investigated an organization in transition. In three waves (one before and two after the transition), data were collected via online surveys among 126 employees of a large Dutch provider of financial services. Findings NWW were beneficial in reducing mental demands and workload and did not harm the relationships with supervisor and coworkers. However, autonomy and possibilities for professional development decreased. Burnout and work engagement remained stable over time. The effects of the transition did not depend on employees' PsyCap. Implications NWW have received a very positive popular press. Scientific evidence for its beneficial and/or adverse effects on worker well-being can help organizations making an informed decision when considering NWW. Moreover, this can help to develop targeted interventions that alleviate the negative consequences (e.g., paying extra attention to professional development). Originality/value This is one of the first longitudinal studies in which employees were followed who transitioned to NWW. Building on the Job Demands-Resources model, this study provides a comprehensive picture of the effects of NWW.

Health professionals' perspectives on children's and young people's participation in health care: a qualitative multihospital study.

PubMed

Schalkers, Inge; Parsons, Cathleen S; Bunders, Joske F G; Dedding, Christine

2016-04-01

To investigate healthcare professionals' perspectives on child participation in paediatric hospital care and their opinions on improving participation practices. Some scholars argue that the decision-making capacities of children largely depend on the attitudes of healthcare professionals rather than on the children's own competences. Healthcare professionals' perspectives on children's participation in hospital care remain largely unexplored. Qualitative descriptive design. Healthcare professionals (n = 32) from 10 paediatric wards in the Netherlands participated in semi-structured interviews. Shier's Pathways to Participation model (2001) was used to guide the interviews. Participation is not a term that is frequently used by professionals; however, they feel familiar with the ideas underlying the term, and it is perceived as being at the core of their work. Professionals believe that high levels of participation are possible in basic care for children. Participation in medical decision-making is considered to be more complex and subject to a number of reservations and restrictions. The participants expressed a strong need to enhance child participation in service evaluation and to increase the respect for and understanding of the rights of children to participate outside of the paediatric unit, including in the surgery and emergency departments. Children do not currently participate in the assessment of hospital services. Creative methods that support the role of children in evaluating and improving the quality of paediatric hospital care and services should be developed. Hospital-wide policies could help to promote understanding of child participation among all professionals caring for children in hospitals. Based on international agreements that the Netherlands has ratified, professionals have the duty to facilitate child participation in hospital care. Concrete opportunities and ideas on how to accomplish this goal in practice are provided, and areas for improvement are identified. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evidence synthesis and guideline development in genomic medicine: current status and future prospects.

PubMed

Schully, Sheri D; Lam, Tram Kim; Dotson, W David; Chang, Christine Q; Aronson, Naomi; Birkeland, Marian L; Brewster, Stephanie Jo; Boccia, Stefania; Buchanan, Adam H; Calonge, Ned; Calzone, Kathleen; Djulbegovic, Benjamin; Goddard, Katrina A B; Klein, Roger D; Klein, Teri E; Lau, Joseph; Long, Rochelle; Lyman, Gary H; Morgan, Rebecca L; Palmer, Christina G S; Relling, Mary V; Rubinstein, Wendy S; Swen, Jesse J; Terry, Sharon F; Williams, Marc S; Khoury, Muin J

2015-01-01

With the accelerated implementation of genomic medicine, health-care providers will depend heavily on professional guidelines and recommendations. Because genomics affects many diseases across the life span, no single professional group covers the entirety of this rapidly developing field. To pursue a discussion of the minimal elements needed to develop evidence-based guidelines in genomics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute jointly held a workshop to engage representatives from 35 organizations with interest in genomics (13 of which make recommendations). The workshop explored methods used in evidence synthesis and guideline development and initiated a dialogue to compare these methods and to assess whether they are consistent with the Institute of Medicine report "Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust." The participating organizations that develop guidelines or recommendations all had policies to manage guideline development and group membership, and processes to address conflicts of interests. However, there was wide variation in the reliance on external reviews, regular updating of recommendations, and use of systematic reviews to assess the strength of scientific evidence. Ongoing efforts are required to establish criteria for guideline development in genomic medicine as proposed by the Institute of Medicine.

Male nurses and chemical dependency: masterminding the nursing environment.

PubMed

Dittman, Patricia Welch

2008-01-01

Florida men in nursing who are chemically dependent represent a greater percentage of the total number of male nurses than female nurses who are chemically dependent. This study identifies characteristics of 9 men who completed the Florida Intervention Project for Nurses. All participants were interviewed independently and data were analyzed to determine common themes in their behaviors and relationships and how they successfully manipulated professional nursing systems to remain professionally active for prolonged period of time while impaired. A model of caring for nurses with professional impairment graphically depicted the interaction of 2 overarching themes of person and profession. The person theme had 3 subthemes of predetermined risk, altered values, and sensation-seeking behaviors. The profession theme had 6 subthemes of masterminding, professional heteronomy, getting caught, rehabilitation, spirituality, and the nurse becoming the nursed. Findings imply that chemical dependency among male nurses starts in childhood in an abusive family environment and continues throughout the educational process and into the work environment. Findings supporting diversion success include a lack of awareness of the signs and symptoms of impairment by supervisors, poor compliance to drug control procedures, and a common acceptance by peers that impaired men are clinically competent and clinical leaders. When these 3 situations are present, there is greater success in masterminding daily events to maintain undetected drug access.

Teaching practices and professional development of biology professors at small, private, liberal arts colleges in the Southeast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallory, Sarah Elizabeth Bradford

Science teaching in pre-college institutions has been undergoing reform in recent years, particularly since 1996, when the National Science Education Standards were published. This reform includes inquiry-based teaching, student-centered classrooms, authentic assessment, and collaborative learning. Professional development is also recommended in the Standards document as the means for preparing teachers for reform-based teaching in pre-college classrooms. In post-secondary institutions, there is no curriculum-governing body to institute reform, and college faculty have devised their own standards and methods for teaching science, most often in the form of lecture and traditional procedure-driven laboratory exercises. This study was conducted to find examples of reform-based biology teaching in small, private, liberal arts colleges in the Southeast, where teaching innovations may be more likely to occur due to the size and independence of the schools. Professional development opportunities were also examined, since these would be important in the development of new curricula and methods of teaching. Data were collected from 151 participants, representing 78.3% of these colleges in eight southeastern states, by survey and from three volunteers by on-site interviews. Teaching was the main responsibility reported by all respondents, with both lower and upper level biology courses taught by all participants. Significant differences were found in the use of reform-based teaching in lower level biology courses versus upper level biology courses. Overall average use of inquiry-based teaching was 70.5%, while student-centered learning was reported on average by 57% of respondents, authentic assessment was reported on average by 56.6% of respondents, and collaborative learning was reported on average by 56% of respondents. Professional development opportunities most frequently used were reported to be journal, books, and videotapes. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that professional development which involves contact with colleagues at other institutions explained the variance in teaching practices in the simplest model, although much of the variance in the dependent variables of teaching practices remains unexplained. Qualitative data from the survey and also from interviews with volunteers served to further explain and corroborate the quantitative findings.

From Novice to Seasoned Practitioner: a Qualitative Investigation of Genetic Counselor Professional Development.

PubMed

Zahm, Kimberly Wehner; Veach, Patricia McCarthy; Martyr, Meredith A; LeRoy, Bonnie S

2016-08-01

Research on genetic counselor professional development would characterize typical developmental processes, inform training and supervision, and promote life-long development opportunities. To date, however no studies have comprehensively examined this phenomenon. The aims of this study were to investigate the nature of professional development for genetic counselors (processes, influences, and outcomes) and whether professional development varies across experience levels. Thirty-four genetic counselors participated in semi-structured telephone interviews exploring their perspectives on their professional development. Participants were sampled from three levels of post-degree genetic counseling experience: novice (0-5 years), experienced (6-14 years), and seasoned (>15 years). Using modified Consensual Qualitative Research and grounded theory methods, themes, domains, and categories were extracted from the data. The themes reflect genetic counselors' evolving perceptions of their professional development and its relationship to: (a) being a clinician, (b) their professional identity, and (c) the field itself. Across experience levels, prevalent influences on professional development were interpersonal (e.g., experiences with patients, genetic counseling colleagues) and involved professional and personal life events. Common developmental experiences included greater confidence and less anxiety over time, being less information-driven and more emotion-focused with patients, delivering "bad news" to patients remains challenging, and individuals' professional development experiences parallel genetic counseling's development as a field. With a few noteworthy exceptions, professional development was similar across experience levels. A preliminary model of genetic counselor professional development is proposed suggesting development occurs in a non-linear fashion throughout the professional lifespan. Each component of the model mutually influences the others, and there are positive and negative avenues of development.

John Grant and the multifaceted nature of true professionalism: Personal perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baer, Donald R.; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Fulghum, Julia E.

Consideration of the elements that contribute to professional and scientific impact is relevant in a volume honoring John Grant for two reasons. First, John has contributed in many ways to both advancing the methodology and the practical application of surface-analytical tools to understanding surfaces and interfaces of technological importance. The second reason is a little more complex. In an era when there is an effort to quantify contributions in various ways (e.g., citations, H-index, number of publications) and when social media seems, at least anecdotally, to lead a younger generation of scientists to be less involved in traditional professional activities,more » it is appropriate to examine the nature of the activities that make a lasting contribution to the advancement of science and technology and the professional community that makes progress possible. The multifaceted nature of John’s professional activities provides an appropriate background for exploring the nature of professionalism. With no reservations one can say that the foundation of professionalism is rooted in a scientist’s expertise in some area of research or practice. This expertise might be measured in numerous ways depending upon the field and could include numbers of publications, citations, patents, problems solved, research support obtained, or students produced. These “products” may or may not be readily visible to the community at large. Chuck Wagner – a pioneer in XPS, developer of an empirical set of XPS sensitivity factors and the modified Auger-parameter plot, and winner of the AVS Nerken Award in 1989 – observed that he could not publish or talk about 90% of the work he had done when working for Shell Oil. However, based on XPS capability developments that he could publish, he had a major impact on the development and application of XPS. To some degree John Grant’s research fits this model as well. Much of his early work at the Air Force Materials Research Laboratory was directed at solving materials problems and this important and often ground-breaking work was not published. However, a great deal of creativity and development was required to enable surface-sensitive tools such as AES and XPS to become useful for solving critical problems, and this work could be published.« less

Report to the Legislature: Professional Development Expenditures. Line-Item 7061-0008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This paper presents the "Report to the Legislature: Professional Development Expenditures". All public school districts report professional development expenditures as part of the required End of Year Financial Report in four areas: professional development leadership, teacher/instructional staff professional days, substitute salaries…

Midwives' motivation for continuing education.

PubMed

Laszlo, H; Strettle, R J

1996-10-01

This study examined midwives' motivations for continuing their education by conducting a survey amongst a sample population of midwives, employed in 4 Health Authorities in the North West of England. The survey was carried out using a questionnaire which asked midwives to indicate the 'importance' of a series of requirements of continuing education. Of 120 midwives who received the questionnaire, 83 (69%) replied. Motivational factors included: learning for professional and personal development; fulfilling legal or statutory practice requirement, or as a social activity. The results showed that motivation for continuing education was strongest in relation to professional competence and an innate desire for knowledge. Where personal development was achieved, the emphasis was to promote professional advancement rather than social interaction. Less emphasis was placed on fulfilling the legal requirements for practice. The strongest motivators were learning orientated, which suggests that the subjects were self-directed to fulfil their needs, based on a desire to learn, this being less dependent on external motivators, which may be activated by statutory or employer requirements. Social interaction was seen as the least important aspect, although subjects found it beneficial to meet colleagues from other areas and felt that they learnt from exchanging views about various clinical practices.

Career choice, pathways and continuing professional development of dental nurses at one institution.

PubMed

Durkan, C; Belsi, A; Johnson, R; Gallagher, J

2012-07-27

To explore the career pathways and continuing professional development of dental nurses employed at one institution relative to the scope of practice. A questionnaire exploring career pathways and continuing professional development of dental nurses was compiled and delivered to clinical departments. Responses were entered onto SPSS v17 for analysis. Ninety-eight percent (n = 64) of available nurses responded to the questionnaire survey. Eighty percent (n = 51) of the dental nurses were aged between 25 and 44 years, and 95% (n = 61) were female. The ethnicity of the workforce varied; 58% (n = 37) were White and this consequently constituted the largest ethnic group in the workforce. The dental nurses reported that they chose their profession for a wide variety of reasons, the most common one being the opportunity to progress in the dental sector. Before commencing training 38% (n = 24) were aware of their options for progression; this increased subsequent to training with between 55% (n = 35) and 66% (n = 42), depending on the option, stating that they were aware of their options for progression. Eighty-three percent (n = 53) were trained in an additional skill and all of those who were not (n = 11) stated that they would like this training. Conscious sedation was the most frequently possessed additional skill and radiography was the additional skill in which the highest proportion would like to be trained. Personal satisfaction was the most significant factor affecting the willingness of the workforce to pursue career progression. The findings suggest that amongst dental nurses employed in one institution there is evidence that the majority benefit from continuing professional development opportunities, possess additional skills and are motivated to further their skills and progress in their careers.

Considering Professional Identity to Enhance Agriculture Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoulders, Catherine W.; Myers, Brian E.

2011-01-01

The professional identity secondary agriculture teachers display can affect their receptiveness and interest in different professional development events, yet is often overlooked when designing professional development because it is not included in the consensus of proven methods of professional development design and delivery (Desimone, 2009).…

Health professionals' attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives.

PubMed

Brunero, S; Smith, J; Bates, E; Fairbrother, G

2008-09-01

Preventing suicide can depend upon the ability of a range of different health professionals to make accurate suicide risk assessments and treatment plans. The attitudes that clinicians hold towards suicide prevention initiatives may influence their suicide risk assessment and management skills. This study measures a group of non-mental health professionals' attitude towards suicide prevention initiatives. Health professionals that had attended suicide prevention education showed significantly more positive attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives. The findings in this study further support the effectiveness of educating non-mental health professionals in suicide risk awareness and management.

A qualitative study of advanced nurse practitioners' use of physical assessment skills in the community: shifting skills across professional boundaries.

PubMed

Raleigh, Mary; Allan, Helen

2017-07-01

To explore multiple perspectives on the use of physical assessment skills by advanced nurse practitioners in the UK. Physical assessment skills practices are embedded in advanced nursing practice roles in the UK. There is little evidence on how these skills are used by advanced nurse practitioners in the community. Case study. A qualitative interpretative single-embedded case study of 22 participants from South of England. A framework method analysed interview data collected by the researcher between March-August 2013. Participants included nurses, doctors, nurse educators and managers. Physical assessment skills education at universities is part of a policy shift to develop a flexible workforce in the UK. Shared physical assessment practices are less to do with role substitution and more about preparing practitioners with skills that are fit for purpose. Competence, capability and performance with physical assessment skills are an expectation of advanced nursing practice. These skills are used successfully by community advanced nurse practitioners to deliver a wide range of services in response to changing patient need. The introduction of physical assessment skills education to undergraduate professional preparation would create a firm foundation to develop these skills in postgraduate education. Physical assessment education prepares nurses with the clinical competencies to carry out healthcare reforms in the UK. Shared sets of clinical assessment competencies between disciplines have better outcomes for patients. Levels of assessment competence can depend on the professional attributes of individual practitioners. Unsupportive learning cultures can hinder professional development of advanced nursing practice. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Investigation of Traditional Professional Development versus Reform Professional Development and the Implementation of Strategies, Curriculum and Classroom Environment by Prekindergarten Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver-Brooks, Helen

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences between traditional conventional professional development and high quality reflective professional development and curriculum implementation of classroom practices. This study examined the extent to which professional development activities were associated with increased levels of curriculum…

Leading Learning: The Role of School Leaders in Supporting Continuous Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, Michael; Hedberg, John G.; O'Sullivan, Kerry-Ann; Howe, Cathie

2016-01-01

In contemporary school settings, leaders seeking to support professional development are faced with many challenges. These challenges call for educators who can undertake professional learning that is continuous and adaptive to change. As a term, continuous professional development (CPD) reflects many different forms of professional development in…

Continuous Professional Development of English Language Teachers: Perception and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Asmari, AbdulRahman

2016-01-01

Professional development is considered as an essential element in enhancing the teaching and learning process to ensure student learning. Professional development can also be deemed as a cornerstone of teacher professionalism and quality. The governments and educational institutions invest significantly in Continuous Professional Development (CPD)…

What explains the distribution of doctors and nurses in different countries, and does it matter for health outcomes?

PubMed

Carr-Hill, Roy; Currie, Elizabeth

2013-11-01

To re-examine the form of the relationships between the global distribution of health professionals (physicians and nurses), gross national product per capita, female literacy, and infant and under-5 mortality rates reported in three papers by Robinson and Wharrad using more recent data. The secondary aim was to explore prior assumptions about the quality of the data, the homogeneity of the sample, and the form of the relationship. The analyses by Robinson and Wharrad did not take account of differences between developing and developed countries. Furthermore, the intervening years have seen changes in healthcare professional roles and their global distribution. Re-examination of these relationships is therefore timely. A secondary analysis of routinely collected data from international databases. A database was constructed from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, United Nations and World Bank sources on 177 countries for around 2005. Regression analyses were performed first with number of physicians and of nurses per 1000 population as dependent variables and gross national product per capita, female literacy rates, and the Gini coefficient as independent variables; and second with all those variables as independent variables and infant mortality, under-5 mortality rates, and maternal mortality rates as dependent variables. There were clear and interesting differences between richer (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries and developing countries in the coefficients and in the power of the equations. The importance of understanding the implications of carrying out cross-country analysis and the urgent need for standardization of definitions in datasets are emphasized. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

CrossTalk: The Journal of Defense Software Engineering. Volume 21, Number 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

project manage- ment and the individual components of the software life-cycle model ; it will be awarded for...software professionals that had been formally educated in software project manage- ment. The study indicated that our industry is lacking in program managers...soft- ware developments get bigger, more complicated, and more dependent on senior software pro- fessionals to get the project on the right path

The impact of economic recession on health-care and the contribution by nurses to promote individuals' dignity.

PubMed

Nunes, Sofia; Rego, Guilhermina; Nunes, Rui

2015-12-01

The health sector is facing many challenges, and there is a need to maintain the delivery of high-quality health-care. Issues related to equity and access to health-care have emerged in a context of an economic recession in which the sustainability of the health system depends on everyone, including the actions and decisions of professionals. Therefore, nurses and their skills may be the answer to ethical, professional and community health management, but this recession could lead to major problems in the education of nurses in daily health-care practice. Due to the limited availability of resources, nurses are increasingly taking leadership positions, continuing to develop their critical abilities and thinking skills, and considering sciences such as deontology and ethics. The main goals of this study were to reflect on the economic recession and its impact on health-care and to demonstrate the contribution of nursing to the sustainability of health-care and in the promotion of individuals' dignity. The authors conclude that health-care depends on economic redistribution and, in this context, needs to be equitable and fair. Nurses have the responsibility to develop their profession according to the underlying sciences and can therefore strategically help the healthcare system. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Empathic concern and professional characteristics associated with clinical empathy in French general practitioners.

PubMed

Lelorain, Sophie; Sultan, Serge; Zenasni, Franck; Catu-Pinault, Annie; Jaury, Philippe; Boujut, Emilie; Rigal, Laurent

2013-03-01

Clinical empathy, i.e. the ability of physicians to adopt patient perspective, is an essential component of care, which depends in part on empathic concern, i.e. compassionate emotions felt for others. However, too much empathic concern can be challenging for physicians. Aim of this study was to examine physician practice characteristics that could explain clinical empathy beyond empathic concern. We were also interested in testing whether professional reflective activities, such as Balint group attendance or clinical supervision, might make clinical empathy less dependent on empathic concern. A total of 295 French general practitioners (response rate of 37%) completed self-reported questionnaires on empathic concern and clinical empathy, using the Toronto empathy questionnaire (TEQ) and the Jefferson scale of physician empathy (JSPE), respectively. We also recorded information on their professional practice: professional experience, duration of consultations, and participation in Balint groups or being a clinical supervisor. Hierarchical regression analyses were carried out with clinical empathy as dependent variable. Empathic concern was an important component of clinical empathy variance. The physician practice characteristics 'consultation length' and 'being a Balint attendee or a supervisor,' but not 'clinical experience' made a significant and unique contribution to clinical empathy beyond that of empathic concern. Participating to one reflective activity (either Balint group attendance or clinical supervision) made clinical empathy less dependent on empathic concern. Working conditions such as having enough consultation time and having the opportunity to attend a professional reflective activity support the maintenance of clinical empathy without the burden of too much empathic concern.

Use of Social Media for Professional Development by Health Care Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Social media can be used in health care settings to enhance professional networking and education; patient communication, care, and education; public health programs; organizational promotion; and research. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the use of social media networks for the purpose of professional development among health care professionals in Saudi Arabia using a purpose-designed Web-based survey. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey was undertaken. A link to the survey was posted on the investigator’s personal social media accounts including Twitter, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. Results A total of 231 health care professionals, who are generally social media users, participated in the study. Of these professionals, 70.6% (163/231) use social media for their professional development. The social media applications most frequently used, in the descending order, for professional development were Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. The majority of respondents used social media for professional development irrespective of their age group, with the highest proportion seen in those aged 20-30 years. Social media were perceived as being most beneficial for professional development in terms of their impact on the domains of knowledge and problem solving and least helpful for enhancing clinical skills. Twitter was perceived as the most helpful type of social media for all domains listed. Respondents most frequently reported that social media were useful for professional development for the reasons of knowledge exchange and networking. Conclusions Social media are frequently used by health care professionals in Saudi Arabia for the purposes of professional development, with Twitter most frequently used for this purpose. These findings suggest that social media networks can be powerful tools for engaging health care professionals in their professional development. PMID:27731855

Use of Social Media for Professional Development by Health Care Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey.

PubMed

Alsobayel, Hana

2016-09-12

Social media can be used in health care settings to enhance professional networking and education; patient communication, care, and education; public health programs; organizational promotion; and research. The aim of this study was to explore the use of social media networks for the purpose of professional development among health care professionals in Saudi Arabia using a purpose-designed Web-based survey. A cross-sectional web-based survey was undertaken. A link to the survey was posted on the investigator's personal social media accounts including Twitter, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. A total of 231 health care professionals, who are generally social media users, participated in the study. Of these professionals, 70.6% (163/231) use social media for their professional development. The social media applications most frequently used, in the descending order, for professional development were Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. The majority of respondents used social media for professional development irrespective of their age group, with the highest proportion seen in those aged 20-30 years. Social media were perceived as being most beneficial for professional development in terms of their impact on the domains of knowledge and problem solving and least helpful for enhancing clinical skills. Twitter was perceived as the most helpful type of social media for all domains listed. Respondents most frequently reported that social media were useful for professional development for the reasons of knowledge exchange and networking. Social media are frequently used by health care professionals in Saudi Arabia for the purposes of professional development, with Twitter most frequently used for this purpose. These findings suggest that social media networks can be powerful tools for engaging health care professionals in their professional development.

Professional Development of Academic Library Professionals in Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathew, K. Susan; Baby, M. D.; Pillai, S. Sreerekha

2011-01-01

The paper aims to bring out the problems and prospects of the professional development opportunities of academic library professionals in the Universities in Kerala. The study is a part of research undertaken to survey the professional development activities and educational needs of library professionals in the major Universities of Kerala in the…

Missouri Professional Development Guidelines for Student Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri State Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education, Jefferson City.

These guidelines help professional development chairs, administrators, and teachers collaboratively plan for the ongoing skill development and content acquisition of staff members. Section 1, "Missions, Mandates, and Regulations for Professional Development," describes the mission of professional development as supporting teachers in…

Building Capacity for Protected Area Management in Lao PDR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Madhu; Johnson, Arlyne; Spence, Kelly; Sypasong, Ahnsany; Bynum, Nora; Sterling, Eleanor; Phimminith, Thavy; Praxaysombath, Bounthob

2014-04-01

Declining biodiversity in protected areas in Laos is attributed to unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. At a basic level, an important need is to develop capacity in academic and professional training institutions to provide relevant training to conservation professionals. The paper (a) describes the capacity building approach undertaken to achieve this goal, (b) evaluates the effectiveness of the approach in building capacity for implementing conservation and (c) reviews implementation outcomes. Strong linkages between organizations implementing field conservation, professional training institutions, and relevant Government agencies are central to enhancing effectiveness of capacity building initiatives aimed at improving the practice of conservation. Protected area management technical capacity needs will need to directly influence curriculum design to insure both relevance and effectiveness of training in improving protected area management. Sustainability of capacity building initiatives is largely dependent on the level of interest and commitment by host-country institutions within a supportive Government policy framework in addition to engagement of organizations implementing conservation.

Developing prescribing guidelines for microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees in the South East England.

PubMed

Sedki, Imad; Fisher, Keren

2015-06-01

Microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees have gained increasing popularity over the last decade. Research supports their provision to address specific problems or to achieve certain rehabilitation goals. However, there are yet no agreed protocols or prescribing criteria to assist clinicians in the identification and appropriate selection of suitable users. The aim is to reach professionals' agreement on specific prescribing guidelines for microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees. The study involved multidisciplinary teams from the Inter Regional Prosthetic Audit Group, representing nine Prosthetic Rehabilitation Centres in the South East England region. We used the Delphi technique with a total of three rounds to reach professionals' agreement. The prescribing guidelines were agreed and will be reviewed and updated depending on new research evidence and technical advances. This project is highly useful for professionals in a clinic setting to aid in appropriate patient selection and to justify the cost of prescribing microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2014.

Authority and control in the maltese educational system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrugia, Charles J.

1992-03-01

This study of educational policy in Malta1 exemplifies in microcosm the obstacles faced by teachers who seek a higher degree of professional emancipation. It points to the frustrations that educators are likely to encounter in situations where central authorities attempt to curtail teachers' autonomy through stricter administrative control. The paper argues that teachers' professional status cannot be enhanced by the granting of honorific titles when they have to go on working in a highly bureaucratic and authoritarian environment that pervades the educational system and dominates teachers' occupational perspectives. Malta's traditions in public administration, which it inherited from the British, militate against teachers' bid for full professionality. In a small developing country striving to shed its colonial past, legislative measures and industrial agreements do not suffice to change the traditional mentality of its public service. Genuine attempts to professionalise the teaching corps require measures that reduce teachers' dependence on central authority, and opportunities that promote occupational initiatives to a high degree.

Building capacity for protected area management in Lao PDR.

PubMed

Rao, Madhu; Johnson, Arlyne; Spence, Kelly; Sypasong, Ahnsany; Bynum, Nora; Sterling, Eleanor; Phimminith, Thavy; Praxaysombath, Bounthob

2014-04-01

Declining biodiversity in protected areas in Laos is attributed to unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. At a basic level, an important need is to develop capacity in academic and professional training institutions to provide relevant training to conservation professionals. The paper (a) describes the capacity building approach undertaken to achieve this goal, (b) evaluates the effectiveness of the approach in building capacity for implementing conservation and (c) reviews implementation outcomes. Strong linkages between organizations implementing field conservation, professional training institutions, and relevant Government agencies are central to enhancing effectiveness of capacity building initiatives aimed at improving the practice of conservation. Protected area management technical capacity needs will need to directly influence curriculum design to insure both relevance and effectiveness of training in improving protected area management. Sustainability of capacity building initiatives is largely dependent on the level of interest and commitment by host-country institutions within a supportive Government policy framework in addition to engagement of organizations implementing conservation.

A Comparison of Three Professional Development Mechanisms for Improving the Quality of Standards-Based IEP Objectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowman, J. Joneen

2016-01-01

Professional development is a necessary component of maintaining competency in professional practice. Technology has opened the door to new formats for delivering professional development, in addition to more traditional modes of training. This study compared three professional development formats for improving the quality of standards-based…

Measuring the development of insight by dental health professionals in training using workplace-based assessment.

PubMed

Prescott-Clements, L E; van der Vleuten, C P M; Schuwirth, L; Gibb, E; Hurst, Y; Rennie, J S

2011-08-01

For health professionals, the development of insight into their performance is vital for safe practice, professional development and self-regulation. This study investigates whether the development of dental trainees' insight, when provided with external feedback on performance, can be assessed using a single criterion on a simple global ratings form such as the Longitudinal Evaluation of Performance or Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercise. Postgraduate dental trainees (N = 139) were assessed using this tool on a weekly basis for 6 months. Regression analysis of the data was carried out using SPSS, and a short trainer questionnaire was implemented to investigate feasibility. Ratings for insight were shown to increase with time in a similar manner to the growth observed in other essential skills. The gradient of the slope for growth of insight was slightly less than that of the other observed skills. Trainers were mostly positive about the new criterion assessing trainees' insight, although the importance of training for trainers in this process was highlighted. Our data suggest that practitioners' insight into their performance can be developed with experience and regular feedback. However, this is most likely a complex skill dependent on a number of intrinsic and external factors. The development of trainees' insight into their performance can be assessed using a single criterion on a simple global ratings form. The process involves no additional burden on evaluators in terms of their time or cost, and promotes best practice in the provision of feedback for trainees. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Communication and support from health-care professionals to families, with dependent children, following the diagnosis of parental life-limiting illness: A systematic review.

PubMed

Fearnley, Rachel; Boland, Jason W

2017-03-01

Communication between parents and their children about parental life-limiting illness is stressful. Parents want support from health-care professionals; however, the extent of this support is not known. Awareness of family's needs would help ensure appropriate support. To find the current literature exploring (1) how parents with a life-limiting illness, who have dependent children, perceive health-care professionals' communication with them about the illness, diagnosis and treatments, including how social, practical and emotional support is offered to them and (2) how this contributes to the parents' feelings of supporting their children. A systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ASSIA ProQuest were searched in November 2015 for studies assessing communication between health-care professionals and parents about how to talk with their children about the parent's illness. There were 1342 records identified, five qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria (55 ill parents, 11 spouses/carers, 26 children and 16 health-care professionals). Parents wanted information from health-care professionals about how to talk to their children about the illness; this was not routinely offered. Children also want to talk with a health-care professional about their parents' illness. Health-care professionals are concerned that conversations with parents and their children will be too difficult and time-consuming. Parents with a life-limiting illness want support from their health-care professionals about how to communicate with their children about the illness. Their children look to health-care professionals for information about their parent's illness. Health-care professionals, have an important role but appear reluctant to address these concerns because of fears of insufficient time and expertise.

Professionalism... it depends where you're standing.

PubMed

Taylor, C; Grey, N J A; Checkland, K

2017-06-09

There is a large body of literature relating to professionalism originating from a variety of academic disciplines. This has resulted in multiple definitions being reported, particularly in regards to medical education. This paper aims to give an overview of the different lenses through which professionalism may be viewed and how these might impact upon educational objectives and curricular design for student education.

Characteristics of Value and Professional Orientation of the Technical University Students as Ideal Views on the Activity Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khinkanina, Alla L.; Serova, Olga E.

2016-01-01

The results of the empirical investigation of the characteristics of value and professional orientation of the students taking studies in social and computer engineering related fields are presented. The types of value structure uncovered depend on the students' attitudes to the values significant for the professional evolution (active mode of…

Theodore E. Woodward Award. HIV/AIDS, ethics, and medical professionalism: where went the debate?

PubMed Central

Bryan, Charles S.

2003-01-01

The recent surge of dialogue about medical professionalism has largely ignored HIV/AIDS, perhaps because the ethical issues that abounded during the 1980s and early 1990s have become largely passé. Prior to the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996, the care ethic for patients with HIV/AIDS depended heavily on compassion since effective treatment was unavailable. Moreover, physicians and other health care workers often assumed physical risks on behalf of patients. HAART transformed the care ethic for HIV/AIDS to one dependent mainly on medical competence. Reflecting on the epidemic, I propose a distinction between "basic" and "higher" professionalism. Basic professionalism requires discipline-specific competence, facilitated by adherence to the four cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, justice, and courage). Higher professionalism brings into play the transcendent virtues: faith, hope, and--especially--love (compassion). Specific examples of "compassion" in the strict sense of "suffering with" include caring without adequate reimbursement, caring when one would rather be doing something else, and assuming emotional or physical risks on behalf of patients. The physicians and other health care workers who displayed such compassion in abundance between 1981 and 1996 deserve our remembrance as exemplars of a higher professionalism. PMID:12813930

An intervention to stop smoking among patients suspected of TB--evaluation of an integrated approach.

PubMed

Siddiqi, Kamran; Khan, Amir; Ahmad, Maqsood; Shafiq-ur-Rehman

2010-03-25

In many low- and middle-income countries, where tobacco use is common, tuberculosis is also a major problem. Tobacco use increases the risk of developing tuberculosis, secondary mortality, poor treatment compliance and relapses. In countries with TB epidemic, even a modest relative risk leads to a significant attributable risk. Treating tobacco dependence, therefore, is likely to have benefits for controlling tuberculosis in addition to reducing the non-communicable disease burden associated with smoking. In poorly resourced health systems which face a dual burden of disease secondary to tuberculosis and tobacco, an integrated approach to tackle tobacco dependence in TB control could be economically desirable. During TB screening, health professionals come across large numbers of patients with respiratory symptoms, a significant proportion of which are likely to be tobacco users. These clinical encounters, considered to be "teachable moments", provide a window of opportunity to offer treatment for tobacco dependence. We aim to develop and trial a complex intervention to reduce tobacco dependence among TB suspects based on the WHO 'five steps to quit' model. This model relies on assessing personal motivation to quit tobacco use and uses it as the basis for assessing suitability for the different therapeutic options for tobacco dependence.We will use the Medical Research Council framework approach for evaluating complex interventions to: (a) design an evidence-based treatment package (likely to consist of training materials for health professionals and education tools for patients); (b) pilot the package to determine the delivery modalities in TB programme (c) assess the incremental cost-effectiveness of the package compared to usual care using a cluster RCT design; (d) to determine barriers and drivers to the provision of treatment of tobacco dependence within TB programmes; and (e) support long term implementation. The main outcomes to assess the effectiveness would be point abstinence at 4 weeks and continuous abstinence up to 6 months. This work will be carried out in Pakistan and is expected to have relevance for other low and middle income countries with high tobacco use and TB incidence. This will enhance our knowledge of the cost-effectiveness of treating tobacco dependence in patients suspected of TB. ISRCTN08829879.

Parental professional help-seeking for infant sleep.

PubMed

Hsu, Pei-Wen; Wu, Wei-Wen; Tung, Yi-Ching; Thomas, Karen A; Tsai, Shao-Yu

2017-12-01

To explore the perceptions and experiences of parental professional help-seeking for infant sleep and sleep-related concerns. Infant sleep is a frequent concern for parents. However, very little is known about the reasons parents seek, do not seek or delay seeking professional attention about their concerns related to infant sleep. A qualitative study design was used. Twenty audio-taped interviews with parents of healthy 12-month-old infants were conducted at a university-affiliated hospital or parents' homes depending on where parents felt more comfortable discussing their personal views and medical help-seeking experiences. Thematic content analysis was performed to determine specific patterns and similarities within and between interview data. Three main themes developed from the interviews were as follows: (i) uncertainty about infant sleep; (ii) I can handle infant sleep; and (iii) I am not satisfied with the professional services provided for infant sleep. Overall, parents knew little about or misunderstood infant sleep behaviours. Lack of proper information and knowledge about infant sleep influenced parents' motivation for professional help-seeking and help-receiving. Parents who have consulted a healthcare professional but received unsatisfactory responses, such as an ambivalent attitude or insufficient assessment, reported being less motivated or unwilling to seek medical help again. Our study demonstrates the complexity of parental professional help-seeking and receiving for infant sleep. Findings suggest that parents perceive a wide range of barriers that influence the likelihood that they will seek professional advice for infant sleep. Reducing knowledge barriers and providing adequate attention at all well-infant visits would facilitate parental use of healthcare services to manage problematic infant sleep behaviours. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Ethnographic Case Study of the Professional Development Model in a Successful Elementary School within a Suburban Southeast Texas School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrzelka, Valerie

2012-01-01

This ethnographic case study was designed to investigate a successful professional development model, perceived effective professional learning and process for determining professional development for teachers. With eighty years of research on professional development, limited research was available on the process for determining professional…

Professional Development between Iranian Distance Education PNU EFL University Teachers and Traditional Non-PNU EFL University Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soleimani, Hassan; Khaliliyan, Monir

2012-01-01

Professional Development is a critical necessity in today's educational environment. The present research was based on the idea that teachers are professionals and they need professional development consisting of various processes of ongoing growth. We examined university teachers' attitude to professional development in a type of distance…

Do less effective teachers choose professional development does it matter?

PubMed

Barrett, Nathan; Butler, J S; Toma, Eugenia F

2012-10-01

In an ongoing effort to improve teacher quality, most states require continuing education or professional development for their in-service teachers. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of various professional development programs have assumed a normal distribution of quality of teachers participating in the programs. Because participation in many professional development programs is either targeted or voluntary, this article suggests past evaluations of the effectiveness of professional development may be subject to selection bias and policy recommendations may be premature. This article presents an empirical framework for evaluating professional development programs where treatment is potentially nonrandom, and explicitly accounts for the teacher's prior effectiveness in the classroom as a factor that may influence participation in professional development. This article controls for the influence of selection bias on professional development outcomes by generating a matched sample based on propensity scores and then estimating the program's effect. In applying this framework to the professional development program examined in this article, less effective teachers are found to be more likely to participate in the program, and correcting for this selection leads to different conclusions regarding the program's effectiveness than when ignoring teacher selection patterns.

Clinical supervision and nursing students' professional competence: support-seeking behaviour and the attachment styles of students and mentors.

PubMed

Moked, Zahava; Drach-Zahavy, Anat

2016-02-01

To examine whether the interdependent attachment style of students is positively related to their support-seeking behaviour during supervision and whether their over-dependent and counter-dependent attachment styles are negatively related to it. Second, to determine whether the mentors' attachment styles moderate the relationship between the students' support-seeking behaviours and their professional competence, such that this relationship is stronger when supervisors are characterized by higher independent attachment style. The mentor-student encounter during nursing clinical supervision is expected to create a supportive environment aimed at promoting support-seeking behaviours and subsequent positive supervision outcomes. Bowlby's attachment theory suggests that the three attachment styles - independent, counter-dependent and over-dependent - may have implications for clinical supervision. A correlative-prospective study. One hundred and seventy-eight students and 66 clinical mentors completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of a clinical supervision session during 2012-2013. Results demonstrated that high compared with low independent nursing students tended to seek less support. Second, students who seek less support evaluated their professional competence as higher than students who seek more support. Third, mentor's counter-dependent attachment style moderated the relationship between students' support-seeking behaviour and their professional competencies. The results allude to the detrimental meaning of support-seeking in the eyes of nursing students. Results can guide administrators in promoting supervision processes that are compatible with the students' independent learning style, while also preventing the negative implications of autonomic learning. Furthermore, as mentors' counter-dependent attachment style can hinder students' support-seeking, attachment styles should be considered in the selection of mentors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Take Charge of Your Personal and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goble, Carla B.; Horm, Diane M.

2010-01-01

The need for professional development is universal, whatever a person's profession. Professionals must continually enrich their knowledge and increase their sense of professionalism over the course of their careers so as to implement current research-based practice. Early childhood professional development brings to the forefront the significance…

An Examination of Effective Professional Development Characteristics in Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strickland, Crystal Y.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the extent to which professional development practices in professional learning communities are consistent with research-based principles of effective professional development. Additionally, the study investigated potential differences in the content focus, active learning, coherence, and…

Professional Associations: Their Role in Promoting Sustainable Development in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Ian; Hegarty, Kathryn; Whitman, Stuart; MacGregor, Val

2012-01-01

Professional associations have a strong influence on what is covered in the curricula of universities, especially that of professional degrees. They also provide members with professional development throughout their careers. Professional associations have the potential to facilitate development of sustainability competency in the workforce in…

Professional Competence and Continuing Professional Development in Accounting: Professional Practice vs. Non-Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Brid

2017-01-01

In 2004, the International Federation of Accountants introduced International Education Standard 7 (IES 7), requiring all member professional accounting bodies to adopt mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) schemes. IES 7 places responsibility on individual accounting practitioners to maintain, develop and certify appropriate…

The Development of Professional Learning Community in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sompong, Samoot; Erawan, Prawit; Dharm-tad-sa-na-non, Sudharm

2015-01-01

The objectives of this research are: (1) To study the current situation and need for developing professional learning community in primary schools; (2) To develop the model for developing professional learning community, and (3) To study the findings of development for professional learning community based on developed model related to knowledge,…

The imminent healthcare and emergency care crisis in Japan.

PubMed

Suzuki, Tetsuji; Nishida, Masamichi; Suzuki, Yuriko; Kobayashi, Kunio

2008-05-01

Japan has a universal healthcare system, and this paper describes the reality of the healthcare services provided, as well as current issues with the system. Academic, government, and press reports on Japanese healthcare systems and healthcare guidelines were reviewed. The universal healthcare system of Japan is considered internationally to be both low-cost and effective because the Japanese population enjoys good health status with a long life expectancy, while healthcare spending in Japan is below the average given by the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD). However, in many regions of Japan the existing healthcare resources are seriously inadequate, especially with regard to the number of physicians and other health professionals. Because healthcare is traditionally viewed as "sacred" work in Japan, healthcare professionals are expected to make large personal sacrifices. Also, public attitudes toward medical malpractice have changed in recent decades, and medical professionals are facing legal issues without experienced support of the government or legal professionals. Administrative response to the lack of resources and collaboration among communities are beginning, and more efficient control and management of the healthcare system is under consideration. The Japanese healthcare system needs to adopt an efficient medical control organization to ease the strain on existing healthcare professionals and to increase the number of physicians and other healthcare resources. Rather than continuing to depend on healthcare professionals being able and willing to make personal sacrifices, the government, the public and medical societies must cooperate and support changes in the healthcare system.

Health professionals' opinions on supporting a cancer biobank: identification of barriers to combat biobanking pitfalls.

PubMed

Caixeiro, Nicole J; Byun, Hei Lan; Descallar, Joseph; Levesque, Janelle V; de Souza, Paul; Soon Lee, Cheok

2016-05-01

Although rarely acknowledged, a successful biobank is highly dependent on the support of the health professionals who assist the biobank in all aspects of its activities. In many cases, the lack of health professional support can be a limiting factor in the biobanking process of collecting and processing high-quality biospecimens. The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of health professionals towards cancer biobanking. Using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, important aspects of biobanking, including accrual, quality, knowledge, responsiveness, impact, access, trust, governance and accreditation, were investigated. In total, 95 of 124 health and medical practitioners who were approached participated in this study (77% response rate). Health professionals in general supported the aims of biobanking with 56% of participants showing willingness to create a biobank and recruit donors (accrual), 85% understanding the importance in the storage and distribution of biospecimens (quality), 88% having an appreciation for the role of a biobank in furthering cancer research (knowledge), 70% showing awareness of the use of biospecimens in future research initiatives (responsiveness) and 73% demonstrating support for a biobank with proper control, authority and credibility measures in place (governance and accreditation). Overall, provided that proper information about the activities of the biobank and researcher access was transparent, health professionals were very willing to support cancer biobanking. These findings may assist in developing strategies for the establishment and maintenance of biobanks and aid the implementation of more effective policies and procedures to embed biobanking into routine hospital practices.

Planning Considerations for Afterschool Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradshaw, L. Daniele

2015-01-01

Professional development is vital to the success of afterschool programs. Effective professional development enhances afterschool program quality by facilitating staff performance and knowledge; in addition, professional development is vital for improving student learning outcomes (Bouffard & Little, 2004; Hall & Surr, 2005; Joyce &…

Implementing School-Based Professional Development in Kentucky.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Patricia L.; Stallion, Brenda K.

1996-01-01

Data from elementary and secondary principals and teachers identified six recommendations for improving school based professional development: (preparing an articulated mission; planning for professional development at the school and practitioner level; implementing the plan; providing broad support for professional development; building and…

Technology Professional Developer Conceptions and Misconceptions of Knowledge Required for the Educational Technology Specialist Certification, and Their Use of the Elements of Effective Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marr, John P.

2011-01-01

Professional development has been a focus of public education since World War II, yet, it was not until the passage of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act in 1994 that professional development became federally mandated. The infusion of educational technology at the start of Goals 2000 created a natural connection with professional development. In…

Questioning the "big assumptions". Part I: addressing personal contradictions that impede professional development.

PubMed

Bowe, Constance M; Lahey, Lisa; Armstrong, Elizabeth; Kegan, Robert

2003-08-01

The ultimate success of recent medical curriculum reforms is, in large part, dependent upon the faculty's ability to adopt and sustain new attitudes and behaviors. However, like many New Year's resolutions, sincere intent to change may be short lived and followed by a discouraging return to old behaviors. Failure to sustain the initial resolve to change can be misinterpreted as a lack of commitment to one's original goals and eventually lead to greater effort expended in rationalizing the status quo rather than changing it. The present article outlines how a transformative process that has proven to be effective in managing personal change, Questioning the Big Assumptions, was successfully used in an international faculty development program for medical educators to enhance individual personal satisfaction and professional effectiveness. This process systematically encouraged participants to explore and proactively address currently operative mechanisms that could stall their attempts to change at the professional level. The applications of the Big Assumptions process in faculty development helped individuals to recognize and subsequently utilize unchallenged and deep rooted personal beliefs to overcome unconscious resistance to change. This approach systematically led participants away from circular griping about what was not right in their current situation to identifying the actions that they needed to take to realize their individual goals. By thoughtful testing of personal Big Assumptions, participants designed behavioral changes that could be broadly supported and, most importantly, sustained.

Iranian nursing students' perspectives on transition to professional identity: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Neishabouri, M; Ahmadi, F; Kazemnejad, A

2017-09-01

To explore Iranian nursing students' transition to professional identity. Professional identity is an important outcome of nursing education that has not been fully explored in the Iranian nursing education system. Professional identity is a significant factor influencing the development of nursing education and practice. The transition of nursing students to professional identity is the main concern of nursing education and fundamental prerequisite for policymaking and planning in the field of nursing education. This was a qualitative content analysis study. In-depth unstructured interviews were held with 35 Iranian bachelor's degree nursing students recruited through purposive sampling. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. The data analysis led to the development of four themes and 15 categories: 'satisfaction with professional practice (attending clinical settings and communicating with patients, the feeling of being beneficial)'; 'personal development (growing interest in nursing, feeling competent in helping others, changing character and attitude shift towards patients)'; 'professional development (realizing the importance of nursing knowledge, appreciating professional roles, a changing their understanding of nursing and the meaning it)'; and 'attaining professional commitment (a tendency to present oneself as a nurse, attempting to change oneself, other students and the public image of nursing)'. Development of professional identity is a continual process of transition. The greatest transition occurred in the last year of the programme. Nursing students experienced transition to PI through gaining satisfaction with professional practice, undergoing personal and professional development and developing a professional commitment. Educational policymakers can use our findings for developing strategies that facilitate and support nursing students' transition to professional identity. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

A New Image: Online Communities to Facilitate Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lock, Jennifer V.

2006-01-01

Realizing the potential of online or virtual communities to facilitate teacher professional development requires educators to change their current perceptions of professional development. This calls for educators to develop new images of ongoing opportunities for professional development, based on their needs within an online community of learners…

Development and psychometric evaluation of the psychological cigarette dependence scale for male smokers in taiwan.

PubMed

Huang, Chih-Ling; Cheng, Chung-Ping; Wang, Hsiu-Hung

2014-06-01

The influence of psychological factors on cigarette dependence often surpasses the direct effects of the nicotine itself. Researcher opinions on the nature and extent of psychological contributors to cigarette dependence vary widely. This study develops and psychometrically tests the Psychological Cigarette Dependence Scale (PCDS) for male smokers in Taiwan. The PCDS was developed using domain identification, individual interviews for item generation, expert reviews, and testing for construct validity and instrument stability. After initial item analysis, the PCDS was tested for concurrent and construct validity and reliability on 256 adult male smokers recruited from community centers, trade and business organizations, private companies, and factories in southern Taiwan. Participants were limited to adult men because female smokers are a small (4.1%) proportion of the female population in Taiwan and thus are difficult to recruit in statistically significant numbers. Exploratory factor analysis showed that lifelong binding and health concerns are the two predominating factors addressed by the 37-item PCDS. The PCDS correlated positively with the Fagerstrom questionnaire (r = .54, p < .01). Cronbach's alpha was .94, and test-retest reliability (intraclass coefficient) was .77 (N = 28). Preliminary evidence suggests that this scale is a valid measure of psychological cigarette dependence. Assessment results may help nursing professionals focus on smoking cessation interventions that are tailored to the patterns and severity of patients' psychological cigarette dependence.

Organizational impact of nurse supply and workload on nurses continuing professional development opportunities: an integrative review.

PubMed

Coventry, Tracey H; Maslin-Prothero, Sian E; Smith, Gilly

2015-12-01

To identify the best evidence on the impact of healthcare organizations' supply of nurses and nursing workload on the continuing professional development opportunities of Registered Nurses in the acute care hospital. To maintain registration and professional competence nurses are expected to participate in continuing professional development. One challenge of recruitment and retention is the Registered Nurse's ability to participate in continuing professional development opportunities. The integrative review method was used to present Registered Nurses perspectives on this area of professional concern. The review was conducted for the period of 2001-February 2015. Keywords were: nurs*, continuing professional development, continuing education, professional development, supply, shortage, staffing, workload, nurse: patient ratio, barrier and deterrent. The integrative review used a structured approach for literature search and data evaluation, analysis and presentation. Eleven international studies met the inclusion criteria. Nurses are reluctant or prevented from leaving clinical settings to attend continuing professional development due to lack of relief cover, obtaining paid or unpaid study leave, use of personal time to undertake mandatory training and organizational culture and leadership issues constraining the implementation of learning to benefit patients. Culture, leadership and workload issues impact nurses' ability to attend continuing professional development. The consequences affect competence to practice, the provision of safe, quality patient care, maintenance of professional registration, job satisfaction, recruitment and retention. Organizational leadership plays an important role in supporting attendance at continuing professional development as an investment for the future. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Barriers to the Adoption of Wearable Sensors in the Workplace: A Survey of Occupational Safety and Health Professionals.

PubMed

Schall, Mark C; Sesek, Richard F; Cavuoto, Lora A

2018-05-01

To gather information on the (a) types of wearable sensors, particularly personal activity monitors, currently used by occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals; (b) potential benefits of using such technologies in the workplace; and (c) perceived barriers preventing the widespread adoption of wearable sensors in industry. Wearable sensors are increasingly being promoted as a means to improve employee health and well-being, and there is mounting evidence supporting their use as exposure assessment and personal health tools. Despite this, many workplaces have been hesitant to adopt these technologies. An electronic survey was emailed to 28,428 registered members of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and 1,302 professionals certified by the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE). A total of 952 valid responses were returned. Over half of respondents described being in favor of using wearable sensors to track OSH-related risk factors and relevant exposure metrics at their respective workplaces. However, barriers including concerns regarding employee privacy/confidentiality of collected data, employee compliance, sensor durability, the cost/benefit ratio of using wearables, and good manufacturing practice requirements were described as challenges precluding adoption. The broad adoption of wearable technologies appears to depend largely on the scientific community's ability to successfully address the identified barriers. Investigators may use the information provided to develop research studies that better address OSH practitioner concerns and help technology developers operationalize wearable sensors to improve employee health and well-being.

The Heroic and the Villainous: a qualitative study characterising the role models that shaped senior doctors' professional identity.

PubMed

Foster, Kirsty; Roberts, Chris

2016-08-16

The successful development and sustaining of professional identity is critical to being a successful doctor. This study explores the enduring impact of significant early role models on the professional identity formation of senior doctors. Personal Interview Narratives were derived from the stories told by twelve senior doctors as they recalled accounts of people and events from the past that shaped their notions of being a doctor. Narrative inquiry methodology was used to explore and analyse video recording and transcript data from interviews. Role models were frequently characterised as heroic, or villainous depending on whether they were perceived as good or bad influences respectively. The degree of sophistication in participants' characterisations appeared to correspond with the stage of life of the participant at the time of the encounter. Heroes were characterised as attractive, altruistic, caring and clever, often in exaggerated terms. Conversely, villains were typically characterised as direct or covert bullies. Everyday events were surprisingly powerful, emotionally charged and persisted in participants' memories much longer than expected. In particular, unresolved emotions dating from encounters where bullying behaviour had been witnessed or experienced were still apparent decades after the event. The characterisation of role models is an important part of the professional identity and socialisation of senior doctors. The enduring impact of what role models say and do means that all doctors, need to consistently reflect on how their own behaviour impacts the development of appropriate professional behaviours in both students and training doctors. This is especially important where problematic behaviours occur as, if not dealt with, they have the potential for long-lasting undesirable effects. The importance of small acts of caring in building a nurturing and supportive learning atmosphere at all stages of medical education cannot be underestimated.

The view of severely burned patients and healthcare professionals on the blind spots in the aftercare process: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Christiaens, Wendy; Van de Walle, Elke; Devresse, Sophie; Van Halewyck, Dries; Benahmed, Nadia; Paulus, Dominique; Van den Heede, Koen

2015-08-01

In most Western countries burn centres have been developed to provide acute and critical care for patients with severe burn injuries. Nowadays, those patients have a realistic chance of survival. However severe burn injuries do have a devastating effect on all aspects of a person's life. Therefore a well-organized and specialized aftercare system is needed to enable burn patients to live with a major bodily change. The aim of this study is to identify the problems and unmet care needs of patients with severe burn injuries throughout the aftercare process, both from patient and health care professional perspectives in Belgium. By means of face-to-face interviews (n = 40) with individual patients, responsible physicians and patient organizations, current experiences with the aftercare process were explored. Additionally, allied healthcare professionals (n = 17) were interviewed in focus groups. Belgian burn patients indicate they would benefit from a more integrated aftercare process. Quality of care is often not structurally embedded, but depends on the good intentions of local health professionals. Most burn centres do not have a written discharge protocol including an individual patient-centred care plan, accessible to all caregivers involved. Patients reported discontinuity of care: nurses working at general wards or rehabilitation units are not specifically trained for burn injuries, which sometimes leads to mistakes or contradictory information transmission. Also professionals providing home care are often not trained for the care of burn injuries. Some have to be instructed by the patient, others go to the burn centre to learn the right skills. Finally, patients themselves underestimate the chronic character of burn injuries, especially at the beginning of the care process. The variability in aftercare processes and structures, as well as the failure to implement locally developed best-practices on a wider scale emphasize the need for a comprehensive network, which can initiate transversal activities such as the development of discharge protocols, common guidelines, and quality criteria.

Learning Outcomes of Teacher Professional Development Activities: A Meta-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurlings, Marieke; den Brok, Perry

2017-01-01

Former literature reviews suggested that if (student) teachers learn together in their professional development activities, professional development is enhanced. In the present literature review, we explored a variety of peer teacher professional development activities, conceptually divided into coaching, collaborating, and assessing activities.…

Professional Development in Technology at High Achieving Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Kevin D.

2017-01-01

This study analyzed educators' perception of professional development offered through schools in the area of technology implementation and tried to define its perceived effectiveness in meeting the professional development conceptual framework defined by Gardner, Baker, Vogt, and Hodel in "Four Approaches to Professional Development".…

Benchmarking Professional Development Practices across Youth-Serving Organizations: Implications for Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garst, Barry A.; Baughman, Sarah; Franz, Nancy

2014-01-01

Examining traditional and contemporary professional development practices of youth-serving organizations can inform practices across Extension, particularly in light of the barriers that have been noted for effectively developing the professional competencies of Extension educators. With professional development systems changing quickly,…

UNCERTAINTY IN EARLY OCCUPATIONAL ASPIRATIONS: ROLE EXPLORATION OR AIMLESSNESS?

PubMed Central

Staff, Jeremy; Harris, Angel; Sabates, Ricardo; Briddell, Laine

2014-01-01

Many youth in the United States lack clear occupational aspirations. This uncertainty in achievement ambitions may benefit socioeconomic attainment if it signifies “role exploration,” characterized by career development, continued education, and enduring partnerships. By contrast, uncertainty may diminish attainment if it instead leads to “aimlessness,” involving prolonged education without the acquisition of a degree, residential dependence, and frequent job changes. We use nationally representative data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) to examine how uncertainty in occupational aspirations in adolescence (age 16) affects wage attainments in young adulthood (age 26). Results suggest that youth with uncertain career ambitions earn significantly lower hourly wages in young adulthood than youth with professional and non-professional aspirations, supporting the view that uncertainty heightens the risk of labor-market problems. PMID:25540465

The Role of Professional Development in Bridging Research and Practice in Adult Literacy and Basic Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Cristine

2016-01-01

In this brief article, Cristine Smith discusses the development and use of professional development activities at the national, state and local program level. Professional development systems and funding exist in every state, and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) has prioritized high-quality professional development for…

Influence of professional preparation and class structure on sexuality topics taught in middle and high schools.

PubMed

Rhodes, Darson L; Kirchofer, Gregg; Hammig, Bart J; Ogletree, Roberta J

2013-05-01

This study examined the impact of professional preparation and class structure on sexuality topics taught and use of practice-based instructional strategies in US middle and high school health classes. Data from the classroom-level file of the 2006 School Health Policies and Programs were used. A series of multivariable logistic regression models were employed to determine if sexuality content taught was dependent on professional preparation and /or class structure (HE only versus HE/another subject combined). Additional multivariable logistic regression models were employed to determine if use of practice-based instructional strategies was dependent upon professional preparation and/or class structure. Years of teaching health topics and size of the school district were included as covariates in the multivariable logistic regression models. Findings indicated professionally prepared health educators were significantly more likely to teach 7 of the 13 sexuality topics as compared to nonprofessionally prepared health educators. There was no statistically significant difference in the instructional strategies used by professionally prepared and nonprofessionally prepared health educators. Exclusively health education classes versus combined classes were significantly more likely to have included 6 of the 13 topics and to have incorporated practice-based instructional strategies in the curricula. This study indicated professional preparation and class structure impacted sexuality content taught. Class structure also impacted whether opportunities for students to practice skills were made available. Results support the need for continued advocacy for professionally prepared health educators and health only courses. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Communication and support from health-care professionals to families, with dependent children, following the diagnosis of parental life-limiting illness: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Fearnley, Rachel; Boland, Jason W.

2016-01-01

Background: Communication between parents and their children about parental life-limiting illness is stressful. Parents want support from health-care professionals; however, the extent of this support is not known. Awareness of family’s needs would help ensure appropriate support. Aim: To find the current literature exploring (1) how parents with a life-limiting illness, who have dependent children, perceive health-care professionals’ communication with them about the illness, diagnosis and treatments, including how social, practical and emotional support is offered to them and (2) how this contributes to the parents’ feelings of supporting their children. Design: A systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. Data sources: Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ASSIA ProQuest were searched in November 2015 for studies assessing communication between health-care professionals and parents about how to talk with their children about the parent’s illness. Results: There were 1342 records identified, five qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria (55 ill parents, 11 spouses/carers, 26 children and 16 health-care professionals). Parents wanted information from health-care professionals about how to talk to their children about the illness; this was not routinely offered. Children also want to talk with a health-care professional about their parents’ illness. Health-care professionals are concerned that conversations with parents and their children will be too difficult and time-consuming. Conclusion: Parents with a life-limiting illness want support from their health-care professionals about how to communicate with their children about the illness. Their children look to health-care professionals for information about their parent’s illness. Health-care professionals, have an important role but appear reluctant to address these concerns because of fears of insufficient time and expertise. PMID:27383635

A Grounded Theory of Professional Learning in an Authentic Online Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teräs, Hanna; Kartoglu, Umit

2017-01-01

Online professional development (OPD) programs have become increasingly popular. However, participating in professional development does not always lead to profound professional learning. Previous research endeavours have often focussed on measuring user acceptance or on comparing the effectiveness of OPD with a face-to-face delivery, but there is…

21st Century Learning Skills Embedded in Climate Literacy Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, R. J.; Schwerin, T. G.; Blaney, L.

2011-12-01

Trilling and Fadel's "21st Century Learning Skills" defines a vision of how to infuse an expanded set of skills, competencies and flexibilities into the classroom. Among these skills are global awareness, health and environmental literacy. The authors contend that in order for our students to compete, they will need critical thinking and problem solving skills, communication and collaboration, and creativity and innovation. Students will also need to be digital savvy. This poster outlines a program of preparing teachers to implement inquiry-based modules that allow students to exercise hypothetical deductive reasoning to address climate literacy issues such as: the Dust Bowl, thermohaline circulation, droughts, the North Atlantic Oscillation, climate variability and energy challenges. This program is implemented through the Earth System Science Education Alliance. ESSEA supports the educational goal of "attracting and retaining students in science careers" and the associated goal of "attracting and retaining students in science through a progression of educational opportunities for students, teachers and faculty." ESSEA provides long-duration educator professional development that results in deeper content understanding and confidence in teaching global climate change and science disciplines. The target audience for this effort is pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers. The ESSEA program develops shared educational resources - including modules and courses - that are based on NASA and NOAA climate science and data. The program is disseminated through the ESSEA Web site: http://essea.courses.strategies.org. ESSEA increases teachers' access to high-quality materials, standards-based instructional methods and content knowledge. Started in 2000 and based on online courses for K-12 teachers, ESSEA includes the participation of faculty at 45 universities and science centers. Over 3,500 pre- and in-service K-12 teachers have completed ESSEA courses. In addition to 21st Century learning skills, the ESSEA program is based on the urgent need for professional development for pre- and in-service teachers of Earth science. The Revolution in Earth and Space Science Education (2001) cites the Glenn Report saying "...the way to interest children in mathematics and science is through teachers who are not only enthusiastic about their subjects, but who are also steeped in their disciplines and who have the professional training - as teachers - to teach those subjects well. Nor is this teacher training simply a matter of preparation; it depends just as much - or even more - on sustained, high-quality professional development" (p. 1). This treatise states that Earth and space sciences are in the greatest need for professional development. Teachers find themselves inadequately qualified to teach science and find that professional development is not available or lacking in quality. The ESSEA program addresses its educational priorities through enriching pre- and in-service Earth science teachers' backgrounds in Earth system science, specifically in the area of global climate change, and through developing educational materials in support of science education.

Teachers Know Best: Teachers' Views on Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2014

2014-01-01

To gain insights into the roadblocks to implementing effective professional development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation contracted with the Boston Consulting Group in 2014 to reach more than 1,300 teachers, professional development leaders in district and state education agencies, principals, professional development providers, and…

Professional Development Initiative. Proposal for Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University (NJ1), 2004

2004-01-01

With the support of the Education Cabinet, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation launched the Professional Development Initiative in early 2004. The Initiative's Implementation Work Group focused on four key areas to enhance North Carolina's system of professional development for K-12 teachers. Those areas were: (1) Professional Development Online…

Mentoring as Professional Development: "Growth for Both" Mentor and Mentee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Peter

2013-01-01

Teachers need professional development to keep current with teaching practices, although costs for extensive professional development can be prohibitive across an education system. Mentoring provides one way for embedding cost-effective professional development. This mixed-method study includes surveying mentor teachers ("n" = 101) on a…

34 CFR 200.60 - Expenditures for professional development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Expenditures for professional development. 200.60... Paraprofessionals § 200.60 Expenditures for professional development. (a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2... professional development activities to ensure that teachers and paraprofessionals meet the requirements of...

34 CFR 200.60 - Expenditures for professional development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Expenditures for professional development. 200.60... Paraprofessionals § 200.60 Expenditures for professional development. (a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2... professional development activities to ensure that teachers and paraprofessionals meet the requirements of...

Professional Development. Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keleher, Julia

2017-01-01

In this professional development research brief, the author sets forth the overarching considerations that should be kept in mind when conceptualizing professional development for educators working with neglected or delinquent youth (N or D). The brief begins by defining professional development and demonstrating why it is a critical support for…

Transformation and Framework of Teacher Professional Development in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Bo-Ruey

2016-01-01

This article describes the situation of teacher professional development in Taiwan, including the history and the framework of teacher professional development. With diversification of teacher education systems and institutions, teacher professional development in Taiwan is undergoing a gradual governance shift from the model of centralised state…

Investigating Rural Teachers' Professional Development, Instructional Knowledge, and Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glover, Todd A.; Nugent, Gwen C.; Chumney, Frances L.; Ihlo, Tanya; Shapiro, Edward S.; Guard, Kirra; Koziol, Natalie; Bovaird, Jim

2016-01-01

Teachers Speak was a national survey study designed to investigate the characteristics of rural elementary school teachers' existing professional development; differences in professional development practices between rural and non-rural settings; and the potential influence of professional development characteristics on rural teachers' knowledge,…

Designing and Implementing Online Professional Development Workshops

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleiman, Glenn; Dash, Terry; Ethier, Denise; Johnson, Kirsten; Metrick, Susan; Treacy, Barbara

2000-01-01

This report provides useful information for those who are planning to incorporate online learning into professional development programs, as well as those who will design and implement online professional development activities. The Education Development center, Inc. (EDC) Center for Online Professional Education is continuing to explore this new…

The influence of the Inquiry Institute on elementary teachers' perceptions of inquiry learning in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams-Rossi, Dara

Despite the positive outcomes for inquiry-based science education and recommendations from national and state standards, many teachers continue to rely upon more traditional methods of instruction This causal-comparative study was designed to determine the effects of the Inquiry Institute, a professional development program that is intended to strengthen science teachers' pedagogical knowledge and provide practice with inquiry methods based from a constructivist approach. This study will provide a understanding of a cause and effect relationship within three levels of the independent variable---length of participation in the Inquiry Institute (zero, three, or six days)---to determine whether or not the three groups differ on the dependent variables---beliefs, implementation, and barriers. Quantitative data were collected with the Science Inquiry Survey, a researcher-developed instrument designed to also ascertain qualitative information with the use of open-ended survey items. One-way ANOVAs were applied to the data to test for a significant difference in the means of the three groups. The findings of this study indicate that lengthier professional development in the Inquiry Institute holds the most benefits for the participants.

Factors influencing the migration of West African health professionals

PubMed Central

Lowe, Mat; Chen, Duan-Rung

2016-01-01

Introduction The West African health sector is characterized by a human resource base lacking in numbers and specialized skills. Among the contributory factors to this lack of human resource for health workforce include but not limited to the migration of health professionals. Methods This cross-sectional survey targeted 118 young professionals who have participated in the Young Professional Internship Program (YPIP) of the West African Health Organization (WAHO), from (2005-2013). It inquired about their socio-demographic characteristics associated with migration and reasons for going to their preferred or most likely destinations through online survey. Results Of the 118 young professionals, 100 responded to the online survey, of which (28%) have migrated and (72%) did not migrate. Migration was more common among males and those (age≤31 years old), single with high dependency level and no previous work experience. Having a medical profession and being posted to urban or semi-urban area was also associated with their emigration. Their most important reasons for going to preferred or most likely destinations were to have fair level of workload, job promotion and limited occupational risks. Conclusion This finding suggests that the migration of health professionals is situation dependent, mediated by basic socio-demographic variables and work related conditions. These issues have implications for curbing the brain drain potential of health professionals in the West African health sector. PMID:27800092

Most Important Factors for the Implementation of Shared Decision Making in Sciatica Care: Ranking among Professionals and Patients

PubMed Central

Hofstede, Stefanie N.; van Bodegom-Vos, Leti; Wentink, Manon M.; Vleggeert-Lankamp, Carmen L. A.; Vliet Vlieland, Thea P. M.; de Mheen, Perla J. Marang-van

2014-01-01

Introduction Due to the increasing specialization of medical professionals, patients are treated by multiple disciplines. To ensure that delivered care is patient-centered, it is crucial that professionals and the patient together decide on treatment (shared decision making (SDM)). However, it is not known how SDM should be integrated in multidisciplinary practice. This study determines the most important factors for SDM implementation in sciatica care, as it is known that a prior inventory of factors is crucial to develop a successful implementation strategy. Methods 246 professionals (general practitioners, physical therapists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons) (30% response) and 155 patients (96% response) responded to an internet-based survey. Respondents ranked barriers and facilitators identified in previous interviews, on their importance using Maximum Difference Scaling. Feeding back the personal top 5 most important factors, each respondent indicated whether these factors were barriers or facilitators. Hierarchical Bayes estimation was used to estimate the relative importance (RI) of each factor. Results Professionals assigned the highest importance to: quality of professional-patient relationship (RI 4.87; CI 4.75–4.99); importance of quick recovery of patient (RI 4.83; CI 4.69–4.97); and knowledge about treatment options (RI 6.64; CI 4.53–4.74), which were reported as barrier and facilitator. Professionals working in primary care had a different ranking than those working in hospital care. Patients assigned the highest importance to: correct diagnosis by professionals (barrier, RI 8.19; CI 7.99–8.38); information provision about treatment options and potential harm and benefits (RI 7.87; CI 7.65–8.08); and explanation of the professional about the care trajectory (RI 7.16; CI 6.94–7.38), which were reported as barrier and facilitator. Conclusions Knowledge, information provision and a good relationship are the most important conditions for SDM perceived by both patients and professionals. These conditions are not restricted to one specific disease or health care system, because they are mostly professional or patient dependent and require healthcare professional training. PMID:24710328

Predictors of Professional Identity Development for Student Affairs Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittman, Edward C.; Foubert, John D.

2016-01-01

This study examined whether professional involvement, supervision style, and mentoring predicted the professional identity of graduate students and new professionals in student affairs. Results of the study show that all three independent variables predicted the professional identity development of graduate students. Supervision style of a…

Creating a culture of professional development: a milestone pathway tool for registered nurses.

PubMed

Cooper, Elizabeth

2009-11-01

The nursing shortage continues to be a significant threat to health care. Creating a culture of professional development in health care institutions is one way to combat this shortage. Professional development refers to a constant commitment to maintain one's knowledge and skill base. Increasing professional development opportunities in the health care setting has been shown to affect nurse retention and satisfaction. Several approaches have been developed to increase professional development among nurses. However, for the most part, these are "one size fits all" approaches that direct nurses to progress in lock step fashion in skill and knowledge acquisition within a specialty. This article introduces a milestone pathway tool for registered nurses designed to enhance professional development that is unique to the individual nurse and the specific nursing unit. This tool provides a unit-specific concept map, a milestone pathway template, and a personal professional development plan. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Teaching professional development of science and engineering professors at a research-extensive university: Motivations, meaningfulness, obstacles, and effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouwma-Gearhart, Jana

There is a national movement to improve undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Given the percentage of academics teaching and training at research institutions, there is a parallel movement to improve the quality of teaching-focused professional development for practicing and future STEM educators at these institutions. While research into the effectiveness of teaching professional development at the postsecondary level has increased over the last 40 years, little attention has been paid to understanding faculty perceptions regarding what constitutes effective teaching professional development. Less is known about how to best meet the needs of STEM faculty at research universities and why, given that they are seldom required to engage in teaching professional development, they bother to participate at all. The higher education research community must develop theory grounded in the knowledge and practical experiences of the faculty engaged in teaching professional development. I have studied what motivates twelve research university science and engineering faculty to engage in teaching professional development in light of local supports and barriers and the resulting value of their participation. I have interpreted the experiences of my research participants to indicate that they were motivated to engage in teaching professional development to fulfill a need to bring their teaching competencies in better concordance with their professional strengths as researchers. Once engaged, my research participants increased their teaching competence and achieved more autonomy with respect to their professional practice. As they continued to engage, they internalized the values and practices associated with effective teaching professional development and adopted the commitment to continually problematize their teaching practice as more of their own. My research participants attempted to transfer their revised stance regarding teaching and teaching professional development to their student mentees and colleagues. They found certain teaching professional development types and topics to be more meaningful and of interest than others. My research findings may inform those committed to the improvement of postsecondary STEM education at research universities, including teaching professional development advocates and implementers and participating faculty members themselves.

76 FR 50199 - National Center To Enhance the Professional Development of School Personnel Who Share...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-12

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No. 84.325F] National Center To Enhance the Professional Development... of project period and waiver for the National Center to Enhance the Professional Development of... waiver enables the currently funded National Center to Enhance the Professional Development of School...

Further Research on an Undergraduate Measure of Professional Development Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blau, Gary; Pred, Robert; Andersson, Lynne; Lopez, Andrea B.

2015-01-01

Professional Development Engagement (PDE) refers to the level of undergraduate engagement in professional development. Professional Development (PD) involves activities designed to help students prepare for a successful college-to-work transition. This study tested a new 12-item measure of PDE for a complete-data sample of 246 undergraduate…

Learning, Motivation, and Transfer: Successful Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Lex

2012-01-01

In this article, I am concerned with three key issues of teacher professional development--teacher learning, motivation, and transfer of learning. Each issue has received minimal attention in teacher professional development literature. The three issues are discussed, and a model of an integrative professional development approach is outlined,…

"Shakespeare Reloaded": Teacher Professional Development within a Collaborative Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, Linzy

2009-01-01

This paper describes an instance of continuing professional development and explores the contribution it might make to the ongoing international dialogue of professional development. It reviews the way features of the current debate on effective teaching, teacher learning and continuing professional development overlap and feed into each other and…

Does Professional Development Change Teaching Practice? Results from a Three-Year Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Andrew C.; Garet, Michael S.; Desimone, Laura; Yoon, Kwang Suk; Birman, Beatrice F.

This report, the third in a series of reports from the longitudinal evaluation of the Eisenhower Professional Development Program, examines the effects of professional development on improving classroom teaching practice. The Eisenhower Professional Development Program, Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, is the federal…

Improving Teachers' In-Service Professional Development in Mathematics and Science: The Role of Postsecondary Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desimone Laura; Garet, Michael S.; Birman, Beatrice F.; Porter, Andrew; Yoon, Kwang Suk

2003-01-01

As part of national evaluation of Eisenhower Professional Development Program, examines management and implementation strategies contributing to high-quality inservice teacher professional development in mathematics and science. Finds higher quality professional development is related to management and implementation strategies such as continuous…

Shaping Professional Development to Promote the Diffusion of Instructional Expertise among Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Min; Penuel, William R.; Frank, Kenneth A.; Gallagher, H. Alix; Youngs, Peter

2013-01-01

This study examines how high-quality professional development can promote the diffusion of effective teaching strategies among teachers through collaboration. Drawing on longitudinal and sociometric data from a study of writing professional development in 39 schools, this study shows that teachers' participation in professional development is…

Professional Development for Teachers: What Two Rigorous Studies Tell Us

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quint, Janet

2011-01-01

Professional development--formal in-service training to upgrade the content knowledge and pedagogical skills of teachers--is widely viewed as an important means of improving teaching and learning. While many interventions "include" professional development, professional development was the central intervention of the two recent research and…

Helping Teachers Help Themselves: Professional Development That Makes a Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Kevin; Parker, Melissa; Tannehill, Deborah

2015-01-01

For school administrators to facilitate impactful teacher professional development, a shift in thinking that goes beyond the acquisition of new skills and knowledge to helping teachers rethink their practice is required. Based on review of the professional development literature and our own continued observations of professional development, this…

Professional Development Planning and Design. Issues in Science Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhoton, Jack; Bowers, Patricia

This book focuses on the professional development of teachers and discusses issues related to the planning and design of professional development programs. The content of the book is divided into three parts. Part 1, Standards-Based Reform and Professional Development includes: (1) "National Science Education Standards as a Catalyst for…

A Model of Professional Development: Teachers' Perceptions of Their Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avidov-Ungar, Orit

2016-01-01

This research aims to evaluate the manner in which teachers perceive their professional development process. Forty-three teachers from Israeli schools participated in the study. I used a semi-structured interview to understand the teachers' perceptions about their professional development. The qualitative analysis identified two dimensions that…

Teachers' Perceptions of the Quantity and Quality of Professional Development Activities in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellibas, Mehmet Sukru; Gumus, Emine

2016-01-01

Professional development for teachers has been a substantial issue in contemporary educational research and policy. Yet, opportunities for professional development activities have been very limited in Turkey. In this study, we examined Turkish teachers' involvement in professional development activities by comparing their participation with the…

The Evolution of a Professional Practice Forum: Balancing Peer-to-Peer Learning With Course Objectives.

PubMed

Janssen, Anna; Robinson, Tracy; Shaw, Tim

2014-10-31

The Opioid Treatment Accreditation Course (OTAC) is a mandatory accreditation requirement in New South Wales, Australia, and aims to prepare medical practitioners for the provision of safe and effective Opioid Substitution Treatment to people with opioid dependence. The course has a strong focus on safe prescribing practices and the course design includes a Professional Practice Forum that is engaging for participants and effective at imparting complex ideas and concepts that do not place additional time constraints on already time-poor health professionals. The study aimed to use participatory action research methods to develop and evaluate an online Professional Practice Forum that is a key component of the OTAC teaching and learning experience. Three evaluation cycles were implemented with three cohorts of participants (N=40) to inform the design and review of the updated OTAC course. Overall, the study relied on participatory action research methods to enhance a sense of online community and to revise the Professional Practice Forum component of the course. Findings from survey feedback and an examination of Web metrics were used to monitor participant learning and were subsequently subject to thematic analysis in order to identify key themes. The use of participatory action techniques in the redesign of the OTAC course was a successful means of engaging with participants and resulted in four revisions based on feedback from facilitators and participants. The Professional Practice Forum was rated highly and received positive feedback from both moderators and participants. The use of interactive forums in online learning in an educational module for adult learners can prove extremely valuable as a means for participants to share their expertise and improve their learning outcomes. In particular, the use of sticky and welcome threads were significant features that enhanced interactions between participants and facilitators and resulted in increased quantity and quality of postings. These findings can help inform future researchers on how to develop peer engagement modules that are amenable to assessment and that build an online sense of community.

Perceptions of professionalism in dentistry - a qualitative study.

PubMed

Zijlstra-Shaw, S; Roberts, T E; Robinson, P G

2013-11-08

Professionalism is an essential competence for dental professionals. Dental educators require both a clear definition and an understanding of the scope of professionalism in order to teach and assess it. The aim of this study was to identify concepts of professionalism in dentistry and the themes within this construct. Semi-structured interviews with participants purposively sampled to ensure representation of relevant viewpoints. Qualitative framework analysis was used to induct themes. Four themes arose from the data: (i) professionalism as a second order competence, (ii) the expression of professionalism as dependent on context, (iii) reflection as a necessary component and (iv) professionalism encompasses both tacit and overt personal aspects. These results were then incorporated into a conceptual model of dental professionalism. Analysis of the interview data reveals that participants conceptualise professionalism as the manner in which one reflects on and reconciles different aspects of professional practice, which demonstrates acceptance of professional responsibility and accountability. It is manifested in the manner in which work is carried out. The definition and model conceptualise the construct of professionalism within dentistry that can be used to derive an educational and assessment system.

(Co)Meta-Reflection as a Method for the Professional Development of Academic Middle Leaders in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorpe, Anthony; Garside, Diane

2017-01-01

The professional development of middle leaders in higher education is little considered in existing research, though there are general concerns being raised about the suitability of the professional development opportunities currently available. This article develops and explores the use of meta-reflection as a method for professional development,…

Constructing professional and organisational fields.

PubMed

Gurney, Robert

2016-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to fill an apparent gap in the literature addressing issues of leadership and change - the development and activities of constructing and leading sports sciences and medicine professions, and similarly, the construction and leadership of multidisciplinary/inter-disciplinary organisations that practice sports sciences and medicine. Design/methodology/approach - This study incorporated explorations through conducting both interviews and survey questionnaires with members of Sports Medicine Australia (SMA). The interviews (qualitative) were semi-structured and asked questions addressing what changed, why change and how change was implemented. Findings - The health sciences and medicine professions moving to specialised sports sciences and medicine disciplines and SMA, evolved through forces driving the need for change (legitimacy, resource dependency, positioning and core competencies). Practical implications - The knowledge developed from understanding activities of change that traditional professions conducted to become specialised Disciplines and parallel changes in a single Discipline organisation evolving to an umbrella organisation (SMA), comprised a membership of specialised Disciplines, can act as a catalyst for inquiry by other professional and organisational groups. Originality/value - The findings of this study contributes to the literature investigating change in professional and organisations fields. More specifically, this study promotes inquiry into leadership practices of sports sciences and medicine, as contributors to the field of health services.

Interns' Professional Knowledge and Professional Identity Formation in Online Peer-Led Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hyun-Myoung

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to make interns-central members who directed a change the nature of the conception of professional development in an online peer-led dialogue. My focuses were what pedagogical aspects in an online peer-led dialogue contributed to intern's professional development (i.e., professional knowledge development and…

Compassion Fatigue and Mindfulness: Comparing Mental Health Professionals and MSW Student Interns.

PubMed

Brown, Jodi L Constantine; Ong, Jacqueline; Mathers, Jessica M; Decker, James T

2017-01-01

The relationship between compassion fatigue and mindfulness in mental health professionals compared to Master of Social Work (MSW) students is explored. A convenience sample of mental health professionals (n = 40) and MSW students (n = 111) completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and Professional Quality of Life Scale. Results indicate a medium, negative correlation between compassion fatigue and mindfulness, with high levels of compassion fatigue associated with lower levels of mindfulness. There was no statistically significant difference between mental health workers and MSW students on the combined dependent variables. Results suggest that mindfulness protects against compassion fatigue regardless of professional or student status.

Effects of organizational and professional identification on the relationship between administrators' social influence and professional employees' adoption of new work behavior.

PubMed

Hekman, David R; Steensma, H Kevin; Bigley, Gregory A; Hereford, James F

2009-09-01

Administrative social influence is a principal tool for motivating employee behavior. The authors argue that the compliance of professional employees (e.g., doctors) with administrative social influence will depend on the degree to which these employees identify with their profession and organization. Professional employees were found to be most receptive to administrator social influence to adopt new work behavior when they strongly identified with the organization and weakly identified with the profession. In contrast, administrator social influence was counterproductive when professional employees strongly identified with the profession and weakly identified with the organization.

Conditions for Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humes, Walter

2001-01-01

Examines aspects of initial teacher education and continuing professional development in Scotland against the backdrop of McCrone Report recommendations on teaching conditions. Discusses teachers' attitudes toward their own professional development; the nature of professional knowledge, skills, and values; and some principles to promote genuine…

Childhood chronic-kidney-disease: a longitudinal-qualitative study of families learning to share management early in the trajectory.

PubMed

Swallow, Veronica; Lambert, Heather; Clarke, Charlotte; Campbell, Steve; Jacoby, Ann

2008-11-01

To explore the ways families learn to share management during the early stages of childhood chronic-kidney-disease. This longitudinal, descriptive study based on the tenets of grounded theory, aimed to derive meaning about family-professional interactions during shared management. Data were obtained from six newly referred families, four renal nurses, four paediatric nephrologists and one dietician through: 36 semi-structured interviews, 21 case-note reviews and four child/parent learning diaries. Three learning stages were identified: dependent (families' understanding was superficial, they lacked underlying knowledge and were totally reliant on professional guidance); co-dependent (families engaged competently in management but still required extensive guidance); independent (families communicated effectively with staff and competently adjusted management within professionally defined parameters). Five families actively shared management from early in the trajectory and progressed to independent learning when, by mutual agreement, professional input to management gradually decreased. The remaining family adopted a passive approach to management, did not progress to independent learning and remained reliant on professional input. Families in this study demonstrated three learning stages in becoming competent at management. Future research is needed to investigate the ways professionals promote family competence early in the trajectory and the factors that can facilitate or hinder families' progression to independent learning.

Team-Based Professional Development Interventions in Higher Education: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Gast, Inken; Schildkamp, Kim; van der Veen, Jan T

2017-08-01

Most professional development activities focus on individual teachers, such as mentoring or the use of portfolios. However, new developments in higher education require teachers to work together in teams more often. Due to these changes, there is a growing need for professional development activities focusing on teams. Therefore, this review study was conducted to provide an overview of what is known about professional development in teams in the context of higher education. A total of 18 articles were reviewed that describe the effects of professional development in teams on teacher attitudes and teacher learning. Furthermore, several factors that can either hinder or support professional development in teams are identified at the individual teacher level, at the team level, and also at the organizational level.

Teachers' perceptions of effective science, technology, and mathematics professional development and changes in classroom practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boriack, Anna Christine

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers' perceptions of professional development and changes in classroom practice. A proposed conceptual framework for effective professional development that results in changes in classroom practices was developed. Data from two programs that provided professional development to teachers in the areas of technology, mathematics, and science was used to inform the conceptual framework. These two programs were Target Technology in Texas (T3) and Mathematics, Science, and Technology Teacher Preparation Academies (MSTTPA). This dissertation used a multiple article format to explore each program separately, yet the proposed conceptual framework allowed for comparisons to be made between the two programs. The first study investigated teachers' perceptions of technology-related professional development after their districts had received a T3 grant. An online survey was administrated to all teachers to determine their perceptions of technology-related professional development along with technology self-efficacy. Classroom observations were conducted to determine if teachers were implementing technology. The results indicated that teachers did not perceive professional development as being effective and were not implementing technology in their classrooms. Teachers did have high technology self-efficacy and perceived adequate school support, which implies that effective professional development may be a large factor in whether or not teachers implement technology in their classrooms. The second study evaluated participants' perceptions of the effectiveness of mathematics and science professional development offered through a MSTTP academy. Current and former participants completed an online survey which measured their perceptions of academy activities and school environment. Participants also self-reported classroom implementation of technology. Interviews and open-ended survey questions were used to provide further insight into academy activities. The results indicated that academy participants perceived effective academy activities along with a supportive school environment. Additionally, participants reported sometimes implementing technology in their classrooms. These findings suggest that several factors might influence the successful classroom implementation of professional development. The data which supports the conceptual framework shows that effective professional development may play a key role in successful classroom implementation. Future professional development activities should be designed around characteristics for effective professional development to increase the likelihood that classroom implementation might occur.

Examining the Relationship between Teachers' Attitudes and Motivation toward Web-Based Professional Development: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chien, Hui-Min; Kao, Chia-Pin; Yeh, I-Jan; Lin, Kuen-Yi

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate elementary school teachers' attitudes and motivation toward web-based professional development. The relationship between teachers' attitudes and motivation was explored using the AWPD (Attitudes toward Web-based Professional Development) and MWPD (Motivation toward Web-based Professional Development)…

Working with What They Have: Professional Development as a Reform Strategy in Rural Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Nathan; Cowen, Joshua; Toma, Eugenia; Troske, Suzanne

2015-01-01

In-service teacher professional development has been used to improve teacher effectiveness. In Kentucky, the National Science Foundation funded a large professional development program called the Appalachian Math and Science Partnership (AMSP) to provide content-based professional development to teachers in rural schools. We show that students…

The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Elementary Teachers' Science Knowledge and Pedagogical Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, Maria Madalena

2015-01-01

Teacher professional development plays an important role in a teacher's growth and every year school districts spend a large portion of their budgets in professional development activities. However, as districts face increasing budget cuts, funds for professional development compete against other district priorities. As a result, partnerships…

Teacher Self-Efficacy, Professional Development and Student Reading Performance in Persistently Low-Performing Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Vanassa

2016-01-01

The overall aim of this quantitative non-experimental study was to investigate the degree to which content-focused professional development, active based-learning professional development and teacher self-efficacy predict student performance in reading, within persistently low-performing schools. The need to investigate professional development in…

How Do District Management and Implementation Strategies Relate to the Quality of the Professional Development That Districts Provide to Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desimone, Laura; Porter, Andrew C.; Birman, Beatrice F.; Garet, Michael S.; Yoon, Kwang Suk

2002-01-01

Examined policy mechanisms and processes that districts used to provide high quality inservice professional development to teachers. Data from a national probability sample of professional development coordinators in districts that received federal funding for professional development highlighted specific management and implementation strategies…

Examining the Roles of the Facilitator in Online and Face-to-Face PD Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Gina; Johnson, Heather; Vath, Richard; Kubitskey, Beth; Fishman, Barry

2013-01-01

Online teacher professional development has become an alternative to face-to-face professional development. Such a shift from face-to-face to online professional development, however, brings new challenges for professional development facilitators, whose roles are crucial in orchestrating teacher learning. This paper is motivated by the need to…

A Better Way to Measure: New Survey Tool Gives Educators a Clear Picture of Professional Learning's Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blank, Rolf K.

2010-01-01

Just when educators are learning more about what constitutes effective professional development, a collaborative team of education researchers and practitioners have developed, tested, and implemented a cost-effective method of measuring and reporting on the quality of teacher professional development. The teacher professional development analysis…

The Investigation of Teachers' Metaphoric Perceptions about Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yurtseven, Nihal

2017-01-01

Professional development is an ongoing process in which teachers review their teaching practices and learn how to respond to their students' needs. To make the professional development process more effective, we need to define the identity of a teacher correctly and clarify the perspective about teachers' professional development. The purpose of…

Accountability or Authenticity? The Alignment of Professional Development and Teacher Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Su, Yahui; Feng, Liyia; Hsu, Chang-Hui

2017-01-01

The alignment of professional development and teacher evaluation has been a growing concern in teacher professional development practices. The issue of how teacher evaluation can help authentic professional development is important in that teachers only learn what is real, useful and valuable to them. Based on our reflections on current…

Large-Scale Teacher Professional Development Endeavor: The Lincoln Tri-State Institute

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murley, Lisa D.; Gandy, S. Kay; Sublett, Michael D.; Kruger, Darrell P.

2014-01-01

This article explores a two-year professional development initiative with four state geographic alliances. Professional development planners, whether planning for a large- or small-scale initiative or one with unlimited or limited funding, will benefit from learning about this successful professional development activity and how the impact in the…

Learning from Teaching in Literacy Education: New Perspectives on Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodgers, Emily M., Ed.; Pinnell, Gay Su, Ed.

This collection of papers describes what is known about the effective professional development of literacy educators. The 11 papers are: (1) "Professional Development Scenarios: What Is and Might Be" (Emily Rodgers and Gay Su Pinnell); (2) "A National Overview of Professional Development Programs in Reading" (Marie Tejero Hughes, Michele Mits…

Using a High-Performance Planning Model to Increase Levels of Functional Effectiveness Within Professional Development.

PubMed

Winter, Peggi

2016-01-01

Nursing professional practice models continue to shape how we practice nursing by putting families and members at the heart of everything we do. Faced with enormous challenges around healthcare reform, models create frameworks for practice by unifying, uniting, and guiding our nurses. The Kaiser Permanente Practice model was developed to ensure consistency for nursing practice across the continuum. Four key pillars support this practice model and the work of nursing: quality and safety, leadership, professional development, and research/evidence-based practice. These four pillars form the foundation that makes transformational practice possible and aligns nursing with Kaiser Permanente's mission. The purpose of this article is to discuss the pillar of professional development and the components of the Nursing Professional Development: Scope and Standards of Practice model (American Nurses Association & National Nursing Staff Development Organization, 2010) and place them in a five-level development framework. This process allowed us to identify the current organizational level of practice, prioritize each nursing professional development component, and design an operational strategy to move nursing professional development toward a level of high performance. This process is suggested for nursing professional development specialists.

An Australian investigation of emotional work, emotional well-being and professional practice: an emancipatory inquiry.

PubMed

Rose, Jayln; Glass, Nel

2010-05-01

This study set out to explore the relationship between emotional work, emotional well-being and professional practice of generalist community health nurses who provided palliative care to clients living at home. Research suggests that palliative care practice is emotionally demanding and at times challenging. Whilst nurses find their palliative practice a source of job satisfaction the associated stresses can impact on nurses emotional well-being. A qualitative emancipatory methodology informed this study. Semi-structured interviews/storytelling and reflective journaling were the two methods applied. Sixteen community health nurses including the researcher participated. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken. The concept of emotional well-being is associated with nurses' feelings of being balanced or out of balance. There is a pervasive interconnectedness between emotional work, emotional well-being and professional practice that is influenced by factors such as organisational and workplace issues; communication with health professionals, professional boundaries; education and professional development. Three major interwoven themes emerged highlighting that palliative care provision was demanding and rewarding, yet dependent on the nurse's comfortability within practice. Self-care is also important to the generalist nurses and strategies to enhance well-being include healthy lifestyle choices, debriefing, self-validation, assertiveness and emotional support. Emotional well-being is complex and multifaceted. The value of emotional well-being to professional practice is important. Palliative care provision is associated with demands, rewards and comfortability. It is essential that attention be given to the experiences of generalist community health nurses who engage in palliative care provision. As the demand for community palliative care increases, the issues that limit and enhance the emotional well-being of generalist palliative care nurses' become critical. The findings have international relevance to generalist and specialist palliative care nurses, academics and researchers alike.

Learning for Work and Professional Development: The Significance of Informal Learning Networks of Digital Media Industry Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campana, Joe

2014-01-01

Informal learning networks play a key role in the skill and professional development of professionals, working in micro-businesses within Australia's digital media industry, as they do not have access to learning and development or human resources sections that can assist in mapping their learning pathway. Professionals working in this environment…

Overuse Injuries in Professional Ballet: Influence of Age and Years of Professional Practice.

PubMed

Sobrino, Francisco José; Guillén, Pedro

2017-06-01

In spite of the high rate of overuse injuries in ballet dancers, no studies have investigated the prevalence of overuse injuries in professional dancers by providing specific diagnoses and details on the differences in the injuries sustained as a function of age and/or years of professional practice. Overuse injuries are the most prevalent injuries in ballet dancers. Professional ballet dancers suffer different types of injuries depending on their age and years of professional practice. Descriptive epidemiology study. This descriptive epidemiological study was carried out between January 1, 2005, and October 10, 2010, regarding injuries sustained by professional dancers belonging to the major Spanish ballet companies practicing classical, neoclassical, contemporary, and Spanish dance. The sample was distributed into 3 different groups according to age and years of professional practice. Data were obtained from the specialized medical care the dancers received from the Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery Service at Fremap in Madrid. The dependent variable was the study of the injury. A total of 486 injuries were identified over the study period, with overuse injuries being the most common etiology ( P < .0001); these injuries were especially prevalent in junior professional dancers practicing classical ballet and veteran dancers practicing contemporary ballet ( P = .01). Specifically, among other findings, stress fractures of the base of the second metatarsal ( P = .03), patellofemoral syndrome, and os trigonum syndrome were more prevalent among junior professionals ( P = .04); chondral injury of the knee in senior professionals ( P = .04); and cervical disc disease in dancers of intermediate age and level of experience. Overall, overuse injuries were more prevalent in younger professionals, especially in women. This finding was especially true for the more technical ballet disciplines. On the other hand, in the athletic ballet disciplines, overuse lesions occurred mainly in the more senior professionals. This study provides specific clinical diagnoses obtained through physical examination as well as details on the different injury types sustained as a function of age and/or years of professional practice, an important aspect for ballet and sports practice in general.

Overuse Injuries in Professional Ballet: Influence of Age and Years of Professional Practice

PubMed Central

Sobrino, Francisco José; Guillén, Pedro

2017-01-01

Background: In spite of the high rate of overuse injuries in ballet dancers, no studies have investigated the prevalence of overuse injuries in professional dancers by providing specific diagnoses and details on the differences in the injuries sustained as a function of age and/or years of professional practice. Hypothesis: Overuse injuries are the most prevalent injuries in ballet dancers. Professional ballet dancers suffer different types of injuries depending on their age and years of professional practice. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: This descriptive epidemiological study was carried out between January 1, 2005, and October 10, 2010, regarding injuries sustained by professional dancers belonging to the major Spanish ballet companies practicing classical, neoclassical, contemporary, and Spanish dance. The sample was distributed into 3 different groups according to age and years of professional practice. Data were obtained from the specialized medical care the dancers received from the Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery Service at Fremap in Madrid. The dependent variable was the study of the injury. Results: A total of 486 injuries were identified over the study period, with overuse injuries being the most common etiology (P < .0001); these injuries were especially prevalent in junior professional dancers practicing classical ballet and veteran dancers practicing contemporary ballet (P = .01). Specifically, among other findings, stress fractures of the base of the second metatarsal (P = .03), patellofemoral syndrome, and os trigonum syndrome were more prevalent among junior professionals (P = .04); chondral injury of the knee in senior professionals (P = .04); and cervical disc disease in dancers of intermediate age and level of experience. Conclusion: Overall, overuse injuries were more prevalent in younger professionals, especially in women. This finding was especially true for the more technical ballet disciplines. On the other hand, in the athletic ballet disciplines, overuse lesions occurred mainly in the more senior professionals. Clinical Relevance: This study provides specific clinical diagnoses obtained through physical examination as well as details on the different injury types sustained as a function of age and/or years of professional practice, an important aspect for ballet and sports practice in general. PMID:28695138

An analysis of zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubarek-Sandor, Joy

Informal science institutions are a significant provider of science teacher professional development. As pressure continues to critically analyze the work of teachers and their effectiveness in the classroom, it is important to understand how informal science institutions contribute to effective change in teacher science content knowledge and pedagogy. This research study analyzed zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development to respond to the research questions: How do zoos and aquaria determine and assess their goals for teacher professional development? How do these goals align with effective teacher change for science content knowledge and pedagogy? Theoretical frameworks for high quality teacher professional development, effective evaluation of teacher professional development, and learning in informal science settings guided the research. The sample for the study was AZA accredited zoos and aquariums providing teacher professional development (N=107). Data collection consisted of an online questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and content analysis of teacher professional development artifacts. Analysis revealed that by and large zoos and aquariums are lacking in their provision of science teacher professional development. Most professional development focuses on content or resources, neglecting pedagogy. Assessments mismatch the goals and rely heavily on self-report and satisfaction measures. The results demonstrate a marked difference between those zoos and aquariums that are larger in capacity versus those that are medium to small in size. This may be an area of research for the future, as well as analyzing the education resources produced by zoos and aquariums as these were emphasized heavily as a way they serve teachers.

Design and Implementation of a Professional Development Course Series.

PubMed

Welch, Beth; Spooner, Joshua J; Tanzer, Kim; Dintzner, Matthew R

2017-12-01

Objective. To design and implement a longitudinal course series focused on professional development and professional identity formation in pharmacy students at Western New England University. Methods. A four-year, theme-based course series was designed to sequentially and longitudinally impart the values, attributes, and characteristics of a professional pharmacist. Requirements of the course include: goal planning and reflective assignments, submission of "Best Works," attendance at professional meetings, completion of service hours, annual completion of a Pharmacy Professionalism Instrument, attendance at Dean's Seminar, participation in roundtable discussions, and maintenance of an electronic portfolio. Though the Professional Development course series carries no credit, these courses are progression requirements and students are assessed on a pass/fail basis. Results. Course pass rates in the 2015-2016 academic year for all four classes were 99% to 100%, suggesting the majority of students take professional development seriously and are achieving the intended outcomes of the courses. Conclusion. A professional development course series was designed and implemented in the new Doctor of Pharmacy program at Western New England University to enhance the professional identity formation of students.

A scenario-planning approach to human resources for health: the case of community pharmacists in Portugal.

PubMed

Gregório, João; Cavaco, Afonso; Velez Lapão, Luís

2014-10-13

Health workforce planning is especially important in a setting of political, social, and economic uncertainty. Portuguese community pharmacists are experiencing such conditions as well as increasing patient empowerment, shortage of primary care physicians, and primary health care reforms. This study aims to design three future scenarios for Portuguese community pharmacists, recognizing the changing environment as an opportunity to develop the role that community pharmacists may play in the Portuguese health system. The community pharmacist scenario design followed a three-stage approach. The first stage comprised thinking of relevant questions to be addressed and definition of the scenarios horizon. The second stage comprised two face-to-face, scenario-building workshops, for which 10 experts from practice and academic settings were invited. Academic and professional experience was the main selection criteria. The first workshop was meant for context analysis and design of draft scenarios, while the second was aimed at scenario analysis and validation. The final scenarios were built merging workshops' information with data collected from scientific literature followed by team consensus. The final stage involved scenario development carried by the authors alone, developing the narratives behind each scenario. Analysis allowed the identification of critical factors expected to have particular influence in 2020 for Portuguese community pharmacists, leading to two critical uncertainties: the "Legislative environment" and "Ability to innovate and develop services". Three final scenarios were built, namely "Pharmacy-Mall", "e-Pharmacist", and "Reorganize or Die". These scenarios provide possible trends for market needs, pharmacist workforce numbers, and expected qualifications to be developed by future professionals. In all scenarios it is clear that the future advance of Portuguese community pharmacists will depend on pharmaceutical services provision beyond medicine dispensing. This innovative professional role will require the acquisition or development of competencies in the fields of management, leadership, marketing, information technologies, teamwork abilities, and behavioural and communication skills. To accomplish a sustainable evolution, legislative changes and adequate financial incentives will be beneficial. The scenario development proves to be valuable as a strategic planning tool, not only for understanding future community pharmacist needs in a complex and uncertain environment, but also for other health care professionals.

A study on professional stress, depression and alcohol use among Indian IT professionals

PubMed Central

Darshan, M. S.; Raman, Rajesh; Rao, T. S. Sathyanarayana; Ram, Dushad; Annigeri, Bindu

2013-01-01

Background: Stress has touched almost all professions posing threat to mental and physical health. India being the Information Technology (IT) hub with lakhs involved as IT Professionals, there is a need to assess prevalence of professional stress, depression and problem alcohol use and understand their association. Objectives: (1) To screen for the prevalence of professional stress, risk for depression and harmful alcohol use among software engineers. (2) To study the association between professional stress, risk for depression and harmful alcohol use. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional online study conducted using screeing questionnaires like professional life stress scale, centre for epidemiological studies depression scale and alcohol use disorders identification test. This study was conducted specifically on professionals working in an IT firm with the designation of a software engineer. Results: A total of 129 subjects participated in the study. 51.2% of the study sample was found to be professionally stressed at the time of the interview. 43.4% of the study population were found to be at risk for developing depression. 68.2% of those who were professionally stressed were at risk for developing depression compared with only 17.5% of those who were not professionally stressed. Odds ratio revealed that subjects who were professionally stressed had 10 times higher risk for developing depression compared to those who were not professionally stressed. Subjects who were professionally stressed had 5.9 times higher prevalence of harmful alcohol use compared to those who were not professionally stressed. Subjects who were at risk for developing depression had 4.1 times higher prevalence of harmful alcohol use compared with those who were not at risk for developing depression. Conclusion: Such higher rates of professional stress, risk for developing depression and harmful alcohol use among software engineers could hinder the progress of IT development and also significantly increase the incidence of psychiatric disorders. PMID:23439801

Developing Professionalism in Business School Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Timothy S.; Amer, Tarek S.; Ng, Pin T.

2014-01-01

The authors explore the importance of developing professional behavior among business students and introduce a program designed to incentivize professionalism during undergraduate study. The Professionalism Recognition Program was established to promote, recognize, rate, and reward the students' professional conduct in a flexible and widely…

Contributions to These Practices from a Professional Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kale, Ugur

2004-01-01

Teacher professional development is assumed to be enhanced through reflective, collective, collaborative professional communities (Little, 2003). Universities in these teacher community developments play a big role by providing teachers with pedagogical helps and professional developments. By not only encouraging teachers to go to conferences, do…

School Culture and Postgraduate Professional Development: Delineating the "Enabling School"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arthur, Linet; Marland, Harriet; Pill, Amanda; Rea, Tony

2010-01-01

The culture of the "enabling school" is investigated within the context of the government's policy of continuing professional development and postgraduate professional development for teachers in England. This context is problematised by considering teachers' conceptualisations of their professional autonomy, status and personal…

Professional Development and TransLink[R]. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhn, Beverly T.; Jasek, Deborah

This report covers one segment of a larger professional development program for transportation professionals that addresses the need to develop a larger cadre of transportation professionals capable of designing, planning, managing, operating, and maintaining the transportation infrastructure nationwide. Three specific tasks were undertaken and…

Factor Analysis of Teacher Professional Development in Chinese Military Medical Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yue, Juan-Juan; Chen, Gang; Wang, Zhen-Wei; Liu, Wei-Dong

2017-01-01

Background and purpose: Teacher professional development potentially enhances teachers' professional morale, knowledge, skills and autonomy, which helps improve the quality of education. The military medical university is an important medical education institution in China; however, studies of teacher professional development within military…

Transforming Professional Development to Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Chelsea

2014-01-01

This article reviews teacher professional development norms as they are shifting toward collaborative practice. It is posed that passive and individual practices are inadequate to prepare teachers to integrate the academic skills that learners need for both workforce and college readiness. Promising practices in professional development are…

Development of professional expertise in optometry.

PubMed

Faucher, Caroline

2011-04-01

Development of professional expertise is the gradual transition from novice to expert within a profession. Studies on expertise in the profession of optometry have never been published. However, many studies have been performed in other health professions (e.g., nursing, medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy). This report is an overview of the development of professional expertise that will highlight some applications for optometry. A 5-level scale of professional expertise development, divided into 2 parts, is described. The first part is the progression of students during their professional studies (novice, intermediate, competent). The second part is the professional development occurring during the practice years (advanced, expert). Personal and collective efforts are required to foster the progression toward expertise. Great interest for the profession, motivation, and deliberate practice are individual attitudes that help this progression. The "optometric community of practice," by means of university (professional) training, continuing education, and collaboration between colleagues, also contributes to this process. Professional development is an integral part of the Optometric Oath. Each clinical case is a potential learning experience contributing to one's professional development. Optometrists' attitudes are predominant factors in the progression from one level to another. Copyright © 2011 American Optometric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Gender analysis of primary care professionals' perceptions and attitudes to informal care].

PubMed

del Mar García-Calvente, María; del Río Lozano, María; Castaño López, Esther; Mateo Rodríguez, Inmaculada; Maroto Navarro, Gracia; Hidalgo Ruzzante, Natalia

2010-01-01

To analyze primary care professionals' perceptions and attitudes to informal care from a gender perspective. We performed a qualitative study using interviews and a discussion group. Eighteen primary care professionals were selected in the Health District of Grenada (Spain) by means of intentional sampling. Content analysis was performed with the following categories: a) perceptions: concepts of dependency and informal care, gender differences and impact on health, b) attitudes: not in favor of change, in favor of change and the right not to provide informal care. The health professionals emphasized the non-professional, free and strong emotional component of informal care. These professionals assigned the family (especially women) the main responsibility for caregiving and used stereotypes to differentiate between care provided by men and by women. The professionals agreed that women had a greater psychological burden associated with care, mainly because they more frequently provide caregiving on their own than men. Three major attitudes emerged among health professionals about informal care: those who did not question the current situation and idealized the family as the most appropriate framework for caregiving; those who proposed changes toward a more universal dependency system that would relieve families; and those who adopted an intermediate position, favoring education to achieve wellbeing in caregivers and prevent them from ceasing to provide care. We identified perceptions and attitudes that showed little sensitivity to gender equality, such as a conservative attitude that assigned the family the primary responsibility for informal care and some sexist stereotypes that attributed a greater ability for caregiving to women. Specific training in gender equality is required among health professionals to reduce inequalities in informal care. Copyright © 2009 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Team-Based Professional Development Interventions in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Gast, Inken; Schildkamp, Kim; van der Veen, Jan T.

2017-01-01

Most professional development activities focus on individual teachers, such as mentoring or the use of portfolios. However, new developments in higher education require teachers to work together in teams more often. Due to these changes, there is a growing need for professional development activities focusing on teams. Therefore, this review study was conducted to provide an overview of what is known about professional development in teams in the context of higher education. A total of 18 articles were reviewed that describe the effects of professional development in teams on teacher attitudes and teacher learning. Furthermore, several factors that can either hinder or support professional development in teams are identified at the individual teacher level, at the team level, and also at the organizational level. PMID:28989192

Implementing a Process to Measure Return on Investment for Nursing Professional Development.

PubMed

Garrison, Elisabeth; Beverage, Jodie

Return on investment (ROI) is one way to quantify the value that nursing professional development brings to the organization. This article describes a process to begin tracking ROI for nursing professional development. Implementing a process of tracking nursing professional development practitioners' ROI increased awareness of the financial impact and effectiveness of the department.

An Exploration of Online Environments Supporting Follow-Up to Face-to-Face Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Marybeth; Cifuentes, Lauren

2008-01-01

In this study we examined the effects of online follow-up and online peer interaction following a face-to face professional development workshop on attitudes towards that professional development and completion of a professional development task. School librarians were invited to work online on a three page plan outlining interventions a library…

Chapter 2: Effective Professional Development--What We Now Know Calls for Professional Development for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bechtel, Pamela A.; O'Sullivan, Mary

2006-01-01

There are many factors that affect the design of effective professional development (PD) programs. This review of literature focuses on some of the theoretical models used to explain teacher change, the contextual factors that impact teacher behaviors and curricular change, and the role of continuous professional development in changing teaching…

Coaching in Special Education: Toward a Model of Differentiated Professional Development for Elementary School Paraeducators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirk-Martinez, Jacqueline Faith

2011-01-01

Although there is a considerable amount of research studies about effective professional development, a literature review revealed that educators are not receiving effective professional development in order to improve instruction. What is paramount in the studies of professional development is that the traditional one-shot model does not meet the…

Improving Professional Development Systems: Recommendations from the Pennsylvania Adult Basic and Literacy Education Professional Development System Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belzer, Alisa

2005-01-01

The recommendations from a two-part, formative evaluation of Pennsylvania's Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education professional development system are reported here. The first phase of the evaluation studied the relationships between the vision for professional development held by planners and facilitators and the ways in which participants…

[The accreditation of professional competence: the analysis of nursing
interventions to control anxiety in surgical patients].

PubMed

Brea-Rivero, Pilar; Herrera-Usagre, Manuel; Rojas-de-Mora-Figueroa, Ana; Esposito, Thomas

2016-01-01

. The accreditation of professional competence: the analysis of nursing interventions to control anxiety in surgical patients. The preoperative anxiety is a state of discomfort or unpleasant tension resulting from concerns about illness, hospitalization, anesthesia, surgery or the unknown. Nurses play a vital role reducing preoperative anxiety. An accreditation program was developed in Andalusia (Spain) to measure nurses' competences in this and others fields. To analyze the accredited nurses' interventions spectrum to reduce anxiety in surgical patients and to check if their range of interventions depends upon their professional skills accreditation level. Cross-sectional study. From 20016 to 2014, 1.282 interventions performed by 303 operating room nurses accredited through the Professional Skills Accreditation Program of the Andalusian Agency for Health Care Quality (ACSA) were analyzed with the latent class analysis (LCA) and multinomial logistic regression. Two-thirds of the sample was accredited in Advanced level, about 31% in Expert level and 2.6% in Excellent level. Mean age of patients was 58.5±19.8 years. Three professional profiles were obtained from the LCA. Those nurses classified in Class I (22.4% of the sample) were more likely to be women, to can for younger patients, and to be accredited in Expert or Excellent Level and to perform the larger range of interventions, becoming therefore the most complete professional profile. Those nurses who perform a wider range of interventions and specifically two evidence based interventions such Calming Technique and Coping Enhancement are those who have a higher level of accreditation level.

Making Connections between the Appraisal, Performance Management and Professional Development of Dentists and Teachers: "Right, What Are the Problems We've Got and How Could We Sort This Out?'"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butt, Graham; Macnab, Natasha

2013-01-01

Evaluating the connections between the appraisal, or performance management, of different professional groups, and their subsequent uptake of continuing professional development (CPD), is valuable for both employees and managers. The linking of appraisal systems with professional/personal development plans amongst health professionals is now…

Professional development by scientists and teachers' understanding of the nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, Dwight A.

The educational literature suggests that the success of professional development is contingent upon both a professional developer's presentation of the curriculum and his/her comprehension of the complex interactions that occur between instructor and the adult learner. While these suggestions appear forthright and logical, very little research has been conducted to demarcate how professional development approaches defined by these notions impact teacher knowledge. This study investigates the effects of scientist-delivered teacher professional development on teachers' understanding of the nature of science. Using a mixed-method comparative case study, my goal was to build theory focusing specifically on two dimensions of professional development: the pedagogical approaches used by the scientist-instructors and their views/treatment of teachers as professionals or as technicians. Seven credit-bearing summer courses from multiple scientific disciplines were studied, and each course shared a number of important features (duration, general format, teacher recruitment and admission, location, number of participants, etc.); consequently, they comprise a unique dataset for comparative research on science teacher professional development. A wide variety of data collection approaches were used, including interviews, questionnaires, a VNOS instrument, and systematic classroom observation by ten trained observers (each course was continuously observed by at least two observers). Analysis shows that teachers were more likely to experience change in their views about the nature of science in courses in which they were treated as professionals, compared to courses in which they were treated as technicians. It also shows that syllabi and participant reports tend to overstate the use of inquiry methods when reviewed in the light of close classroom observation. By recognizing and defining professional development contexts that build teachers' knowledge, this study suggests how university-based professional development for science educators can be improved, helping to actualize the collaborative relationships that need to exist between staff developers and discipline specialists. In conclusion, I use the findings from this study to expand the current literature and suggest how improved university-based professional development contexts can be created.

Critical Care Nurses' Reasons for Poor Attendance at a Continuous Professional Development Program.

PubMed

Viljoen, Myra; Coetzee, Isabel; Heyns, Tanya

2016-12-01

Society demands competent and safe health care, which obligates professionals to deliver quality patient care using current knowledge and skills. Participation in continuous professional development programs is a way to ensure quality nursing care. Despite the importance of continuous professional development, however, critical care nurse practitioners' attendance rates at these programs is low. To explore critical care nurses' reasons for their unsatisfactory attendance at a continuous professional development program. A nominal group technique was used as a consensus method to involve the critical care nurses and provide them the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and challenges related to the current continuous professional development program for the critical care units. Participants were 14 critical care nurses from 3 critical care units in 1 private hospital. The consensus was that the central theme relating to the unsatisfactory attendance at the continuous professional development program was attitude. In order of importance, the 4 contributing priorities influencing attitude were communication, continuous professional development, time constraints, and financial implications. Attitude relating to attending a continuous professional development program can be changed if critical care nurses are aware of the program's importance and are involved in the planning and implementation of a program that focuses on the nurses' individual learning needs. ©2016 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Tailoring Professional Development for IT Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haile, Christine E.; Trubitt, Lisa

2007-01-01

Professional development has become an increasingly important topic among information technology (IT) professionals in higher education, but what does it mean to engage in professional development activities? How does an institution create an initiative that meets broad organizational goals while taking into account the specific needs of the…

Improving Teachers' Assessment Literacy through Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Kim H.

2011-01-01

This study examined the effects of professional development on teachers' assessment literacy between two groups of teachers: (1) teachers who were involved in ongoing and sustained professional development in designing authentic classroom assessment and rubrics; and (2) teachers who were given only short-term, one-shot professional development…

Teachers as Researchers: Supporting Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gennaoui, Michele; Kretschmer, Robert E.

1996-01-01

Contrasts traditional professional development and a teacher-as-researcher project implemented at the Saint Francis de Sales School for the Deaf. Discusses ways the project influenced the professional development of teachers, the effects on the school community of group collaboration among diverse professional staff, support mechanisms required,…

Action Research and Collaborative Research: Their Specific Contributions to Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savoie-Zajc, Lorraine; Descamps-Bednarz, Nadine

2007-01-01

The increasing complexity of the teaching profession calls for engaged professionals in their professional development. This article claims that participative types of research contribute differently to professional development. Its intent is to explore the different contributions action research and collaborative research bring. One action…

Professional Learning 101: A Syllabus of Seven Protocols

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogarty, Robin; Pete, Brian

2010-01-01

Seven elements found in professional development research are necessary for successful professional development programs. High-quality professional learning must be sustained, job-embedded, collegial, interactive, integrative, practical, and results-oriented.

Occupational therapists' self-insight into their referral prioritisation policies for clients with mental health needs.

PubMed

Harries, Priscilla Ann; Gilhooly, Kenneth J

2010-12-01

Obtaining valid accounts of professionals' thinking is dependent upon experts' capacity for self-insight. Self-insight has implications for developing professional decision making, facilitating education and promoting agreement among therapists. The aim of this study was to examine occupational therapists' self-insight into their referral prioritisation policies. A total of 40 occupational therapists individually rated the importance that differing types of referral content had on their prioritisation of referrals. These subjective policies were then correlated with their objective referral prioritisation policies that had been previously statistically derived. Self-insight was found to be moderate but with wide variation across individuals and across referral information used. Self-insight on cues that were important to the decision was found to be better than on those cues not so important to the decision.   Occupational therapists have similar levels of self-insight to other professional groups. The 'attention hypothesis' may explain why self-insight varied across referral information used. © 2010 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2010 Australian Association of Occupational Therapists.

Factors influencing nurse participation in continuing professional development activities: Survey results from the Netherlands.

PubMed

Brekelmans, Gerard; Maassen, Susanne; Poell, Rob F; Weststrate, Jan; Geurdes, Ed

2016-05-01

Professionals are individually responsible for planning and carrying out continuing professional development (CPD) activities, ensuring their relevance to current practice and career development. The key factors that encourage nurses to undertake CPD activities are not yet clear. Several studies have investigated motives of nurses to participate in CPD programmes ("Motives"), the importance they attach to CPD ("Importance"), the conditions they consider necessary for participation ("Conditions"), and their actual participation in CPD activities ("Pursued"). The relationships among these variables, however, have neither been investigated nor reported to date. The aim of this study is to investigate the nature of the relationships among those factors that influence nurse participation in CPD in the Netherlands. An exploratory cross-sectional study was carried out using quantitative data collected with the previously validated Questionnaire Professional Development of Nurses (Q-PDN). A convenience sample of 5500 registered nurses working at one Dutch university hospital and several general hospitals was addressed. A descriptive study using a survey was undertaken. The questionnaire was completed and returned by 1226 nurses. Correlation analyses were conducted to determine which factors were related to nurses undertaking CPD activities. Structural equation modelling was deployed to determine the relationships among the variables. "Conditions" was found to be moderately related to "Motives", which itself was strongly related to "Importance", which itself was very strongly related to "CPD activities pursued". If nurses considered a CPD activity important they were highly likely to pursue it; however, the importance attached to specific CPD activities was influenced by the presence of particular motives, which depended in part on the way CPD conditions were perceived. The key factor influencing CPD participation of nurses is how important they deem particular CPD activities; the latter is a function of their CPD motives and of their perceptions that the right conditions for participation are in place. Implications are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rewriting Professional Development: Professional Learning Communities in an Urban Charter School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glasheen, Gregory J.

2017-01-01

This study challenges traditional professional development models, in which teachers are positioned as receptacles for knowledge and "best practices". This type of professional development devalues the local knowledge teachers possess, their theories of practice (Lytle & Cochran-Smith, 1994), and their ability to reflect on their…

Expanding Professional Horizons: Increasing Professional Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gooch, Bill G.

Development of human resources is the primary purpose of vocational education, and it is only through continued professional growth that vocational educators can develop and maintain the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and habits needed to assist others in the process of realizing their full potential. The individual and professional development of…

Designing Continuous Professional Development Programmes for Teachers: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luneta, K.

2012-01-01

Continuous professional development is essential for upgrading and updating teachers because the rate of social and educational change makes pre-service training an inadequate basis for long term professional competence. The design of these continuous professional development programmes must be informed by an effective needs analysis that…

Everyone Learns from Everyone: Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Professional Development in Digital Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbs, Renee; Coiro, Julie

2016-01-01

Hobbs and Coiro describe a new approach to the professional development of educators, librarians, and media professionals that emphasizes the value of collaborative, interdisciplinary relationships. The authors explore why creative collaboration using digital media texts, tools, and technologies is vital to support the professional development of…

Creating Professional Learning Communities: The Work of Professional Development Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doolittle, Gini; Sudeck, Maria; Rattigan, Peter

2008-01-01

If professional learning communities offer opportunities for improving the teaching and learning process, then developing strong professional development school (PDS) partnerships establish an appropriate framework for that purpose. PDS partnerships, however, can be less than effective without proper planning and discussion about the aims of those…

Flipped ESL Teacher Professional Development: Embracing Change to Remain Relevant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razak, Rafiza Abdul; Kaur, Dalwinder; Halili, Siti Hajar; Ramlan, Zahri

2016-01-01

Many traditional professional development programs that are initiated to equip ESL teachers with knowledge and skills have been futile for numerous reasons. This paper addresses a gap in the recent research of ESL teachers' professional development. Literature has revealed many shortcomings of the traditional and online professional development…

Who Provides Professional Development? A Study of Professional Development in Qatar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Donald; Reynolds, Dudley; Toledo, Will; Abu-Tineh, Abdullah Mohammad Hamdan

2016-01-01

This paper argues that understanding what is offered as professional development frames what matters in English language teaching in a national education system. Analyzing these offerings articulates the values and perceptions of the work environment in which teachers live professionally. The "Learning4Teaching" ("L4T") project…

The Development and Structure of Professional Examinations Planned for National Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hecht, James T.

The process typically employed by testing services in developing professional tests for national use is described: (1) determination of professional standards; (2) development of test specifications; (3) test construction; (4) test registration and administration; and (5) scoring, analysis, and reporting. To determine professional standards, input…

Analysis of an Instructional Coach's Role as Elementary School Language Teachers' Professional Developer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chien, Chin-Wen

2013-01-01

Coaches can provide teachers with quality professional development experiences by mentoring, providing workshops, modeling, or encouraging professional growth (York-Barr & Duke, 2004). This study focuses on the instructional coach's role in the professional development of teachers of English language learners (ELLs). The study has the following…

A Prospective Study on the Application of MOOC in Teacher Professional Development in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ji, Zhaolin; Cao, Yanhua

2016-01-01

Teacher professional development is the process of constantly strengthening professional attainment, broadening academic knowledge, enhancing the professional skills, and improving teaching ability. With the reform of learning science and the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the traditional mode of teacher…

Professional Environment for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zascerinska, Jelena

2010-01-01

Introduction. Teaching and training are at the heart of the knowledge society where the continuing professional development of teachers and trainers provides the cornerstone for the development of a high quality education and training systems. The Aim of the Study. To identify a design of professional environment for teacher professional…

MOOCs for Teacher Professional Development: Reflections, and Suggested Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misra, Pradeep Kumar

2018-01-01

Teacher Professional Development (TPD) has become a major policy priority within education systems worldwide. But keeping teachers professionally up-to-date and providing them professional development opportunities on continuing basis is a big challenge. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be a cost and resource effective means to complement…

Codification and Validation of Professional Development Questionnaire of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayyoobi, Fatemah; Pourshafei, Hadi; Asgari, Ali

2016-01-01

Teacher in the educational system and the teaching-learning process, as a main leading should need to knowledge and professional skills. Therefore, evaluation of professional development is important. This study aims to design and modify Construction and Validation of professional development questionnaire of teachers. This research based on…

Professional Development in Education: New Paradigms and Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guskey, Thomas R., Ed.; Huberman, Michael, Ed.

Professional development is a crucial component in nearly every modern proposal for educational improvement. This book contains a collection of essays by individuals well known for their work in the professional development of educators. Each essay is a systematic effort to illustrate the conceptual grounds from which each professional-development…

The effects of professional development related to classroom assessment on student achievement in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzie, Dawn Danielle

This study investigated the relationship between students' standardized test scores in science and (a) increases in teacher assessment literacy and (b) teacher participation in a Teacher Quality Research (TQR) project on classroom assessment. The samples for these studies were teachers from underperforming schools who volunteered to take part in a professional development program in classroom assessment. School groups were randomly assigned to the treatment group. For Study 1, teachers in the treatment received professional development in classroom assessment from a trained assessment coach. Teachers in the control received no professional development. For Study 2, teachers in Treatment 1 received professional development in classroom assessment from a trained assessment coach and teachers in Treatment 2 received professional development in classroom assessment from a facilitator with one day of training. Teachers in both groups completed a measure of assessment literacy, the Teacher Quality Research Test of Assessment Literacy Skills (TQR_TALS), prior to the beginning and then again at the conclusion of the four month professional development program. A hierarchical linear model (HLM) analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between students' standardized test scores in science and (a) increases in teacher assessment literacy and (b) teacher TQR status. Based upon these analyses, the professional development program increased teachers' assessment literacy skills; however, the professional development had no significant impact on students' achievement.

Voxel-based morphometry in opera singers: Increased gray-matter volume in right somatosensory and auditory cortices.

PubMed

Kleber, Boris; Veit, Ralf; Moll, Christina Valérie; Gaser, Christian; Birbaumer, Niels; Lotze, Martin

2016-06-01

In contrast to instrumental musicians, professional singers do not train on a specific instrument but perfect a motor system that has already been extensively trained during speech motor development. Previous functional imaging studies suggest that experience with singing is associated with enhanced somatosensory-based vocal motor control. However, experience-dependent structural plasticity in vocal musicians has rarely been studied. We investigated voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in 27 professional classical singers and compared gray matter volume in regions of the "singing-network" to an age-matched group of 28 healthy volunteers with no special singing experience. We found right hemispheric volume increases in professional singers in ventral primary somatosensory cortex (larynx S1) and adjacent rostral supramarginal gyrus (BA40), as well as in secondary somatosensory (S2) and primary auditory cortices (A1). Moreover, we found that earlier commencement with vocal training correlated with increased gray-matter volume in S1. However, in contrast to studies with instrumental musicians, this correlation only emerged in singers who began their formal training after the age of 14years, when speech motor development has reached its first plateau. Structural data thus confirm and extend previous functional reports suggesting a pivotal role of somatosensation in vocal motor control with increased experience in singing. Results furthermore indicate a sensitive period for developing additional vocal skills after speech motor coordination has matured. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teachers' Experience from a School-Based Collaborative Teacher Professional Development Programme: Reported Impact on Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svendsen, Bodil

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to find out how science teachers who have participated in a one-year school-based collaborative teacher professional development programme, perceive the programme's impact on their professional development. Constant comparative analysis was used on data from three schools to generate the findings in this study. The…

A Study of Extension Professionals Preferences and Perceptions of Usefulness and Level of Comfort with Blogs as an Informal Professional Development Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cater, Melissa; Davis, Debra; Leger, Bradley; Machtmes, Krisanna; Arcemont, Lisa

2013-01-01

The use of blogs for informal professional development is a growing phenomenon in higher education. The purpose of the study reported here was to describe Extension faculty's preferences for and perceptions of using an online, particularly social media, environment for professional development. The LSU AgCenter Organization Development and…

Teachers' Self-Directed Professional Development: Science and Mathematics Teachers' Adoption of ICT as a Professional Development Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mushayikwa, Emmanuel

2013-01-01

This paper is part of a larger study that was carried out to investigate the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the self-directed professional development on the self-directed professional development (SDPD) of mathematics and science teachers in Zimbabwe. The educational context provides an example of how teachers…

Online Professional Development for K-12 Educators: Benefits for School Districts with Applications for Community College Faculty Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton, Celeste; Watkins, Brenda Ward

2007-01-01

Hillsborough Community College's IT3-Professional Development Services makes available to educators in the school district of Hillsborough County a series of online courses focused on professional development. The program boasts a retention rate exceeding 78%, with over 500 educators served. The program is self funded and pays for itself and an…

To Post, or Not to Post, That Is the Question: Teachers Candidates' Social Networking Decisions and Professional Development Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crompton, Helen; Rippard, Kelly; Sommerfeldt, Jody

2016-01-01

This rise in the use of social networks presents new ethical, legal, and professional challenges for educators. Pre-service teachers need professional development to be cognizant of the content they are posting to personal social networks. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to develop professional development guidelines to help…

Harnessing the Power of Learning Management Systems: An E-Learning Approach for Professional Development.

PubMed

White, Meagan; Shellenbarger, Teresa

E-learning provides an alternative approach to traditional professional development activities. A learning management system may help nursing professional development practitioners deliver content more efficiently and effectively; however, careful consideration is needed during planning and implementation. This article provides essential information in the selection and use of a learning management system for professional development.

Professional Development Programmes for Teachers in the Northern Territory of Australia: Enablers and Inhibiters for Success in Two Aspirant Leadership Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Speering, Glen

2016-01-01

Professional development programmes for teachers have become an increasing focus in the quest to improve teacher quality. In regional and remote areas of Australia the delivery of professional development programmes can become problematic. This study compares and contrasts the two separate professional development programmes evaluated (Programme A…

Hospital chief executive officer perspective on professional development activities.

PubMed

Khaliq, Amir A; Walston, Stephen L

2010-01-01

A study was undertaken to develop understanding of hospital chief executive officers' (CEOs') perspectives concerning importance and impact of professional development activities in US hospitals. It was also intended to reveal CEO preferences for various modalities of professional development including membership in professional societies, attainment of credentials, and coaching by mentors. A mail survey of 582 hospital CEOs made use of a pilot-tested questionnaire with 30 close ended multipart questions. Results showed that most CEOs assigned a high level of importance to professional development and favored conferences, seminars, and networking opportunities, but low priority assigned to online activities such as webinars. They reported lending support to senior managers for participation in these activities by providing financial resources and by allowing time off to engage in these activities. The respondents indicated that the importance of various modalities of professional development has either increased or remained high over the recent 5 years. Conclusions suggest that verifiable quantitative data are needed for understanding of the frequency of participation and resource commitment of health care organizations toward the professional development of CEOs and senior managers. The results of this perceptual study reveal a high level of importance accorded to various forms of professional development activities by the participating CEOs.

Examining the design features of a communication-rich, problem-centred mathematics professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Araujo, Zandra; Orrill, Chandra Hawley; Jacobson, Erik

2018-04-01

While there is considerable scholarship describing principles for effective professional development, there have been few attempts to examine these principles in practice. In this paper, we identify and examine the particular design features of a mathematics professional development experience provided for middle grades teachers over 14 weeks. The professional development was grounded in a set of mathematical tasks that each had one right answer, but multiple solution paths. The facilitator engaged participants in problem solving and encouraged participants to work collaboratively to explore different solution paths. Through analysis of this collaborative learning environment, we identified five design features for supporting teacher learning of important mathematics and pedagogy in a problem-solving setting. We discuss these design features in depth and illustrate them by presenting an elaborated example from the professional development. This study extends the existing guidance for the design of professional development by examining and operationalizing the relationships among research-based features of effective professional development and the enacted features of a particular design.

Distance learning: the future of continuing professional development.

PubMed

Southernwood, Julie

2008-10-01

The recent development of a market economy in higher education has resulted in the need to tailor the product to the customers, namely students, employers and commissioning bodies. Distance learning is an opportunity for nurse educators and institutions to address marketing initiatives and develop a learning environment in order to enhance continuing professional development. It provides options for lifelong learning for healthcare professionals--including those working in community settings--that is effective and cost efficient. Development of continuing professional development programmes can contribute to widening the participation of community practitioners in lifelong learning, practice and role development. This paper considers the opportunities that web-based and online education programmes can provide community practitioners to promote professional skills while maintaining a work-life balance, and the role of the lecturer in successfully supporting professionals on web-based learning programmes.

Personal, Professional Coaching: Transforming Professional Development for Teacher and Administrative Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patti, Janet; Holzer, Allison A.; Stern, Robin; Brackett, Marc A.

2012-01-01

This article makes the case for a different approach to the professional development of teachers and school leaders called personal, professional coaching (PPC). Personal, professional coaching is grounded in reflective practices that cultivate self-awareness, emotion management, social awareness, and relationship management. Findings from two…

Socialization to Student Affairs: Early Career Experiences Associated with Professional Identity Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirschy, Amy S.; Wilson, Maureen E.; Liddell, Debora L.; Boyle, Kathleen M.; Pasquesi, Kira

2015-01-01

In this study, the authors propose and test a model of professional identity development among early career student affairs professionals. Using survey data from 173 new professionals (0-5 years of experience), factor analysis revealed 3 dimensions of professional identity: commitment, values congruence, and intellectual investment. Multivariate…

Examining a math-science professional development program for teachers in grades 7-12 in an urban school district in New York State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaszczak, Lesia

With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards in New York State and the Next Generation Science Standards, it is more important than ever for school districts to develop professional development programs to provide teachers with the resources that will assist them in incorporating the new standards into their classroom instruction. This study focused on a mathematics and science professional development program known as STEMtastic STEM. The two purposes of the study were: to determine if there is an increase in STEM content knowledge of the participants involved in year two of a three year professional development program and to examine the teachers' perceptions of the impact of the professional development program on classroom instruction. The sample included teachers of grades 7-12 from an urban school district in New York State. The scores of a content knowledge pre-test and post-test were analyzed using a paired sample t-test to determine any significant differences in scores. In order to determine mathematics and science teachers' perceptions of the impact of the professional development program, responses from a 22 item Likert-style survey were analyzed to establish patterns of responses and to determine positive and negative perceptions of participants of the professional development program. A single sample t-test was used to determine if the responses were significantly positive. The results of this study indicated that there was no significant increase in content knowledge as a result of participation in the STEMtastic STEM professional development program. Both mathematics and science teachers exhibited significant positive perceptions of items dealing with hands-on participation during the professional development; support provided by STEMtastic STEM specialists; and the support provided by the administration. It was concluded that both mathematics and science teachers responded positively to the training they received during the professional development sessions, but that their classroom practices did not change as a result of the professional development program.

Public accountants' field dependence: Canadian evidence.

PubMed

Hicks, Elizabeth; Bagg, Robert; Doyle, Wendy; Young, Jeffrey D

2007-12-01

The cognitive styles of 113 practicing, professional accountants from Nova Scotia, Canada were examined using the Group Embedded Figures Test. They completed a demographic survey for descriptive information as well as their rank in the firm and preferred area of professional practice. Analysis suggested professional accountants tend to be more analytical than intuitive in cognitive style and, consistent with recent findings in other fields, men and women in accounting do not appear to be different in cognitive style. No statistically significant differences were found on the embedded figures scores across ranks of trainee, manager, and partner or across select, preferred areas of professional practice.

Adoption, adaptation, and abandonment: Appropriation of science education professional development learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longhurst, Max L.

Understanding factors that impact teacher utilization of learning from professional development is critical in order maximize the educational and financial investment in teacher professional learning. This study used a multicase mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology to investigate the factors that influence teacher adoption, adaption, or abandonment of learning from science teacher professional development. The theoretical framework of activity theory was identified as a useful way to investigate the phenomenon of teacher appropriation of pedagogical practices from professional development. This framework has the capacity to account for a multitude of elements in the context of a learning experience. In this study educational appropriation is understood through a continuum of how an educator acquires and implements both practical and conceptual aspects of learning from professional development within localized context. The variability associated with instructional changes made from professional development drives this inquiry to search for better understandings of the appropriation of pedagogical practices. Purposeful sampling was used to identify two participants from a group of eighth-grade science teachers engaged in professional development designed to investigate how cyber-enabled technologies might enhance instruction and learning in integrated science classrooms. The data from this investigation add to the literature of appropriation of instructional practices by connecting eight factors that influence conceptual and practical tools with the development of ownership of pedagogical practices in the appropriation hierarchy. Recommendations are shared with professional development developers, providers, and participants in anticipation that future science teaching experiences might be informed by findings from this study.

Clinical nurse specialists as entrepreneurs: constrained or liberated.

PubMed

Austin, Lynn; Luker, Karen; Roland, Martin; Ronald, Martin

2006-12-01

This qualitative study explored the experiences of two groups of clinical nurse specialists--continence advisors and tissue viability nurses--working in primary care in the UK. In particular, the study focused on how clinical nurse specialists' relationships with other health-care professionals had an impact on their role. Clinical nurse specialists are recognized worldwide as having expertise in a given field, which they use to develop the practice of others. Additionally, clinical nurse specialists share many of the characteristics of entrepreneurs, which they use to develop services related to their speciality. However, little research has been conducted in relation to clinical nurse specialists' experiences as they attempt to diversify nursing practice. An ethnographic approach was adopted comprising many elements of Glaserian grounded theory. Data were collected via participant observation and face-to-face interviews with 22 clinical nurse specialists. Services provided by clinical nurse specialists were not static, clinical nurse specialists being the main drivers for service developments. However, clinical nurse specialists encountered difficulties when introducing new ideas. Given their role as advisors, clinical nurse specialists lacked authority to bring about change and were dependent on a number of mechanisms to bring about change, including 'cultivating relationships' with more powerful others, most notably the speciality consultant. The UK government has pledged to 'liberate the talents of nurses' so that their skills can be used to progress patient services. This study highlights the fact that a lack of collaborative working practices between health-care professionals led to clinical nurse specialists being constrained. Health-care organizations need to provide an environment in which the entrepreneurial skills of clinical nurse specialists may be capitalized on. In the absence of an outlet for their ideas regarding service developments, clinical nurse specialists may remain dependent on the mechanisms witnessed in this study for some time.

World Health Organization Public Health Model: A Roadmap for Palliative Care Development.

PubMed

Callaway, Mary V; Connor, Stephen R; Foley, Kathleen M

2018-02-01

The Open Society Foundation's International Palliative Care Initiative (IPCI) began to support palliative care development in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union in 1999. Twenty-five country representatives were invited to discuss the need for palliative care in their countries and to identify key areas that should be addressed to improve the care of adults and children with life-limiting illnesses. As a public health concern, progress in palliative care requires integration into health policy, education and training of health care professionals, availability of essential pain relieving medications, and health care services. IPCI created the Palliative Care Roadmap to serve as a model for government and/or nongovernment organizations to use to frame the necessary elements and steps for palliative care integration. The roadmap includes the creation of multiple Ministry of Health-approved working groups to address: palliative care inclusion in national health policy, legislation, and finance; availability of essential palliative care medications, especially oral opioids; education and training of health care professionals; and the implementation of palliative care services at home or in inpatient settings for adults and children. Each working group is tasked with developing a pathway with multiple signposts as indicators of progress made. The roadmap may be entered at different signposts depending upon the state of palliative care development in the country. The progress of the working groups often takes place simultaneously but at variable rates. Based on our experience, the IPCI Roadmap is one possible framework for palliative care development in resource constrained countries but requires both health care professional engagement and political will for progress to be made. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Principals' Leadership Behaviour: Values-Based, Contingent or Both?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warwas, Julia

2015-01-01

Purpose: Concepts of values-based leadership posit that school principals' professional practice must be informed by values to ensure coherently purposeful activities. Contingency models stress the contextual dependency of professional practice and the need to match activities to local opportunities and constraints. The purpose of this paper is to…

Elementary Teachers' Knowledge and Self-Efficacy for Measurement Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gotch, Chad M.; French, Brian F.

2013-01-01

Educational standardized testing impacts millions of children and educational professionals each year. In the current accountability climate, an effective educational system depends on professionals who are literate in assessment and can take the appropriate actions in response to test results. Measurement researchers should begin to focus more…

Revisiting Collaborative Boundaries-Pioneering Change in Perspectives and Relations of Power

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bangou, Francis; Austin, Theresa

2011-01-01

In this article, we examine collaboration as a situated practice that defies a prescriptive definition mainly located in the interpersonal relations of professionals. We argue that collaboration does not merely depend upon good will or professionalism, rather interacts complexly with racial expectations that have been cultivated in institutions…

Professional "Development" and Professional "Learning": Bridging the Gap for Experienced Physical Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armour, Kathleen M.; Yelling, Martin

2004-01-01

This article analyses the career-long continuing professional development (CPD) of 85 experienced physical education (PE) teachers in England. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews (20 teachers) and open-ended profile questionnaires (a further 65 teachers) to find out what forms of professional development these teachers had…

"I Speak Prose and I Now Know It." Personal Development Trajectories among Teacher Educators in a Professional Development Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brody, David; Hadar, Linor

2011-01-01

This study explores trajectories of professional growth by teacher educators participating in a professional development community on teaching thinking. Qualitative measures revealed a four stage model of personal professional trajectories: anticipation/curiosity, withdrawal, awareness and change. The model delineates passages traversed by teacher…

Is Presence of Community of Practice Dimensions Sufficient for Community-Based Teacher Professional Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murugaiah, Puvaneswary; Ming, Thang Siew; Azman, Hazita; Nambiar, Radha

2013-01-01

Professional development programmes that include teacher collaboration can help teachers meet their professional needs and control their professional lives. They can voice their needs and expectations to peers who share similar experiences. Moreover, teachers can discover new teaching roles and opportunities, develop new skills and find motivation…

Grounding our practice in nursing professional development.

PubMed

Dickerson, Pamela S

2014-07-01

The Nursing Professional Development: Scope and Standards of Practice is foundational to the work of nurses in a continuing professional development role. Use of the practice and professional performance aspects of the standards supports both quality of learning activities and the continuous growth process of nurses engaged in this area of practice. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

A New Paradigm in ESL Teaching and Learning Environments: Online Professional Development for Taiwanese Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Shiao-wei

2013-01-01

This case study investigates the perspectives of four Taiwanese English ESL (English as a second language) teachers with regard to their participation in an online professional development course. To build a collaborative online professional development community, in which teachers acquire professional knowledge to improve teaching instruction and…

Reflective Engagement as Professional Development in the Lives of University Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Nona

2006-01-01

This paper takes up two important issues in the professional development of university teachers: the controversy surrounding reflective inquiry and its purported benefits for professional development and the lack of research on what teachers learn from reflective inquiry and how that affects and/or changes their professional practice.…

Modern Trends in Continuous Professional Development of Foreign Language Teachers (On the Basis of the British Council Research)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadovets, Olesia

2017-01-01

Research conducted by the British Council concerning modern continuous professional development of teachers has been analyzed. The issue concerning foreign language teachers' professional development has been considered. Productive approach to this process that gives a teacher the opportunities to define aspects of their professional activities…

Enhancing Teacher Competency through Co-Teaching and Embedded Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaffer, LaShorage; Thomas-Brown, Karen

2015-01-01

The ongoing professional development of general education and special education teachers is vital to the success of students with disabilities. As more classrooms transition to a co-teaching model, the professional development that teachers engage in must transition to meet the needs of both groups of professionals. This study used a qualitative…

Teacher Perceptions of Professional Development Required by the Wisconsin Quality Educator Initiative, PI 34

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sixel, Deborah Marie

2013-01-01

Existing research has shown an association between teachers' professional growth and student success. However, there is a lack of information on the mandated professional development linked to Wisconsin teacher licensure requirements. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of self-directed professional development and its impact…

From student to steward: the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Georgetown University as a case study in professional development during doctoral training.

PubMed

Ullrich, Lauren; Dumanis, Sonya B; Evans, Tanya M; Jeannotte, Alexis M; Leonard, Carrie; Rozzi, Summer J; Taylor, Caitlin M; Gale, Karen; Kanwal, Jagmeet S; Maguire-Zeiss, Kathleen A; Wolfe, Barry B; Forcelli, Patrick A

2014-01-01

A key facet of professional development is the formation of professional identity. At its most basic level, professional identity for a scientist centers on mastery of a discipline and the development of research skills during doctoral training. To develop a broader understanding of professional identity in the context of doctoral training, the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID) ran a multi-institutional study from 2001 to 2005. A key outcome of the CID was the development of the concept of 'stewards of the discipline'. The Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience (IPN) at Georgetown University participated in CID from 2003 to 2005. Here, we describe the IPN and highlight the programmatic developments resulting from participation in the CID. In particular, we emphasize programmatic activities that are designed to promote professional skills in parallel with scientific development. We describe activities in the domains of leadership, communication, teaching, public outreach, ethics, collaboration, and mentorship. Finally, we provide data that demonstrate that traditional metrics of academic success are not adversely affected by the inclusion of professional development activities in the curricula. By incorporating these seven 'professional development' activities into the required coursework and dissertation research experience, the IPN motivates students to become stewards of the discipline.

Professional Development in Adult Basic Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marceau, Georges

2003-01-01

Addresses the professional development needs of adult basic education instructors. Describes federal and state resources for professional development. Recommends field-based research, reflective practice, and learner-centered instruction. (Contains 15 references.) (SK)

An Examination of the Relationship between Professional Development Providers' Epistemological and Nature of Science Beliefs and Their Professional Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia Arriola, Alfonso

2017-01-01

In the last twenty years in US science education, professional development has emphasized the need to change science instruction from a direct instruction model to a more participatory and constructivist learning model. The result of these reform efforts has seen an increase in science education professional development that is focused on…

The Impact of Adapting a General Professional Development Framework to the Constraints of In-Service Professional Development on the Next Generation Science Standards in Urban Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Steven; Nutakki, Nivedita

2017-01-01

Urban school districts face a dilemma in providing professional development support for teachers in transition to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Districts need to maximize the quality and amount of professional development within practical funding constraints. In this paper, we discuss preliminary results from a…

"It's Worth Our Time": A Model of Culturally and Linguistically Supportive Professional Development for K-12 STEM Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudley, Anne H. Charity; Mallinson, Christine

2017-01-01

Professional development on issues of language and culture is often separate from professional development on issues related to STEM education, resulting in linguistic and cultural gaps in K-12 STEM pedagogy and practice. To address this issue, we have designed a model of professional development in which we work with educators to build cultural…

How to be a good professional: existentialist continuing professional development (CPD)

PubMed Central

Mulvey, Rachel

2013-01-01

This article reflects on the construct and practice of continuing professional development (CPD) and its significance for the professional careers workforce. The article presents the idea of the CPD triad and considers how professional bodies, employers and individuals can each benefit from a practitioner's ongoing commitment to continuing professional development. The tension between the practitioner's quest for lifelong learning is set against professional body demands, leading to the conclusion that these are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Consideration is given to propositional, practical and procedural knowledge, and to overall competence. The article explores an existentialist approach to professional learning, and concludes that, along with personal agency, this could usefully be adopted by career practitioners to weather turbulent times. PMID:24009404

Building Bridges between healthcare professionals, patients and families: A coproduced and integrated approach to self-management support in stroke.

PubMed

Jones, Fiona; Pöstges, Heide; Brimicombe, Lucinda

2016-10-14

Programmes providing self-management support for patients and families are gaining attention and have shown promising outcomes with regards to reducing long-term unmet needs post stroke. However, notions of what good self-management support looks like can differ depending on professional opinion, individual preferences, skills and experiences of patients and their families as well as on how care and rehabilitation is organised in a particular healthcare setting. This resonates with the perspective of patient-centred care, according to which the meaning of good care is not universal, but rather jointly shaped between healthcare professionals and patients in everyday interactions. While self-management support is continuously co-produced in care and rehabilitation practices, most self-management programmes are typically provided as an 'add-on' to existing statutory care. This paper aims to deepen the understanding of how self-management support can be made an integral part of everyday care and rehabilitation using Bridges methodology. The authors provide a self-reflective account on 'Bridges' an integrated approach to self-management support, which is used by healthcare professionals within acute and community stroke rehabilitation across the UK, and in some parts of New Zealand and Australia. Bridges is based on self-efficacy principles, but has a central aim of professionals sharing decision-making and expertise with patients and families in every healthcare interaction. Methodologically, the co-production of a Bridges support package with local healthcare professionals and patients is critical. The authors present the values articulated by the support package and how it engages professionals, patients and Bridges training facilitators in a continuous process of adjusting and re-adjusting situated self-management support practices. Our reflections reveal the need to consider development and implementation of self-management support as one and the same on-going process, if we are to facilitate successful engagement and interest from healthcare professionals as well as their patients and families.

[Sports, use of performance enhancing drugs and addiction. A conceptual and epidemiological review].

PubMed

Franques, P; Auriacombe, M; Tignol, J

2001-11-01

Both the general public and non-sports medicine health professionals have recently been made aware of a large use of performance enhancing drugs among sports practicing subjects. It has been suggested that this behavior is similar to that of substance dependence. Also some have reported that practice of a sport could be in itself an addictive behavior. The main objective was to address the following question: is performance enhancing drug use in sports an addictive behavior? Methodology. We first reviewed the definition of performance enhancing drug use in sports and the diagnostic criteria of substance dependence as they are currently accepted and attempted to determine a possible common factor. Secondly we reviewed epidemiological data from the literature according to three approaches: Use of performance enhancing drugs is an important and increasing phenomenon among adolescents. It is sometimes associated to risk taking behaviors for health (syringe use and sharing). Competition participants are at increased risk (up to 20% according to some authors) and some substances (anabolic steroids) are also used by non-sports practicing individuals. It has not been shown that sports practicing subjects were more at risk of using addictive substances compared to non-sports practicing subjects. It is not established that practice of a sport is by itself a risk factor for substance use. However, it could be that a sub-group of individuals that practice certain types of sports in an intensive way, that use both performance enhancing drugs and addictive substances and that engage in health risk taking behaviors have an increased risk for developing a dependence syndrome to both addictive and performance enhancing drugs. This sub-group is even more at risk because some performance enhancing drugs (anabolic steroids) could increase the risk for occurrence of a substance dependence syndrome through neurobiological actions. Yet, the few available clinical studies show that at most only half of regular users actually meet criteria for dependence. Also, one study has reported an overrepresentation of sports professionals among patients seeking treatment for heroin addiction. The large majority of sports practicing subjects have no dependence to either performance enhancing or addictive drugs. However, a subgroup of individuals that practice sports intensely and makes use of both addictive and performance enhancing drugs appear to be at increased risk for developing a substance dependence syndrome.

An intervention to stop smoking among patients suspected of TB - evaluation of an integrated approach

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In many low- and middle-income countries, where tobacco use is common, tuberculosis is also a major problem. Tobacco use increases the risk of developing tuberculosis, secondary mortality, poor treatment compliance and relapses. In countries with TB epidemic, even a modest relative risk leads to a significant attributable risk. Treating tobacco dependence, therefore, is likely to have benefits for controlling tuberculosis in addition to reducing the non-communicable disease burden associated with smoking. In poorly resourced health systems which face a dual burden of disease secondary to tuberculosis and tobacco, an integrated approach to tackle tobacco dependence in TB control could be economically desirable. During TB screening, health professionals come across large numbers of patients with respiratory symptoms, a significant proportion of which are likely to be tobacco users. These clinical encounters, considered to be "teachable moments", provide a window of opportunity to offer treatment for tobacco dependence. Methods/Design We aim to develop and trial a complex intervention to reduce tobacco dependence among TB suspects based on the WHO 'five steps to quit' model. This model relies on assessing personal motivation to quit tobacco use and uses it as the basis for assessing suitability for the different therapeutic options for tobacco dependence. We will use the Medical Research Council framework approach for evaluating complex interventions to: (a) design an evidence-based treatment package (likely to consist of training materials for health professionals and education tools for patients); (b) pilot the package to determine the delivery modalities in TB programme (c) assess the incremental cost-effectiveness of the package compared to usual care using a cluster RCT design; (d) to determine barriers and drivers to the provision of treatment of tobacco dependence within TB programmes; and (e) support long term implementation. The main outcomes to assess the effectiveness would be point abstinence at 4 weeks and continuous abstinence up to 6 months. Discussion This work will be carried out in Pakistan and is expected to have relevance for other low and middle income countries with high tobacco use and TB incidence. This will enhance our knowledge of the cost-effectiveness of treating tobacco dependence in patients suspected of TB. Trial Registration Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN08829879 PMID:20338041

On Teacher Professional Development: Improving Professional Qualifications and Membership in Professional Teacher Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sobkin, V. S.; Adamchuk, D. V.

2015-01-01

The article examines issues related to the professional development of teachers. The presented material is structured according to four main themes: teacher self-assessment of their professional competence; their attitude toward traditional forms of training; their participation in events organized by the educational community and associations;…

Perceptions of Special Education Teachers' Professional Learning Experiences in Arkansas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose-Greer, Paula

2017-01-01

Professional learning is gaining credence as a best practice for staff development. The change in terms from professional training to professional development may be an improvement; however, responding to the needs of the learners to support a teacher's need to learn themselves requires professional "learning" (Easton, 2008). Studies are…

A social media primer for professionals: digital dos and don'ts.

PubMed

Bernhardt, Jay M; Alber, Julia; Gold, Robert S

2014-03-01

Social media sites have become powerful and important tools for health education, promotion, and communication activities as they have dramatically grown in popularity. Social media sites also offer many features that can be used for professional development and advancement. When used wisely and prudently, social media sites and platforms offer great potential for professional development by building and cultivating professional networks, as well as sharing information to increase one's recognition and improve one's reputation. They also provide a medium for increasing one's knowledge and awareness of timely news and trends by following important organizations, opinion leaders, and influential professionals. When used unwisely and imprudently, there is the potential to delay, damage, or even destroy one's professional and personal life. In this commentary, we offer recommendations for using Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for professional development and caution against online behaviors that may have negative professional consequences. In summary, we believe that the strengths and benefits of social media for professional advancement and development far outweigh the risks and encourage health promotion professionals to properly engage these powerful tools.

Fostering Effective Early Learning (FEEL) through a professional development programme for early childhood educators to improve professional practice and child outcomes in the year before formal schooling: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Melhuish, Edward; Howard, Steven J; Siraj, Iram; Neilsen-Hewett, Cathrine; Kingston, Denise; de Rosnay, Marc; Duursma, Elisabeth; Luu, Betty

2016-12-19

A substantial research base documents the benefits of attendance at high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) for positive behavioural and learning outcomes. Research has also found that the quality of many young children's experiences and opportunities in ECEC depends on the skills, dispositions and understandings of the early childhood adult educators. Increasingly, research has shown that the quality of children's interactions with educators and their peers, more than any other programme feature, influence what children learn and how they feel about learning. Hence, we sought to investigate the extent to which evidence-based professional development (PD) - focussed on promoting sustained shared thinking through quality interactions - could improve the quality of ECEC and, as a consequence, child outcomes. The Fostering Effective Early Learning (FEEL) study is a cluster randomised controlled trial for evaluating the benefits of a professional development (PD) programme for early childhood educators, compared with no extra PD. Ninety long-day care and preschool centres in New South Wales, Australia, will be selected to ensure representation across National Quality Standards (NQS) ratings, location, centre type and socioeconomic areas. Participating centres will be randomly allocated to one of two groups, stratified by centre type and NQS rating: (1) an intervention group (45 centres) receiving a PD intervention or (2) a control group (45 centres) that continues engaging in typical classroom practice. Randomisation to these groups will occur after the collection of baseline environmental quality ratings. Primary outcomes, at the child level, will be two measures of language development: verbal comprehension and expressive vocabulary. Secondary outcomes at the child level will be measures of early numeracy, social development and self-regulation. Secondary outcomes at the ECEC room level will be measures of environmental quality derived from full-day observations. In all cases, data collectors will be blinded to group allocation. This is the first randomised controlled trial of a new approach to PD, which is focussed on activities previously found to be influential in children's early language, numeracy, social and self-regulatory development. Results should inform practitioners, policy-makers and families of the value of specific professional development for early childhood educators. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN) identifier ACTRN12616000536460 . Registered on 27 April 2016. This trial was retrospectively registered, given the first participant (centre) had been enrolled at the time of registration.

HRD Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1998

This document contains four papers from a symposium on professional development of human resource development (HRD) professionals. "Lifelong Learning and Performance: The Role of Key Qualifications in Human Resource Development" (Simone J. van Zolingen, Wim J. Nijhof) argues that, besides being of interest to employers, key…

Application of a contextual instructional framework in a continuing professional development training program for physiotherapists in Rwanda.

PubMed

Dunleavy, Kim; Chevan, Julia; Sander, Antoinette P; Gasherebuka, Jean Damascene; Mann, Monika

2018-06-01

Continuing professional development is an important component of capacity building in low resource countries. The purpose of this case study is to describe the use of a contextual instructional framework to guide the processes and instructional design choices for a series of continuing professional development courses for physiotherapists in Rwanda. Four phases of the project are described: (1) program proposal, needs assessment and planning, (2) organization of the program and instructional design, (3) instructional delivery and (4) evaluation. Contextual facilitating factors and needs informed choices in each phase. The model resulted in delivery of continuing professional development to the majority of physiotherapists in Rwanda (n = 168, 0.48 rural/0.52 urban) with participants reporting improvement in skills and perceived benefit for their patients. Environmental and healthcare system factors resulted in offering the courses in rural and urban areas. Content was developed and delivered in partnership with Rwandan coinstructors. Based on the domestic needs identified in early courses, the program included advocacy and leadership activities, in addition to practical and clinical instruction. The contextual factors (environment, healthcare service organization, need for rehabilitation and status and history of the physiotherapy profession) were essential for project and instructional choices. Facilitating factors included the established professional degree and association, continuing professional development requirements, a core group of active professionals and an existing foundation from other projects. The processes and contextual considerations may be useful in countries with established professional-level education but without established postentry-level training. Implications for Rehabilitation Organizations planning continuing professional development programs may benefit from considering the context surrounding training when planning, designing and developing instruction. The surrounding context including the environment, the organization of healthcare services, the population defined need for rehabilitation, and the domestic status and history of the physiotherapy profession, is important for physiotherapy projects in countries with lower resources. Facilitating factors in low resource countries such as an established professional degree and association, continuing professional development requirements, a core group of active professionals and an existing foundation from other projects impact the success of projects. Methods that may be useful for relevance, dissemination and consistency include involvement of in-country leaders and instructors and attendance in multiple courses with consistent themes. Rehabilitation professionals in low resource countries may benefit from continuing professional development courses that emphasize practical skills, and clinical reasoning, accompanied by clinical mentoring and directed coaching that encourages knowledge transfer to the clinical setting. Active learning approaches and multiple progressive courses provide opportunities to develop peer support through professional communities of practice.

Smart Choices for Cancer Education Professional Development: Your Voice and Visibility for Leadership.

PubMed

Kratzke, Cynthia

2017-01-24

The purpose of this article is to provide reflections about the important and exciting opportunities for cancer education career advancement and professional development. Advancement in professional, personal, and career growth for clinicians and health professionals is critical to improve quality cancer care and updated health communication with patients and families. Valuable insights from my recent 2-year term as treasurer, Board of Directors, Cancer Patient Education Network, are shared inspiring others to build their rewarding professional development. The professional leadership opportunity gave me a new energy level to be invested in rapidly changing cancer education with so many diverse cancer education professionals. Professional cancer education associations are dedicated to advancing patient-centered care through professional networks. They create welcoming environments with significant networking and mentoring opportunities. Cancer education touches many lives, and the cancer education associations strongly support new advances. I encourage early or mid-career cancer education professionals to discover how their increased interest may spark leadership and inspire participation in our cancer education professional associations.

[What measures can be taken to reduce the number of smoking adolescents and young women?].

PubMed

Errard-Lalande, G; Halimi, A

2005-04-01

A proper understanding of the factors exposing adolescents and young women to the risk of smoking dependence is necessary to develop effective preventive measures. These measures will be different depending on whether they are designed for adolescents and young women in general or for the context of pregnancy. For adolescents, efforts should be continued to provide information about smoking and the dangers of tobacco as well as about the social manipulation involved. The image of a natural, active woman, free of tobacco and capable of making her own decisions should be promoted. Health education and communication professionals should make use of different media with an audience among the young. Messages should be validated with a target population before diffusion. A better coherence between the adult and young populations concerning legal obligations and mutual respect is significantly useful. Educational structures (schools and universities) should participate in long-term community projects implicating peer groups and trained professionals. Values which should be reinforced include self-esteem, affirmation of personal competence and difference, self-respect and respect of others. Early identification of factors favoring psychosocial vulnerability at this age is indispensable to facilitate referral to professional support and care centers, the number of which remains insufficient to date. Support when ceasing smoking, based on individual and group assistance, should take into account the individual's phase of maturation, and must be proposed and operated by trained professionals working in a network. During pregnancy, it is crucial to recognize that the woman's specific physical and psychological situation is a unique opportunity to propose a new approach to smoking, taking into consideration the fragile context during this period of maturation and its impact on the woman's general life. Beyond sociopolitical measures and a philosophical debate on the position of women, men, and the family in the 21st century, propositions can be put forward for actions before, during and after the maternity period. It is important to continue the educational aspect without creating a guilt feeling. Messages should be elaborated with women. Healthcare professionals should be trained about smoking and smoking dependence. They should repeat minimal advice and continuously propose stopping smoking, taking into consideration the woman's stage of maturation and her motivation. Carbon monoxide monitoring should become a routine practice. Prognostic factors and possible difficulties should be identified early, if possible before pregnancy or at least during pregnancy, in order to propose adapted multidisciplinary support. The health booklet for the mother and the infant should be improved. Midwives should play an important role in prevention. A multidisciplinary effort will have the greatest impact: smoke-free environment in maternities, professional clinics, and the real-life territory of the pregnant woman. Individual care and support are more appropriate than group support. The partner should be implicated. For very dependent women, basically psychological support of smoking cessation should be completed with nicotine substitution therapy using protocols which should be redefined with more extensive studies. All these measures should be continued for six months after birth whether the woman has stopped smoking during pregnancy or not.

The Interaction between Group Processes and Personal Professional Trajectories in a Professional Development Community for Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadar, Linor L.; Brody, David L.

2013-01-01

This study explores the interaction between transformative processes in which a group of teacher educators became a professional development community (PDC) and the individual progress of these instructors through the professional development course on the topic of thinking education. Twelve teacher educators who participated in one of three…

The ePortfolio: A Tool for Professional Development, Engagement, and Lifelong Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guder, Christopher

2013-01-01

Professional development is, in essence, a form of lifelong learning, and as such, can be viewed within the context of pedagogical concepts. More specifically, professional development is a process that builds on the experiences of the professional through assessment and reflection. The library as an organization acts like a teacher or instructor…

Effect of Faculty Member's Use of Twitter as Informal Professional Development during a Preservice Teacher Internship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Michael

2014-01-01

Educators have increasingly turned to Twitter as a means for receiving professional development and building and sustaining professional learning communities. This paper reports the results of a study of 82 undergraduate preservice teachers and their attitudes regarding Twitter as a medium for informal professional development support during their…

Appropriating and Enacting Literacy Teaching Practices in the Context of the Pathway Project Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Huy Quoc

2015-01-01

Given that teacher professional development is a part of teachers' professional lives and given that billions of dollars have been invested in teacher professional development, this dissertation advocates for research that studies teacher learning and the conditions under which they learn, as an equally important component of studying the impact…

Examining the Facilitating Role of Mindfulness on Professional Identity Development among Counselors-in-Training: A Qualitative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Shengli; Campbell, Amanda; Vance, Stacy

2017-01-01

Professional identity development is crucial for counselors-in-training, as it provides a frame of reference for understanding their chosen field and contributes to a sense of belonging within the professional community. This qualitative study examined the impact of mindfulness on professional identity development among counselors-in-training.…

34 CFR 263.2 - Who is eligible to apply under the Professional Development program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... GRANT PROGRAMS Professional Development Program § 263.2 Who is eligible to apply under the Professional... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Who is eligible to apply under the Professional Development program? 263.2 Section 263.2 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education...

34 CFR 263.2 - Who is eligible to apply under the Professional Development program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... GRANT PROGRAMS Professional Development Program § 263.2 Who is eligible to apply under the Professional... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Who is eligible to apply under the Professional Development program? 263.2 Section 263.2 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education...

Professional Development for Teachers of English Language Learners: Discursive Norms, Learning Processes, and Professional Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molle, Daniella

2010-01-01

The lack of empirical scholarship on professional development initiatives for teachers of English language learners (ELLs) in US schools has been repeatedly documented in educational research. The present dissertation project examines a professional development course specifically designed for K-12 teachers of ELLs. The course aims to foster the…

Intervention to improve social and family support for caregivers of dependent patients: ICIAS study protocol.

PubMed

Rosell-Murphy, Magdalena; Bonet-Simó, Josep M; Baena, Esther; Prieto, Gemma; Bellerino, Eva; Solé, Francesc; Rubio, Montserrat; Krier, Ilona; Torres, Pascuala; Mimoso, Sonia

2014-03-25

Despite the existence of formal professional support services, informal support (mainly family members) continues to be the main source of eldercare, especially for those who are dependent or disabled. Professionals on the primary health care are the ideal choice to educate, provide psychological support, and help to mobilize social resources available to the informal caregiver.Controversy remains concerning the efficiency of multiple interventions, taking a holistic approach to both the patient and caregiver, and optimum utilization of the available community resources. .For this reason our goal is to assess whether an intervention designed to improve the social support for caregivers effectively decreases caregivers burden and improves their quality of life. CONTROLled, multicentre, community intervention trial, with patients and their caregivers randomized to the intervention or control group according to their assigned Primary Health Care Team (PHCT). Primary Health Care network (9 PHCTs). Primary informal caregivers of patients receiving home health care from participating PHCTs. Required sample size is 282 caregivers (141 from PHCTs randomized to the intervention group and 141 from PHCTs randomized to the control group. a) PHCT professionals: standardized training to implement caregivers intervention. b) Caregivers: 1 individualized counselling session, 1 family session, and 4 educational group sessions conducted by participating PHCT professionals; in addition to usual home health care visits, periodic telephone follow-up contact and unlimited telephone support. Caregivers and dependent patients: usual home health care, consisting of bimonthly scheduled visits, follow-up as needed, and additional attention upon request.Data analysisDependent variables: Caregiver burden (short-form Zarit test), caregivers' social support (Medical Outcomes Study), and caregivers' reported quality of life (SF-12)INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: a) Caregiver: sociodemographic data, Goldberg Scale, Apgar family questionnaire, Holmes and Rahe Psychosocial Stress Scale, number of chronic diseases. b) Dependent patient: sociodemographic data, level of dependency (Barthel Index), cognitive impairment (Pfeiffer test). If the intervention intended to improve social and family support is effective in reducing the burden on primary informal caregivers of dependent patients, this model can be readily applied throughout usual PHCT clinical practice. Clinical trials registrar: NCT02065427.

Intervention to improve social and family support for caregivers of dependent patients: ICIAS study protocol

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Despite the existence of formal professional support services, informal support (mainly family members) continues to be the main source of eldercare, especially for those who are dependent or disabled. Professionals on the primary health care are the ideal choice to educate, provide psychological support, and help to mobilize social resources available to the informal caregiver. Controversy remains concerning the efficiency of multiple interventions, taking a holistic approach to both the patient and caregiver, and optimum utilization of the available community resources. .For this reason our goal is to assess whether an intervention designed to improve the social support for caregivers effectively decreases caregivers burden and improves their quality of life. Methods/design Design: Controlled, multicentre, community intervention trial, with patients and their caregivers randomized to the intervention or control group according to their assigned Primary Health Care Team (PHCT). Study area: Primary Health Care network (9 PHCTs). Study participants: Primary informal caregivers of patients receiving home health care from participating PHCTs. Sample: Required sample size is 282 caregivers (141 from PHCTs randomized to the intervention group and 141 from PHCTs randomized to the control group. Intervention: a) PHCT professionals: standardized training to implement caregivers intervention. b) Caregivers: 1 individualized counselling session, 1 family session, and 4 educational group sessions conducted by participating PHCT professionals; in addition to usual home health care visits, periodic telephone follow-up contact and unlimited telephone support. Control: Caregivers and dependent patients: usual home health care, consisting of bimonthly scheduled visits, follow-up as needed, and additional attention upon request. Data analysis Dependent variables: Caregiver burden (short-form Zarit test), caregivers’ social support (Medical Outcomes Study), and caregivers’ reported quality of life (SF-12) Independent variables: a) Caregiver: sociodemographic data, Goldberg Scale, Apgar family questionnaire, Holmes and Rahe Psychosocial Stress Scale, number of chronic diseases. b) Dependent patient: sociodemographic data, level of dependency (Barthel Index), cognitive impairment (Pfeiffer test). Discussion If the intervention intended to improve social and family support is effective in reducing the burden on primary informal caregivers of dependent patients, this model can be readily applied throughout usual PHCT clinical practice. Trial registration Clinical trials registrar: NCT02065427 PMID:24666438

Professional Development: Then and Now

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolt, Susan

2012-01-01

Technological developments have altered pedagogies in classroom teaching but approaches to teacher professional development have remained largely unchanged. The purpose of this paper is to describe an evolving learning process that spans the last decade and draws from three different investigations into professional development. The author…

A Faculty Driven Teaching & Learning Center: The Evolution of a Professional Development Venture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sablan, Helen

Tacoma Community College (TCC), in Washington, has implemented a comprehensive professional development program to serve the training and development needs of its employees. Program goals include promoting student success through curriculum review and teaching development, increasing opportunities for professional development, building a positive…

Teacher Professional Learning: Developing with the Aid of Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyprianou, Marianna; Nikiforou, Eleni

2016-01-01

Education is a field that constantly changes, which dictates the need for continuing teacher professional learning and development. Teacher professional learning and development can be divided into two categories: formal learning/ development and informal learning/development. This paper focuses on the experience of the presenters as coordinators…

From professional development for science teachers to student learning in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinoca, Luis Fonseca

This study investigates the effects of professional development for science teachers on student learning. It is usually expected that professional development programs positively impact student learning, however this dimension is not commonly incorporated in the programs evaluation. It is simply assumed that students will be indirectly impacted through their participating teachers in the work with their students. Two main research questions are addressed: (1) Are professional development programs effective in enhancing student learning in science? (2) What are the characteristics of the most and least effective programs? To answer these questions a meta-analysis of 37 professional development programs reporting their impact on student learning was performed. Program characteristics have been defined according to the categories defined by Loucks-Horsley et al (1998), the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996), as well as new categories developed by us analyzing other variables such as the programs length. A significant impact of professional development for science teachers on student learning has been found in the form of an overall correlation effect size of r = 0.22 (p < 0.001). Moreover, a Fixed Effects Model was used to differentiate between the impacts of the different characteristics of professional development programs for science teachers. In particular, programs emphasizing work on curriculum development, replacement, or implementation, scientific inquiry, pedagogical content knowledge, lasting over 6 month and with a total duration of at least 100 hours have been identified as having a larger impact on student learning. To enhance the findings vignettes have been developed based on the attained effect sizes describing possible professional development programs. Recommendations for present and future professional development programs are made based on what works best in order to maximize their impact on student learning.

Professional excellence and career advancement in nursing: a conceptual framework for clinical leadership development.

PubMed

Adeniran, Rita Kudirat; Bhattacharya, Anand; Adeniran, Anthony A

2012-01-01

Increasingly, stakeholders in the health care community are recognizing nursing as key to solving the nation's health care issues. This acknowledgment provides a unique opportunity for nursing to demonstrate leadership by developing clinical nurse leaders to collaborate with the multidisciplinary care team in driving evidence-based, safe quality, cost-effective health care services. One approach for nursing success is standardizing the entry-level education for nurses and developing a uniform professional development and career advancement trajectory with appropriate incentives to encourage participation. A framework to guide and provide scientific evidence of how frontline nurses can be engaged will be paramount. The model for professional excellence and career advancement provides a framework that offers a clear path for researchers to examine variables influencing nurses' professional development and career advancement in a systematic manner. Professional Excellence and Career Advancement in Nursing underscores professional preparedness of a registered nurse as central to leadership development. It also describes the elements that influence nurses' participation in professional development and career advancement under 4 main categories emphasizing mentorship and self-efficacy as essential variables.

Elementary School Teacher and Principal Perceptions of the Principal's Leadership Role in Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillery, Patricia L.

2013-01-01

As school districts' professional development trends shift to meet annual budget requirements, it is worthy to explore the benefits of professional learning communities as they are a potential means for job-embedded professional development. As an advocate for professional learning, Hirsh (2009) stated that every teacher should engage in…

Professional and Creative Development of Natural Geographic Course Teachers within the Process of Professional Retraining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samigullina, Galina Savelevna; Gilmanchina, Syriya Irekovna; Gaisin, Ilgisar Timergalievich; Gilmanshin, Iskander Rafailevich; Rafailevna, Akchurina Ilsia

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to analyse the professional and creative development of natural geographic course teachers of the Republic of Tatarstan in the process of professional retraining. The method for work performing is a retrospective analysis of professional retraining of natural geographic course teachers within the higher professional…

Teacher Professional Development to Support Teacher Professional Learning: Systemic Factors from Irish Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Fiona

2016-01-01

Teacher professional learning is widely accepted as a mediating factor for enhancing student outcomes. While many teachers across the world engage in professional development (PD) to enhance their professional learning, what is less evident is how to support that learning to result in change following teacher PD. Acknowledging that not all teacher…

Becoming a Doctor in Different Cultures: Toward a Cross-Cultural Approach to Supporting Professional Identity Formation in Medicine.

PubMed

Helmich, Esther; Yeh, Huei-Ming; Kalet, Adina; Al-Eraky, Mohamed

2017-01-01

Becoming a doctor is fundamentally about developing a new, professional identity as a physician, which in and of itself may evoke many emotions. Additionally, medical trainees are increasingly moving from one cultural context to another and are challenged with navigating the resulting shifts in their professional identify. In this Article, the authors aim to address medical professional identity formation from a polyvocal, multidisciplinary, cross-cultural perspective. They delineate the cultural approaches to medical professionalism, reflect on professional identity formation in different cultures and on different theories of identity development, and advocate for a context-specific approach to professional identity formation. In doing so, the authors aim to broaden the developing professional identity formation discourse to include non-Western approaches and notions.

Expanding the Professional Development School Model: Developing Collaborative Partnerships with School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foust, Gretchen E.; Goslee, Patricia A.

2014-01-01

The Professional Development School (PDS) model, a successful collaborative partnership model between university teacher education programs and P-12 schools, focuses on ''preparing future educators, providing current educators with ongoing professional development, encouraging joint school-university faculty investigation of education-related…

Redefining Professional Development. Newsletter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2006

2006-01-01

The research on effective professional development is consistent across many studies. Researchers Willis Hawley and Linda Valli (Westchester Institute for Human Services Research, n.d.), in their synthesis of the professional development literature, find that high-quality teacher development is as follows: (1) Informed by research on teaching and…

Classroom Effects of an Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Algozzine, Bob; Babb, Julie; Algozzine, Kate; Mraz, Maryann; Kissel, Brian; Spano, Sedra; Foxworth, Kimberly

2011-01-01

We evaluated an Early Childhood Educator Professional Development (ECEPD) project that provided high-quality, sustained, and intensive professional development designed to support developmentally appropriate instruction for preschool-age children based on the best available research on early childhood pedagogy, child development, and preschool…

A Mixed-Methods Analysis in Assessing Students' Professional Development by Applying an Assessment for Learning Approach.

PubMed

Peeters, Michael J; Vaidya, Varun A

2016-06-25

Objective. To describe an approach for assessing the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education's (ACPE) doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) Standard 4.4, which focuses on students' professional development. Methods. This investigation used mixed methods with triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data to assess professional development. Qualitative data came from an electronic developmental portfolio of professionalism and ethics, completed by PharmD students during their didactic studies. Quantitative confirmation came from the Defining Issues Test (DIT)-an assessment of pharmacists' professional development. Results. Qualitatively, students' development reflections described growth through this course series. Quantitatively, the 2015 PharmD class's DIT N2-scores illustrated positive development overall; the lower 50% had a large initial improvement compared to the upper 50%. Subsequently, the 2016 PharmD class confirmed these average initial improvements of students and also showed further substantial development among students thereafter. Conclusion. Applying an assessment for learning approach, triangulation of qualitative and quantitative assessments confirmed that PharmD students developed professionally during this course series.

Modern Trends of Additional Professional Education Development for Mineral Resource Extracting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisova, Olga; Frolova, Victoria; Merzlikina, Elena

2017-11-01

The article contains the results of development of additional professional education research, including the field of mineral resource extracting in Russia. The paper describes the levels of education received in Russian Federation and determines the place and role of additional professional education among them. Key factors influencing the development of additional professional education are identified. As a result of the research, the authors proved the necessity of introducing additional professional education programs on educational Internet platforms for mineral resource extracting.

Teacher Leadership Enactment in Professional Learning Community Contexts: Towards a Better Understanding of the Phenomenon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hairon, Salleh; Goh, Jonathan Wee Pin; Chua, Catherine Siew Kheng

2015-01-01

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have gained considerable attention in education. However, PLCs are dependent on how group members collectively work and learn towards shared goals on improving teaching and learning. This would require leadership to support meaningful and productive interactions within PLC contexts, and hence, the…

A Comparison of Male and Female Addicts and Non-Addicts on the Tennessee Self Concept Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarka, Joyce M.

Many mental health professionals ignore chemical addiction, whereas many chemical dependency professionals see addiction as the entire problem and ignore everything else. This study investigated differences between addicts and non-addicts on the Tennessee Self Concept Scale. Subjects were undergraduate and graduate students, selected from a…

Negotiating Professionalism: The Gendered Social Capital of Flexible Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seron, Carroll; Ferris,Kerry

1995-01-01

From a sample of 1,000 New York attorneys, data from 553 men and 129 women suggest that professional autonomy depends on social capital arrangements that assume overtime, open-ended work demands, and release from private obligations. Access to time is qualitatively different for men and women, especially married women with children. (SK)

Exploring Possible Links between Professional Learning Communities and Complex Adaptive Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Eric

2013-01-01

Implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLC), as described by DuFour (2006), has depended upon a balance between teacher buy-in and administrative fiat. The tension between the "bottom-up" character of the former and the "top-down" character of the latter presents a leadership challenge: meeting students' learning…

Early Childhood Educators Teaching and Learning in Professional Learning Communities: A New Approach to Professional Development for Preschool Teachers in a Southern California School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fairfield, Robin

2011-01-01

Early childhood education teachers have been challenged with the demands for accountability in literacy and English language development, as well as kindergarten readiness skills of preschool children. Researchers have studied professional learning communities (PLCs) as a framework for professional development and student achievement. However, few…

Essential Elements in a Professional Learning and Development Programme: A New Zealand Case Study of Autism Professional Development to Promote Collaborative Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bevan-Brown, Jill; Bourke, Roseanna; Butler, Philippa; Carroll-Lind, Janis; Kearney, Alison; Mentis, Mandia

2012-01-01

Professional learning and development (PD) programmes play an important role in improving professionals' ability to teach and provide for the children and young people they work with. This article reviews literature relating to components considered important to successful general and autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-focused PD. It then describes…

The Use of Micro-Blogging for Teacher Professional Development Support and Personalized Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Saress Ellerbe

2016-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to look at how teachers use micro-blogging, in this case Twitter (www.twitter.com), for their own personalized professional learning and how effective Twitter is as a professional development (PD) tool. In order to measure the effectiveness of the tool, the researcher first gleaned nine essential…

Towards Improvement of Student Learning Outcomes: An Assessment of the Professional Development Needs of Lecturers at Kenyan Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NaliakaMukhale, Phoebe; Hong, Zhu

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the professional development needs of lecturers at Kenyan universities. Specifically, the study investigated the challenges that lecturers and their learners face while in class. It also explored the professional development needs of the lecturers, preferred modes of delivery of the professional development…

Teachers Take Charge of Their Learning. Transforming Professional Development for Student Success [and] Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renyi, Judith

A national survey of more than 800 teachers found that these teachers' top reason for participating in professional development is to bolster their ability to help students learn; almost 3 in 4 said they engage in professional growth to improve student achievement; and a majority (55 percent) said they participate in professional development to…

School Leaders as Participants in Teachers' Professional Development: The Impact on Teachers' and School Leaders' Professional Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilton, Annette; Hilton, Geoff; Dole, Shelley; Goos, Merrilyn

2015-01-01

Over a two-year period, approximately 70 teachers from 18 schools participated in an on-going professional development program as part of a study to promote the teaching and learning of numeracy. Principals and other school leaders were invited to participate in the professional development program alongside their teachers, which 20 leaders from…

Uncovering a Hidden Professional Agenda for Teacher Educators: A Mixed Method Study on Flemish Teacher Educators and Their Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tack, Hanne; Valcke, Martin; Rots, Isabel; Struyven, Katrien; Vanderlinde, Ruben

2018-01-01

Taking into account the pressing need to understand more about what teacher educators' professional development characterises, this article adopts a mixed method approach to explore Flemish (Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) teacher educators' professional development needs and opportunities. Analysis results of a large-scale survey study with 611…

The PKRC's Value as a Professional Development Model Validated

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Dale

2013-01-01

After a brief review of the 4-H professional development standards, a new model for determining the value of continuing professional development is introduced and applied to the 4-H standards. The validity of the 4-H standards is affirmed. 4-H Extension professionals are encouraged to celebrate the strength of their standards and to engage the…

Achieving change through mutual development: supported online learning and the evolving roles of health and information professionals.

PubMed

Bury, Rachel; Martin, Lindsey; Roberts, Sue

2006-12-01

Major changes in health care, within an information- and technology-rich age, are impacting significantly on health professionals and upon their education and training. Health information professionals-in both the National Health Service (NHS) and higher education (HE) contexts-are consequently developing their roles, skills and partnerships to meet the needs of flexible education and training. This article explores one facet of this-supported online learning and its impact on role development. A case study approach was taken, aiming to explore how academics, health information professionals and learning technologists are developing supported online learning to explicitly address the e-literacy and information needs of health students within the context of NHS frameworks for education. This was contextualized by a literature review. The case study explores and discusses three dynamics--(i) The use of supported online learning tools by future health-care professionals throughout their professional training to ensure they have the appropriate e-literacy skills; (ii) the use of supported online learning by current health professionals to enable them to adapt to the changing environment; (iii) the development of the health information professional, and particularly their role within multi-disciplinary teams working with learning technologists and health professionals, to enable them to design and deliver supported online learning. The authors argue that, in this specific case study, health information professionals are key to the development of supported online learning. They are working successfully in collaboration and their roles are evolving to encompass learning and teaching activities in a wider context. There are consequently several lessons to be drawn in relation to professional education and role development.

Investigating the experience: A case study of a science professional development program based on Kolb's experiential learning model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Brian L.

Professional development for educators has been defined as the process or processes by which teachers achieve higher levels of professional competence and expand their understanding of self, role, context and career (Duke and Stiggins, 1990). Currently, there is limited research literature that examines the effect a professional development course, which uses David Kolb's experiential learning model, has on the professional growth and teaching practice of middle school science teachers. The purpose of this interpretive case study is to investigate how three science teachers who participated in the Rivers to Reef professional development course interpreted the learning experience and integrated the experience into their teaching practice. The questions guiding this research are (1) What is the relationship between a professional development course that uses an experiential learning model and science teaching practice? (2) How do the Rivers to Reef participants reflect on and describe the course as a professional growth experience? The creation of the professional development course and the framework for the study were established using David Kolb's (1975) experiential learning theory and the reflection process model designed by David Boud (1985). The participants in the study are three middle school science teachers from schools representing varied settings and socioeconomic levels in the southeastern United States. Data collected used the three-interview series interview format designed by Dolbere and Schuman (Seidman, 1998). Data was analyzed for the identification of common categories related to impact on science teaching practice and professional growth. The major finding of this study indicates the years of teaching experience of middle school science teachers significantly influences how they approach professional development, what and how they learn from the experience, and the ways in which the experience influences their teaching practices.

Ethical implications of digital communication for the patient-clinician relationship: analysis of interviews with clinicians and young adults with long term conditions (the LYNC study).

PubMed

Ignatowicz, Agnieszka; Slowther, Anne-Marie; Elder, Patrick; Bryce, Carol; Hamilton, Kathryn; Huxley, Caroline; Forjaz, Vera; Sturt, Jackie; Griffiths, Frances

2018-02-23

Digital communication between a patient and their clinician offers the potential for improved patient care, particularly for young people with long term conditions who are at risk of service disengagement. However, its use raises a number of ethical questions which have not been explored in empirical studies. The objective of this study was to examine, from the patient and clinician perspective, the ethical implications of the use of digital clinical communication in the context of young people living with long-term conditions. A total of 129 semi-structured interviews, 59 with young people and 70 with healthcare professionals, from 20 United Kingdom (UK)-based specialist clinics were conducted as part of the LYNC study. Transcripts from five sites (cancer, liver, renal, cystic fibrosis and mental health) were read by a core team to identify explicit and implicit ethical issues and develop descriptive ethical codes. Our subsequent thematic analysis was developed iteratively with reference to professional and ethical norms. Clinician participants saw digital clinical communication as potentially increasing patient empowerment and autonomy; improving trust between patient and healthcare professional; and reducing harm because of rapid access to clinical advice. However, they also described ethical challenges, including: difficulty with defining and maintaining boundaries of confidentiality; uncertainty regarding the level of consent required; and blurring of the limits of a clinician's duty of care when unlimited access is possible. Paradoxically, the use of digital clinical communication can create dependence rather than promote autonomy in some patients. Patient participants varied in their understanding of, and concern about, confidentiality in the context of digital communication. An overarching theme emerging from the data was a shifting of the boundaries of the patient-clinician relationship and the professional duty of care in the context of use of clinical digital communication. The ethical implications of clinical digital communication are complex and go beyond concerns about confidentiality and consent. Any development of this form of communication should consider its impact on the patient-clinician-relationship, and include appropriate safeguards to ensure that professional ethical obligations are adhered to.

Gender and the professional career of primary care physicians in Andalusia (Spain)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Although the proportion of women in medicine is growing, female physicians continue to be disadvantaged in professional activities. The purpose of the study was to determine and compare the professional activities of female and male primary care physicians in Andalusia and to assess the effect of the health center on the performance of these activities. Methods Descriptive, cross-sectional, and multicenter study. Setting: Spain. Participants: Population: urban health centers and their physicians. Sample: 88 health centers and 500 physicians. Independent variable: gender. Measurements: Control variables: age, postgraduate family medicine specialty (FMS), patient quota, patients/day, hours/day housework from Monday to Friday, idem weekend, people at home with special care, and family situation. Dependent variables: 24 professional activities in management, teaching, research, and the scientific community. Self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate, and multilevel logistic regression analyses. Results Response: 73.6%. Female physicians: 50.8%. Age: female physicians, 49.1 ± 4.3 yrs; male physicians, 51.3 ± 4.9 yrs (p < 0.001). Female physicians with FMS: 44.2%, male physicians with FMS: 33.3% (p < 0.001). Female physicians dedicated more hours to housework and more frequently lived alone versus male physicians. There were no differences in healthcare variables. Thirteen of the studied activities were less frequently performed by female physicians, indicating their lesser visibility in the production and diffusion of scientific knowledge. Performance of the majority of professional activities was independent of the health center in which the physician worked. Conclusions There are gender inequities in the development of professional activities in urban health centers in Andalusia, even after controlling for family responsibilities, work load, and the effect of the health center, which was important in only a few of the activities under study. PMID:21356111

Communicating with parents about vaccination: a framework for health professionals.

PubMed

Leask, Julie; Kinnersley, Paul; Jackson, Cath; Cheater, Francine; Bedford, Helen; Rowles, Greg

2012-09-21

A critical factor shaping parental attitudes to vaccination is the parent's interactions with health professionals. An effective interaction can address the concerns of vaccine supportive parents and motivate a hesitant parent towards vaccine acceptance. Poor communication can contribute to rejection of vaccinations or dissatisfaction with care. We sought to provide a framework for health professionals when communicating with parents about vaccination. Literature review to identify a spectrum of parent attitudes or 'positions' on childhood vaccination with estimates of the proportion of each group based on population studies. Development of a framework related to each parental position with determination of key indicators, goals and strategies based on communication science, motivational interviewing and valid consent principles. Five distinct parental groups were identified: the 'unquestioning acceptor' (30-40%), the 'cautious acceptor' (25-35%); the 'hesitant' (20-30%); the 'late or selective vaccinator' (2-27%); and the 'refuser' of all vaccines (<2%). The goals of the encounter with each group will vary, depending on the parents' readiness to vaccinate. In all encounters, health professionals should build rapport, accept questions and concerns, and facilitate valid consent. For the hesitant, late or selective vaccinators, or refusers, strategies should include use of a guiding style and eliciting the parent's own motivations to vaccinate while, avoiding excessive persuasion and adversarial debates. It may be necessary to book another appointment or offer attendance at a specialised adverse events clinic. Good information resources should also be used. Health professionals have a central role in maintaining public trust in vaccination, including addressing parents' concerns. These recommendations are tailored to specific parental positions on vaccination and provide a structured approach to assist professionals. They advocate respectful interactions that aim to guide parents towards quality decisions.

Communicating with parents about vaccination: a framework for health professionals

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background A critical factor shaping parental attitudes to vaccination is the parent’s interactions with health professionals. An effective interaction can address the concerns of vaccine supportive parents and motivate a hesitant parent towards vaccine acceptance. Poor communication can contribute to rejection of vaccinations or dissatisfaction with care. We sought to provide a framework for health professionals when communicating with parents about vaccination. Methods Literature review to identify a spectrum of parent attitudes or ‘positions’ on childhood vaccination with estimates of the proportion of each group based on population studies. Development of a framework related to each parental position with determination of key indicators, goals and strategies based on communication science, motivational interviewing and valid consent principles. Results Five distinct parental groups were identified: the ‘unquestioning acceptor’ (30–40%), the ‘cautious acceptor’ (25–35%); the ‘hesitant’ (20–30%); the ‘late or selective vaccinator’ (2–27%); and the ‘refuser’ of all vaccines (<2%). The goals of the encounter with each group will vary, depending on the parents’ readiness to vaccinate. In all encounters, health professionals should build rapport, accept questions and concerns, and facilitate valid consent. For the hesitant, late or selective vaccinators, or refusers, strategies should include use of a guiding style and eliciting the parent’s own motivations to vaccinate while, avoiding excessive persuasion and adversarial debates. It may be necessary to book another appointment or offer attendance at a specialised adverse events clinic. Good information resources should also be used. Conclusions Health professionals have a central role in maintaining public trust in vaccination, including addressing parents’ concerns. These recommendations are tailored to specific parental positions on vaccination and provide a structured approach to assist professionals. They advocate respectful interactions that aim to guide parents towards quality decisions. PMID:22998654

The impact of health care professionals' service orientation on patients' innovative behavior.

PubMed

Henrike, Hannemann-Weber; Schultz, Carsten

2014-01-01

The increasing availability of medical information and the rising relevance of patient communities drive the active role of health consumers in health care processes. Patients become experts on their disease and provide valuable stimuli for novel care solutions. Medical encounters evolve toward a more collaborative health care service process, where patients are accepted as equal partners. However, the patient's active role depends on the interaction with the involved health care professionals. The aim of this article is to examine whether the service orientation of health care professionals and their proactive and adaptive work behavior and the extent of shared goals within the necessary interdisciplinary health professional team influence patients' innovative behavior. We address six rare diseases and use interview and survey data to test theoretically derived hypotheses. The sample consists of 86 patients and their 160 health care professionals. Sixty patients provided additional information via interviews. Patients' innovative behavior is reflected by the number of generated ideas as well as the variety of ideas. The service orientation of work teams plays an important role in the innovation process of patients. As hypothesized, the extent of shared goals within the health care teams has a direct effect on patients' idea generation. Work adaptivity and proactivity and shared goals both reinforce the positive effect of service orientation. Furthermore, significant associations between the three independent variables and the second outcome variable of patient's idea variety are confirmed. The study underlines (1) the important role of patients within health care service innovation processes, (2) the necessity of a service-oriented working climate to foster the development of innovative care solutions for rare diseases, and (3) the need for an efficient cooperation and open mindset of health care professionals to motivate and support patient innovation.

Motives and activities for continuing professional development: An exploration of their relationships by integrating literature and interview data.

PubMed

Pool, Inge A; Poell, Rob F; Berings, Marjolein G M C; Ten Cate, Olle

2016-03-01

To effectively enhance professional development, it is important to understand the motivational factors behind nurses' engagement in particular types of learning activities. Nurses have various motives for professional development and utilise different learning activities. Not much is known about how these relate. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between nurses' motives and activities for continuing professional development, by examining in which types of learning activities nurses engage, with which motives, and whether certain motives are associated with certain learning activities. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Twenty-one nurses in academic and general Dutch hospitals participated. Interview data on nurses' learning biographies were analysed using a literature-based framework on motives and learning activities for continuing professional development. As recent classifications of nurses' motives for professional development were absent, the literature was reviewed for motives, using three databases. The interview transcripts were analysed for motives, learning activities and their relationships. Nine motives and four categories of learning activities for continuing professional development were delineated. Increasing competence was the primary motive that stimulated nurses to engage in self-directed learning during work, and in formal learning activities. To comply with requirements, they engaged in mandatory courses. To deepen knowledge, they registered for conferences. To develop their careers, they enrolled in postgraduate education. Five other motives were not mentioned as frequently. Specific motives were found to be related to engagement in particular learning activities. Nurses could use these findings to increase their awareness of why and how they develop professionally, and managers and human resource development professionals could develop approaches that would better suit nurses' needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Codeine Is My Helper": Misuse of and Dependence on Codeine-Containing Medicines in South Africa.

PubMed

Van Hout, Marie Claire; Rich, Eileen; Dada, Siphokazi; Bergin, Michael

2017-02-01

Misuse of codeine-containing medicines is an emerging global public health concern. The majority of research has been conducted in developed countries (European Members States, Australia, the United States). This study aimed to gain an understanding of unique individual and collective experiences of trajectories of codeine misuse and dependence in South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of adult codeine misusers and dependents ( n = 25). Narratives were analyzed using the empirical phenomenological psychological five-step method. Nine themes with 63 categories emerged, with two additional high levels of abstraction. Findings are illustrated: participant profile and product preferences, motives for use, transitioning to misuse and dependence, pharmacy purchasing and alternative sourcing routes, effects and withdrawal experiences, help-seeking and treatment experiences, and strategies for prevention. The study underscores the need for continued support for enhanced patient awareness of risk of habit forming use and related health consequences and professional pharmacovigilance.

The role of hospice in the transition from hospital to home for technology-dependent children-A qualitative study.

PubMed

Price, Jayne; McCloskey, Sharon; Brazil, Kevin

2018-01-01

To report parent and professional perspectives of step-down care in assisting the transition from hospital to home, within one children's hospice in a constituent country of the United Kingdom. In recent years, increasing numbers of children-dependent on long term assisted ventilation have been noted. Meeting the complex physical, emotional and social needs of the child and family is challenging. Many of these children spend extended periods in hospital even when medically stable. This was a qualitative study using an inductive, semantic analytic approach within a realist epistemology. Data collection was carried out in 2013. Interviews took place with parents (n = 5) and focus groups with professionals (n = 26) who had experience of step-down care. Multiple benefits of step-down in the hospice were clear. Both sets of accounts suggested that for children and families life was "on hold" in hospital. Hospice was considered a home-like environment where the child and family could "live again". Parents reflected that, in hospice they were "living, not existing" while professionals highlighted hospice as nurturing and empowering the whole family, promoting the child's development while safely meeting their clinical needs. The study highlights a number of crucial benefits to the child and family both in the immediate and longer terms. The collective perspectives therefore endorse hospice as a potential viable choice for these children and their families during the always difficult, usually protracted transition from hospital to home. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mathematics Professional Development: Critical Features for Developing Leadership Skills and Building Teachers' Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koellner, Karen; Jacobs, Jennifer; Borko, Hilda

2011-01-01

This article focuses on three features of professional development (PD) programs that play an important role in developing leadership skills and building teachers' capacity: (1) fostering a professional learning community, (2) developing teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching, and (3) adapting PD to support local needs and interests. We…

Saudi Arabian Science Teachers and Supervisors' Views of Professional Development Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansour, Nasser; Alshamrani, Saeed M.; Aldahmash, Abdulwali H.; Alqudah, Basil M.

2013-01-01

Problem Statement: Teacher professional development is a prominent feature in the educational landscapes of both developed and developing countries. Teacher development can be conceptualised as a mechanism for driving change in educational systems and/or as a strategy for empowering teachers to improve their professional knowledge and pedagogy. To…

Integrating professional behavior development across a professional allied health curriculum.

PubMed

Tsoumas, Linda J; Pelletier, Deborah

2007-01-01

Professional behaviors are an integral part of clinical practice in all allied health and medical fields. A systematic process for instruction, the education, and development of professional behaviors, cannot be taught in the same way that memorization of human anatomy or medical terminology is taught. One cannot expect professional behaviors to just appear in an individual upon graduation and entry into a health care field. Professional behavior development is an essential component of physical therapy professional education and is clearly defined through the guiding documents of the American Physical Therapy Association, which include 'A Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional Education,' 'Evaluative Criteria for Accreditation of Education Programs for the Preparation of Physical Therapists,' and the 'Guide to Physical Therapist Practice.' Building a comprehensive and progressive curricular thread for professional behaviors can pose a challenge for a professional program and the core faculty. This paper will present a curricular model of weaving professional behaviors into a core entry-level professional curriculum using a specific curricular thread, activities for different levels of students, and assessment at each point in the path. This paper will demonstrate the potential for universal application of a professional behaviors.

Perspectives on the Etiology of Violence in Later Life.

PubMed

Mysyuk, Yuliya; Westendorp, Rudi G J; Lindenberg, Jolanda

2016-11-01

This article focuses on the development of a conceptual framework for explaining the etiology of violence in later life by various groups involved in the field of elder abuse. In this study, we explore this through eight focus groups with different professionals involved in the field of elder abuse and older persons themselves and in interviews with 35 experts in the field. Our findings show that dependency, vulnerability, power and control, social isolation, stress, and care burden play a central role in their explanations for the occurrence of violence in later life. The role of a history of violence in violence in later life is equivocal. The complexity and ambiguity of dependency and vulnerability, the notion of mutual dependency, and diverse attitudes and expectations toward them that arise with the aging process are distinct features of violence in later life that were found. © The Author(s) 2015.

Chemically dependent physicians and informed consent disclosure.

PubMed

Ackerman, T F

1996-01-01

Developments in law, professional guidelines, and public attitudes support informed consent disclosure by physicians who have been treated for chemical dependency. This view is built on the apparent materiality of the risk of relapse to informed treatment decisions by patients. Several considerations undercut this position. The probability is remote that a patient will be injured by a recovering physician who suffers an undetected relapse while being properly monitored. Monitoring by impaired physicians programs provides a more sensitive and specific mechanism for detecting relapsed physicians. Moreover, compromise of the privacy and employment rights of recovering physicians by consent disclosure is not justified if programs provide rigorous monitoring that protects the welfare of patients. Finally, required consent disclosure will reduce referrals of chemically dependent physicians to impaired physicians programs, thereby increasing the danger to patients. Limiting demands for required consent disclosure necessitates effective operation of impaired physicians programs.

Discovering the nature of advanced nursing practice in high dependency care: a critical care nurse consultant's experience.

PubMed

Fairley, Debra

2005-06-01

This paper describes how a critical care nurse consultant's clinical role has evolved within a surgical high dependency unit (SHDU) in a large teaching hospitals trust. In order to provide some background to role development, an overview of the research exploring the nature of advanced nursing practice in the context of critical care will be presented. From the outset, advanced nursing practice was not perceived as the acquisition and application of technical procedures usually undertaken by doctors, but possibly an integration of medicine and nursing where holistic nursing assessment is combined with symptom-focused physical examination. A reflective account of practical problems encountered relating to role integration, professional autonomy, legal and consent issues, non-medical prescribing, and role evaluation will be presented. A model of working that can be applied to high dependency units, integrating the role of the advanced nurse practitioner within the clinical team, will be described.

Creating Professional Development School Partnerships. A Resource Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teitel, Lee; Del Prete, Tom

This three-part guide presents information and recommendations from the Massachusetts Professional Development School Network Steering Committee on how to develop a professional development school (PDS) partnership. Part 1 defines the PDS concept, presents a brief background account of its evolution, and discusses its potential for simultaneously…

A Teacher Professional Development Model for Teaching Socioscientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Katherine; Dawson, Vaille

2016-01-01

This paper describes the development and implementation of a three-pillared model for teaching socioscientific issues: teacher professional development; curriculum resources; and classroom support. A professional development program and curriculum resource based on the socioscientific issue of climate change was trialled with 75 Western Australian…

Professional Development: Setting the Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watts, Gordon E.; Hammons, James O.

2002-01-01

States that professional development programs, though they run the gamut from fledgling to comprehensive, have developed over the last three decades as a result of the rapid growth of the community college. Examines some of the early struggles of the professional development movement and discusses future challenges. (AUTH/NB)

Observation Tools for Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malu, Kathleen F.

2015-01-01

Professional development of teachers, including English language teachers, empowers them to change in ways that improve teaching and learning (Gall and Acheson 2011; Murray 2010). In their seminal research on staff development--professional development in today's terms--Joyce and Showers (2002) identify key factors that promote teacher change.…

Professional Development Design: Embedding Educational Reform in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starkey, Louise; Yates, Anne; Meyer, Luanna H.; Hall, Cedric; Taylor, Mike; Stevens, Susan; Toia, Rawiri

2009-01-01

Teacher professional development variously supports ongoing skill development, new knowledge, and systems change. In New Zealand, the implementation of major assessment reforms in senior secondary schools provided opportunity to investigate teacher professional development as a function of the particular stage of an educational reform.…

Professional Families--The Development of the Relationship between a Professional Mother and the Child in the Context of the Mother's Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Búšová, Katarína Šmajdová

2012-01-01

A professional family is an organizational form of institutional care which is used mainly in residential children's homes. By considering the psychological development of the child and by providing a supportive environment, the professional family provides systematic, purposeful and professional care and education for the child. It attempts to…

Physician’ entrepreneurship explained: a case study of intra-organizational dynamics in Dutch hospitals and specialty clinics

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Challenges brought about by developments such as continuing market reforms and budget reductions have strained the relation between managers and physicians in hospitals. By applying neo-institutional theory, we research how intra-organizational dynamics between physicians and managers induce physicians to become entrepreneurs by starting a specialty clinic. In addition, we determine the nature of this change by analyzing the intra-organizational dynamics in both hospitals and clinics. Methods For our research, we interviewed a total of fifteen physicians and eight managers in four hospitals and twelve physicians and seven managers in twelve specialty clinics. Results We found evidence that in becoming entrepreneurs, physicians are influenced by intra-organizational dynamics, including power dependence, interest dissatisfaction, and value commitments, between physicians and managers as well as among physicians’ groups. The precise motivation for starting a new clinic can vary depending on the medical or business logic in which the entrepreneurs are embedded, but also the presence of an entrepreneurial nature or nurture. Finally we found that the entrepreneurial process of starting a specialty clinic is a process of sedimented change or hybridized professionalism in which elements of the business logic are added to the existing logic of medical professionalism, leading to a hybrid logic. Conclusions These findings have implications for policy at both the national and hospital level. Shared ownership and aligned incentives may provide the additional cement in which the developing entrepreneurial values are ‘glued’ to the central medical logic. PMID:24885912

Physician' entrepreneurship explained: a case study of intra-organizational dynamics in Dutch hospitals and specialty clinics.

PubMed

Koelewijn, Wout T; de Rover, Matthijs; Ehrenhard, Michel L; van Harten, Wim H

2014-05-19

Challenges brought about by developments such as continuing market reforms and budget reductions have strained the relation between managers and physicians in hospitals. By applying neo-institutional theory, we research how intra-organizational dynamics between physicians and managers induce physicians to become entrepreneurs by starting a specialty clinic. In addition, we determine the nature of this change by analyzing the intra-organizational dynamics in both hospitals and clinics. For our research, we interviewed a total of fifteen physicians and eight managers in four hospitals and twelve physicians and seven managers in twelve specialty clinics. We found evidence that in becoming entrepreneurs, physicians are influenced by intra-organizational dynamics, including power dependence, interest dissatisfaction, and value commitments, between physicians and managers as well as among physicians' groups. The precise motivation for starting a new clinic can vary depending on the medical or business logic in which the entrepreneurs are embedded, but also the presence of an entrepreneurial nature or nurture. Finally we found that the entrepreneurial process of starting a specialty clinic is a process of sedimented change or hybridized professionalism in which elements of the business logic are added to the existing logic of medical professionalism, leading to a hybrid logic. These findings have implications for policy at both the national and hospital level. Shared ownership and aligned incentives may provide the additional cement in which the developing entrepreneurial values are 'glued' to the central medical logic.

[Which is the demand for psychiatric and psychological interconsultation when the patient has cancer?].

PubMed

Sala, Viviana

2002-01-01

The intervention of the professionals of mental health in the sphere of the oncology goes hand in hand with the advance that has been generated in the treatment of the oncological illnesses. This way patient's life is prolonged. This development gives place to a whole set of new problems for the patient, his family and the team of health professionals that have been caring him until the moment. 68 percent of the patients suffering cancer has dysfunctions of adaptation in some moment in the course of its illness. Between a 25 and 40 percent, depending on the characteristics of the sample, present a depressive disorder according to the criteria of the DSM-IV. Finally, the presence of delirium is very likely in around the 15 percent of the patients in general, in 25 percent of the aging and in 75 percent of the patients that are in the last stages of their illness.

Promoting Occupational Health Nursing Training

PubMed Central

Ward, Julie A.; Beaton, Randal D.; Bruck, Annie M.; de Castro, A. B.

2012-01-01

In 2009, occupational health nursing faculty and professionals at the University of Washington developed an innovative continuing nursing education offering, the OHN Institute. The OHN Institute was designed to meet the following objectives: (1) extend basic occupational health nursing training to non-occupational health nurses in Federal Region X, (2) target new occupational health nurses or those who possessed little or no advanced education in occupational health nursing, and (3) offer a hybrid continuing nursing education program consisting of on-site and distance learning modalities. Evaluation findings suggested that the various continuing nursing education modalities and formats (e.g., asynchronous vs. synchronous, online modules vs. live modules) were essentially comparable in terms of effectiveness. Perhaps most importantly, the OHN Institute evaluation demonstrated that quality continuing nursing education outcomes for occupational health nurses depended largely on knowledgeable and engaging faculty and a compelling vision of desired outcomes, including the application of learned content to professional practice. PMID:21877672

Constipation services for children: the role of health visitor teams.

PubMed

Smith, Denise; Derrett, Sarah

Constipation among children is a prevalent condition, yet poorly understood. There is little empirical evidence for 'best possible' configurations of services. This article presents a survey of Walsall health visitor team members (HVTMs) which aimed to identify the types of advice and care provided to young children with constipation, pathways to care and ideas for service improvement. Most HVTM consultations were parent-initiated. Few GPs referred children to HVTMs. HVTMs most commonly provided advice about fluids and diet -- only one prescribed medication. HVTMs identified the need for early intervention, consistent information for parents and a clear pathway for all health professionals to follow. Currently, a team from the local primary and hospital NHS trusts is developing an integrated care pathway for paediatric constipation. Success of such pathways depends on their adoption by GPs and hospital-based health professionals, and on evidence of efficacy arising from their evaluation.

Formative Assessment and Professional Training: Reflections from a Mathematics course in Bioengineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrere, C.; Milesi, S.; Lapyckyj, I.; Ravera, E.; Escher, L.; Miyara, A.; Pita, G.; Añino, M.

2016-04-01

Bioengineering is currently considered an interdisciplinary professional field which provides solutions to different problems arising in the area of health care. Its strategic importance is widely acknowledged since its developments and proposals could help diminish the level of technological dependence in the sector. The fast pace of innovation in the area of biomedical technology gives rise to permanent reflection on the learning goals and teaching strategies proposed by educators in the different training stages of a bioengineer. In this context, learning assessment appears as a controversial issue which needs to be debated and rethought. This paper describes the reflections of teachers of a Mathematics course within a Bioengineering program around the question, What approach to assessment favors the student’s participation, autonomy and training as a future bioengineer? The investigation was carried out in the framework of a Participatory Research Action project and helped us to redesign assessment activities from a different perspective.

Continuous Professional Development along the Continuum of Lifelong Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Jane

2003-01-01

Of 300 surveyed, responses from 94 nurses, 38 occupational therapists, and 50 physical therapists indicated that professional knowledge was a prime motivation for continuing professional development, followed by updating qualifications, increasing the status of the profession, and demonstrating professional competence. No differences were observed…

Professional Development. New Opportunities for Partnering, CAUSE94. Track VII.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CAUSE, Boulder, CO.

Eight papers are presented from the 1994 CAUSE conference track on professional development for information professionals in higher education institutions. The papers include: (1) "New Opportunities in Training for Information Systems Professionals," which discusses staff training at Miami-Dade Community College (Florida) (Desiree…

Defense Threat Reduction Agency > Careers > Professional Development

Science.gov Websites

Justifications & Approvals Careers Who We Are Our Values Strategic Recruiting Programs Professional Your Reporting Day Senior Executive Service Special Programs PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Our Training and some of the pitfalls that may derail a career or delay a promotion. Competitive Professional

Sustainable Development, Systems Thinking and Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Stephen

2008-01-01

This article explores the impact of the sustainable development (SD) agenda on the occupational and professional needs of those who have undergone educational and training programmes in the environmental field either at the undergraduate or the postgraduate level or through relevant professional institutions' continuing professional development…

Using ASBO International's Standards To Map Your Professional Growth and Development Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratton, Susan

2002-01-01

Explores various definitions of what constitutes a profession and what characteristics determine a professional. Identifies the need for continued professional growth and development related to the new Association of School Business Officials, International, "Professional Standards" (2001). Examples illustrate how individual school…

Measuring Professional Identity Development among Counselor Trainees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prosek, Elizabeth A.; Hurt, Kara M.

2014-01-01

This study examined the differences in professional identity development between novice and advanced counselor trainees (N = 161). Multivariate analyses of variance indicated significant differences between groups. Specifically, advanced counselor trainees demonstrated greater professional development compared with novice counselor trainees. No…

Ethics, morality, and conflicting interests: how questionable professional integrity in some scientists supports global corporate influence in public health.

PubMed

Baur, Xaver; Budnik, Lygia Therese; Ruff, Kathleen; Egilman, David S; Lemen, Richard A; Soskolne, Colin L

2015-01-01

Clinical and public health research, education, and medical practice are vulnerable to influence by corporate interests driven by the for-profit motive. Developments over the last 10 years have shown that transparency and self-reporting of corporate ties do not always mitigate bias. In this article, we provide examples of how sound scientific reasoning and evidence-gathering are undermined through compromised scientific enquiry resulting in misleading science, decision-making, and policy intervention. Various medical disciplines provide reference literature essential for informing public, environmental, and occupational health policy. Published literature impacts clinical and laboratory methods, the validity of respective clinical guidelines, and the development and implementation of public health regulations. Said literature is also used in expert testimony related to resolving tort actions on work-related illnesses and environmental risks. We call for increased sensitivity, full transparency, and the implementation of effective ethical and professional praxis rules at all relevant regulatory levels to rout out inappropriate corporate influence in science. This is needed because influencing the integrity of scientists who engage in such activities cannot be depended upon.

Morale and job perception of community mental health professionals in Berlin and London.

PubMed

Priebe, Stefan; Fakhoury, Walid K H; Hoffmann, Karin; Powell, Richard A

2005-03-01

Morale and job perception of staff in community mental health care may influence feasibility and quality of care, and some research has suggested particularly high burnout of staff in the community. The aims of this study were to: a) assess morale, i. e. team identity, job satisfaction and burnout, in psychiatrists, community psychiatric nurses and social workers in community mental health care in Berlin and London; b) compare findings between the groups and test whether personal characteristics, place of working and professional group predict morale; and c) explore what tasks, obstacles, skills, enjoyable and stressful aspects interviewees perceived as important in their jobs. In all, 189 mental health professionals (a minimum of 30 in each of the six groups) responded to a postal survey and reported activities per week using pre-formed categories. Perception of professional role was assessed on the Team Identity Scale, job satisfaction on the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale, and burnout on the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Seven simple open questions were used to elicit the main tasks, skills that staff did and did not feel competent in, aspects that they did and did not enjoy in their job, and obstacles and factors that caused pressure. Answers were subjected to content analysis using a posteriori formed categories. Weekly activities and morale varied between sites and professional groups. Some mean scores for groups in London exceeded the threshold for a burnout syndrome, and are particularly less favourable for social workers. Working in London predicted higher burnout, lower job satisfaction and lower team identity. Being a psychiatrist predicted higher team identity, whilst being a social worker was associated with higher burnout and lower job satisfaction. Male gender predicted lower burnout and higher team identity. However, professional group and site interacted in predicting burnout and job satisfaction. Psychiatrists in London had much more favourable scores than the other two groups, whilst this did not hold true in Berlin. Answers to open questions revealed universal aspects, such as enjoying direct patient contact and disliking bureaucracy, but also various views that were specific to a site or professional group or both. Burnout remains a problem for some, but not all, professional groups in community mental health care, and social workers in London appear to be a group with particularly low morale. Differences between professional groups depend on the location, and it remains unclear to what extent job-related and general factors impact on the morale of mental health professionals. Answers to open questions reveal general as well as specific aspects of the job perception of the professional groups, some of which may be relevant for service development, training and supervision. More conceptual and methodological work and more extensive studies are required to develop a better understanding of how community mental health professionals perceive their job and how morale may be improved.

Measuring Return on Investment for Professional Development Activities: Implications for Practice.

PubMed

Opperman, Cathleen; Liebig, Debra; Bowling, Judith; Johnson, Carol Susan; Harper, Mary

2016-01-01

What is the return on investment (ROI) for the time and resources spent for professional development activities? This is Part 2 of a two-part series to report findings and demonstrate how financial analysis of educational activities can drive decision-making. The resources consumed for professional development activities need to be identified and quantified to be able to determine the worth of such activities. This article defines terms and formulas for financial analysis for nursing professional development practitioners to use in analysis of their own programs. Three fictitious examples of common nursing professional development learning activities are provided with financial analysis. This article presents the "how to" for the busy practitioner.

Developing Professional Identity in Undergraduate Pharmacy Students: A Role for Self-Determination Theory

PubMed Central

Mylrea, Martina F.; Sen Gupta, Tarun; Glass, Beverley D.

2017-01-01

Professional identity development, seen as essential in the transition from student to professional, needs to be owned by the universities in order to ensure a workforce appropriately prepared to provide global health care in the future. The development of professional identity involves a focus on who the student is becoming, as well as what they know or can do, and requires authentic learning experiences such as practice exposure and interaction with pharmacist role models. This article examines conceptual frameworks aligned with professional identity development and will explore the role for self-determination theory (SDT) in pharmacy professional education. SDT explains the concepts of competence, relatedness and autonomy and the part they play in producing highly motivated individuals, leading to the development of one’s sense of self. Providing support for students in these three critical areas may, in accordance with the tenets of SDT, have the potential to increase motivation levels and their sense of professional identity. PMID:28970428

Developing Professional Identity in Undergraduate Pharmacy Students: A Role for Self-Determination Theory.

PubMed

Mylrea, Martina F; Sen Gupta, Tarun; Glass, Beverley D

2017-03-24

Professional identity development, seen as essential in the transition from student to professional, needs to be owned by the universities in order to ensure a workforce appropriately prepared to provide global health care in the future. The development of professional identity involves a focus on who the student is becoming, as well as what they know or can do, and requires authentic learning experiences such as practice exposure and interaction with pharmacist role models. This article examines conceptual frameworks aligned with professional identity development and will explore the role for self-determination theory (SDT) in pharmacy professional education. SDT explains the concepts of competence, relatedness and autonomy and the part they play in producing highly motivated individuals, leading to the development of one's sense of self. Providing support for students in these three critical areas may, in accordance with the tenets of SDT, have the potential to increase motivation levels and their sense of professional identity.

Career advancement and professional development in nursing.

PubMed

Adeniran, Rita K; Smith-Glasgow, Mary Ellen; Bhattacharya, Anand; Xu, Yu

2013-01-01

Excellence underscores the need for nurses to keep their skills and competencies current through participation in professional development and career advancement. Evidence suggests that internationally educated nurses (IENs) progress relatively slowly through the career ladder and participate less in professional development compared with nurses educated in the United States (UENs). Mentorship and self-efficacy are considered major determinants of career advancement. The aim of the study was to understand the differences in levels of mentorship function and self-efficacy as well as the differences in participation in professional development and career advancement between UENs and IENs. A descriptive survey design was implemented using a Web-based survey. Significant disparities were noted in the role model function of mentoring and some professional development and career advancement measures between UENs and IENs. Mentorship is essential for professional growth. Sociodemographic characteristics of mentors are important because mentors are role models. Standardized career advancement structures are needed to promote professional growth. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Effect of an institutional development plan for user participation on professionals' knowledge, practice, and attitudes. A controlled study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Governments in several countries attempt to strengthen user participation through instructing health care organisations to plan and implement activities such as user representation in administrational boards, improved information to users, and more individual user participation in clinical work. The professionals are central in implementing initiatives to enhance user participation in organisations, but no controlled studies have been conducted on the effect on professionals from implementing institutional development plans. The objective was to investigate whether implementing a development plan intending to enhance user participation in a mental health hospital had any effect on the professionals' knowledge, practice, or attitudes towards user participation. Methods This was a non-randomized controlled study including professionals from three mental health hospitals in Central Norway. A development plan intended to enhance user participation was implemented in one of the hospitals as a part of a larger re-organizational process. The plan included i.e. establishing a patient education centre and a user office, purchasing of user expertise, appointing contact professionals for next of kin, and improving of the centre's information and the professional culture. The professionals at the intervention hospital thus constituted the intervention group, while the professionals at two other hospitals participated as control group. All professionals were invited to answer the Consumer Participation Questionnaire (CPQ) and additional questions, focusing on knowledge, practice, and attitudes towards user participation, two times with a 16 months interval. Results A total of 438 professionals participated (55% response rate). Comparing the changes in the intervention group with the changes in the control group revealed no statistically significant differences at a 0.05 level. The implementation of the development plan thus had no measurable effect on the professionals' knowledge, practice, or attitudes at the intervention hospital, compared to the control hospitals. Conclusion This is the first controlled study on the effect on professionals from implementing a development plan to enhance user participation in a mental health hospital. The plan had no effect on professionals' knowledge, practice, or attitudes. This can be due to the quality of the development plan, the implementation process, and/or the suitability of the outcome measures. PMID:22047466

Effect of an institutional development plan for user participation on professionals' knowledge, practice, and attitudes. A controlled study.

PubMed

Rise, Marit By; Grimstad, Hilde; Solbjør, Marit; Steinsbekk, Aslak

2011-11-02

Governments in several countries attempt to strengthen user participation through instructing health care organisations to plan and implement activities such as user representation in administrational boards, improved information to users, and more individual user participation in clinical work. The professionals are central in implementing initiatives to enhance user participation in organisations, but no controlled studies have been conducted on the effect on professionals from implementing institutional development plans. The objective was to investigate whether implementing a development plan intending to enhance user participation in a mental health hospital had any effect on the professionals' knowledge, practice, or attitudes towards user participation. This was a non-randomized controlled study including professionals from three mental health hospitals in Central Norway. A development plan intended to enhance user participation was implemented in one of the hospitals as a part of a larger re-organizational process. The plan included i.e. establishing a patient education centre and a user office, purchasing of user expertise, appointing contact professionals for next of kin, and improving of the centre's information and the professional culture. The professionals at the intervention hospital thus constituted the intervention group, while the professionals at two other hospitals participated as control group. All professionals were invited to answer the Consumer Participation Questionnaire (CPQ) and additional questions, focusing on knowledge, practice, and attitudes towards user participation, two times with a 16 months interval. A total of 438 professionals participated (55% response rate). Comparing the changes in the intervention group with the changes in the control group revealed no statistically significant differences at a 0.05 level. The implementation of the development plan thus had no measurable effect on the professionals' knowledge, practice, or attitudes at the intervention hospital, compared to the control hospitals. This is the first controlled study on the effect on professionals from implementing a development plan to enhance user participation in a mental health hospital. The plan had no effect on professionals' knowledge, practice, or attitudes. This can be due to the quality of the development plan, the implementation process, and/or the suitability of the outcome measures.

Are professional handball players at risk for developing a glenohumeral internal rotation deficit in their dominant arm?

PubMed

Seabra, Pedro; Van Eck, Carola F; Sá, Márcia; Torres, João

2017-05-01

Overhead athletes, such as baseball players, have been shown to have adaptive changes in the shoulder range of motion (ROM) of their dominant arm. Professional handball players are a unique subtype of overhead athletes with very different demands from baseball players. The aim of this study was to determine if professional handball players demonstrate differences in shoulder ROM between their dominant and non-dominant arm and try to relate them with new variables. Fifty professional male handball players were included and completed a questionnaire regarding age at which they started to play, number of hours they practice a week, field position and arm dominance. ROM measurements were performed including forward flexion (FF), external rotation with the shoulder in abduction (ABER) and with adducted arm (ADER) and internal rotation with shoulder in abduction (IR). Statistical analysis was performed to determine differences in ROM between the dominant and non-dominant shoulder and if there is a relationship between these differences and shoulder load or field position. The dominant arm showed decreased internal rotation (47 vs. 56 degrees, p < 0.001) and increased external rotation both with the arm abducted (99 vs. 88 degrees, p < 0.001) and at the side (62 vs 57 degrees, p = 0.001). This was not correlated with shoulder load for any movement (FF, p = 0.980; ABER, p = 0.741; ADER, p = 0.803; IR, p = 0.085) but was dependent on field position with first line players showing the highest internal rotation deficit (13 degrees vs. 6-7 degrees in the other field positions, p = 0.013). This study showed that professional male handball players with a first line position have a significant risk for developing a glenohumeral internal rotation deficit, similar to the phenomenon seen in baseball pitchers.

Implementing an electronic medication overview in Belgium.

PubMed

Storms, Hannelore; Marquet, Kristel; Nelissen, Katherine; Hulshagen, Leen; Lenie, Jan; Remmen, Roy; Claes, Neree

2014-12-16

An accurate medication overview is essential to reduce medication errors. Therefore, it is essential to keep the medication overview up-to-date and to exchange healthcare information between healthcare professionals and patients. Digitally shared information yields possibilities to improve communication. However, implementing a digitally shared medication overview is challenging. This articles describes the development process of a secured, electronic platform designed for exchanging medication information as executed in a pilot study in Belgium, called "Vitalink". The goal of "Vitalink" is to improve the exchange of medication information between professionals working in healthcare and patients in order to achieve a more efficient cooperation and better quality of care. Healthcare professionals of primary and secondary health care and patients of four Belgian regions participated in the project. In each region project groups coordinated implementation and reported back to the steering committee supervising the pilot study. The electronic medication overview was developed based on consensus in the project groups. The steering committee agreed to establish secured and authorized access through the use of electronic identity documents (eID) and a secured, eHealth-platform conform prior governmental regulations regarding privacy and security of healthcare information. A successful implementation of an electronic medication overview strongly depends on the accessibility and usability of the tool for healthcare professionals. Coordinating teams of the project groups concluded, based on their own observations and on problems reported to them, that secured and quick access to medical data needed to be pursued. According to their observations, the identification process using the eHealth platform, crucial to ensure secured data, was very time consuming. Secondly, software packages should meet the needs of their users, thus be adapted to daily activities of healthcare professionals. Moreover, software should be easy to install and run properly. The project would have benefited from a cost analysis executed by the national bodies prior to implementation.

[Professional quality of life in workers of the Toledo primary care health area].

PubMed

Villarín Castro, A; Méndez García, T; Zuzuárregui Gironés, M S; Sánchez Serrano, S; Conejo Ocaña, R

2015-01-01

To determine the professional quality of life in the workers of the Toledo Primary Care Health Area and to analyse its components. Descriptive, cross-sectional study, performed on workers of the Toledo Primary Care Health Area with an online self-administered questionnaire. age, sex, health centre, professional group, seniority, management experience, collaboration in working groups, employment situation, and the PQL-35 professional quality of life questionnaire. A total of 430 completed questionnaires were received (45.3%), of which 68.4% were women. The mean age was 47.7±8.6 years old. Mean seniority was 21.5±9.7 years. PQL-35 results were: perception of management support 4.8±1.5; perception of workload 6.2±1.3; intrinsic motivation 7.9±1.1; job disconnection capacity 6.3±2.6; and professional quality of life 5.2±2.1. Gender differences were found in perception of management support (4.5±1.5 in males vs 4.9±1.5 in females; P=.031) and professional quality of life (4.9±2.0 vs 5.3±2.1; p=.044). Depending on the professional group, differences were found in the perception of workload (6.4±1.1 in physicians, 6.3±1.3 in nurses, 5.9±1.6 in non-sanitary professionals, and 5.3±1.2 in support units professionals; P<.001). Depending on the employment situation, differences were found in the intrinsic motivation (7.8±1.1 in proprietors, 8.3±1.1 in temporary workers, and 8.2±1.1 in substitutes; P=.002). The professional quality of life in the workers of the Toledo Primary Care Health Area is similar to that of other Spanish Health Areas, even in a time of economic crisis. The intrinsic motivation of the professionals is very high, in contrast with their high perception of workload and their low perception of management support. Copyright © 2014 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic Recreation for Chemically Dependent Adolescents and Adults: Programming and Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rainwater, Agnes B.

The intent of this publication is to serve as a practical guide for therapeutic recreation personnel working with chemically dependent persons as well as a resource for counselors, social workers, nurses, physicians, and other professionals in gaining insight into the therapeutic recreation delivery service for chemically dependent populations.…

Dependency and Its Implications for Rehabilitation. Northeastern Studies in Vocational Rehabilitation. Monograph No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldin, George J.; Perry, Sally L.

The purpose of this monograph is to summarize professional literature on dependency and to discuss its implications for vocational rehabilitation. The review begins with a discussion of relevant psychoanalytic, learning, developmental, and sociocultural theories since behavioral manifestations of dependency differ and are related to factors in the…

Profiles of Selected Promising Professional Development Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Carol; Gerber, Peter; Handley, Claire; Kronley, Robert; Parry, Megan

In 2000, the Finance Project received a planning grant to launch a new initiative on financing professional development in education. This report represents efforts to identify and develop a database on promising new approaches to professional development in education, profiling 16 initiatives recommended by knowledge experts and representing a…

Staff Development and Total Quality Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Gerald L.; Norris, Joye H.

Professional development is an emerging view of faculty development that places teachers in charge of their own professional growth. The emergence of Total Quality Management (TQM) provides a vehicle for designing professional development to meet the needs of individuals and the organizations that employ them. The eight tenets of Deming's theory…

From Youth Worker Professional Development to Organizational Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rana, Sheetal; Baumgardner, Briana; Germanic, Ofir; Graff, Randy; Korum, Kathy; Mueller, Megan; Randall, Steve; Simmons, Tim; Stokes, Gina; Xiong, Will; Peterson, Karen Kolb

2013-01-01

An ongoing, innovative youth worker professional development is described in this article. This initiative began as youth worker professional development and then transcended to personal and organizational development. It grew from a moral response of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation staff and two faculty members of Youth Studies, University of…

Santa Fe Community College Part-Time Faculty Professional Development Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santa Fe Community Coll., NM.

Developed for faculty employed on a part-time basis at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), this booklet explains the required and optional activities comprising the college's professional development program. Introductory sections reveal that part-time faculty members are required to participate in a number of professional development activities,…

Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Deborah

2014-01-01

Professional development is a recognized approach to improving the quality of instruction in schools. The goal of professional development is to increase teachers' knowledge and improve their practices, which lead to enhanced student learning. The problem with providing staff development is the high cost incurred by presenters' fees, and…

An Analysis of the Relationship between Professional Development, School Leadership, Technology Infrastructure, and Technology Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mishnick, Nicole

2017-01-01

This dissertation study investigates the relationship between professional development, school leadership, technology infrastructure and technology use. Three research questions were developed. The first examines the relationship between professional development and technology use, the second examines the relationship between school leadership and…

Mathematics teacher professional development in and through internet use: reflections on an ethnographic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patahuddin, Sitti Maesuri

2013-12-01

This paper is a reflection on a model for mathematics teacher professional development with respect to technology. The model was informed by three interrelated concepts: (1) a theory of teacher professional development from analysis of the field, (2) the zone theory of teacher professional learning, and (3) ethnography as a method. The model was applied in a study that focused on the uses of the Internet for primary mathematics teacher professional development, particularly to exploit the potential of the Internet for professional learning and to use it in professional work. This is illustrated through selected critical events over an eight-month ethnographic intervention in a primary mathematics classroom in Australia. Though the model is theoretically grounded, it opens up questions about the power, potential, and challenges as well as its feasibility, with respect to not only the teacher but also the ethnographer.

Teaching professionalism through virtual means.

PubMed

McEvoy, Michelle; Butler, Bryan; MacCarrick, Geraldine

2012-02-01

Virtual patients are used across a variety of clinical disciplines for both teaching and assessment, but are they an appropriate environment in which to develop professional skills? This study aimed to evaluate students' perceived effectiveness of an online interactive virtual patient developed to augment a personal professional development curriculum, and to identify factors that would maximise the associated educational benefits. Student focus group discussions were conducted to explore students' views on the usefulness and acceptability of the virtual patient as an educational tool to teach professionalism, and to identify factors for improvement. A thematic content analysis was used to capture content and synthesise the range of opinions expressed. Overall there was a positive response to the virtual patient. The students recognised the need to teach and assess professionalism throughout their curriculum, and viewed the virtual patient as a potentially engaging and valuable addition to their curriculum. We identified factors for improvement to guide the development of future virtual patients. It is possible to improve approaches to teaching and learning professionalism by exploring students' views on innovative teaching developments designed to augment personal professional development curricula. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

Explicating Development of Personal Professional Theories from Higher Vocational Education to Beginning a Professional Career through Computer-Supported Drawing of Concept Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van den Bogaart, Antoine C. M.; Hummel, Hans G. K.; Kirschner, Paul A.

2018-01-01

This article explores how personal professional theories (PPTs) develop. PPT development of nine junior accountants and nine novice teachers was monitored by repeated measurements over a period of 1.5 years, from the last year of vocational education until the second year of their professional careers. Computer-supported construction of PPT…

Plan for Your Professional Development. Module LT-E-3 of Category E--Professional and Staff Development. Competency-Based Vocational Education Administrator Module Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puleo, Nancy F.; And Others

This module, one in a series of competency-based administrator instructional packages, focuses on a specific competency that vocational education administrators need to be successful in the area of professional and staff development. The purpose of the module is to help administrators to analyze their professional needs and to devise and implement…

Twitter and Public Health (Part 1): How Individual Public Health Professionals Use Twitter for Professional Development.

PubMed

Hart, Mark; Stetten, Nichole E; Islam, Sabrina; Pizarro, Katherine

2017-09-20

The use of social networking sites is increasingly being adopted in public health, in part, because of the barriers to funding and reduced resources. Public health professionals are using social media platforms, specifically Twitter, as a way to facilitate professional development. The objective of this study was to identify public health professionals using Twitter and to analyze how they use this platform to enhance their formal and informal professional development within the context of public health. Keyword searches were conducted to identify and invite potential participants to complete a survey related to their use of Twitter for public health and professional experiences. Data regarding demographic attributes, Twitter usage, and qualitative information were obtained through an anonymous Web-based survey. Open-response survey questions were analyzed using the constant comparison method. "Using Twitter makes it easier to expand my networking opportunities" and "I find Twitter useful for professional development" scored highest, with a mean score of 4.57 (standard deviation [SD] 0.74) and 4.43 (SD 0.76) on a 5-point Likert scale. Analysis of the qualitative data shows the emergence of the following themes for why public health professionals mostly use Twitter: (1) geography, (2) continuing education, (3) professional gain, and (4) communication. For public health professionals in this study, Twitter is a platform best used for their networking and professional development. Furthermore, the use of Twitter allows public health professionals to overcome a series of barriers and enhances opportunities for growth. ©Mark Hart, Nichole E Stetten, Sabrina Islam, Katherine Pizarro. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 20.09.2017.

Professional Learning Communities: Assessment--Development--Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipp, Kristine Kiefer; Huffman, Jane Bumpers

This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities in schools; (2) the design and development of professional learning communities in schools; and (3) the effects of professional learning communities in schools. The purpose of this brief document is to share descriptions, processes, and materials…

Professional Counseling in Taiwan: Past to Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Yuh-Jen; Wang, Shu-Ching; Combs, Don C.; Lin, Yi-Chun; Johnson, Veronica

2013-01-01

Because of the recent introduction of a licensure law, professional counseling has grown rapidly in Taiwan after decades of slow development. The authors provide a historical review of the development of professional counseling in Taiwan and discuss the current status and future trajectory of professional counseling in Taiwan.

Development of Professional Teacher Competences for Cooperation with Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viskovic, Ivana; Višnjic Jevtic, Adrijana

2017-01-01

Based on the belief that professional competences can partially be developed through professional training a cycle of ten educational workshops was designed. Combining theoretical knowledge, quality practice examples and discussions, the workshops strived to improve professional teacher competences. The assumed outcome was determined by difference…

Understanding Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs about Professional Learning Communities and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Arthur L., Jr.

2011-01-01

This ethnographic study utilized the theoretical frameworks of constructivism, cognitivism, and socio-cultural theories to examine how professional learning communities influenced the professional development of mathematics teacher knowledge and student achievement. This study sought to comprehend and interpret the behaviors, beliefs and values of…

Interdisciplinary Professional Development Needs of Cooperative Extension Field Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sondgerath, Travis

2016-01-01

The study discussed in this article sought to identify cross-program professional development needs of county-based Extension professionals (field educators). The study instrument was completed by 105 county-based Extension professionals. Interdisciplinary topics, such as program evaluation and volunteer management, were identified as subjects of…

Professional Development Policies and Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of the Interior, Washington, DC.

This memorandum sets forth policies, objectives, plans and programs for providing opportunities to professional staff for development of their technical and managerial skills. Section titles are: Policy and Objectives; Methods of Achieving Objectives; Cooperative Determination of Training Needs, Professional Development Plan; Agency Financial…

Middle Level Mathematics Teachers' Self-Efficacy Growth through Professional Development: Differences Based on Mathematical Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Tara; Aguirre-Munoz, Zenaida; Harris, Gary; Higgins, Raegan; Liu, Xun

2013-01-01

growth of teachers with more and less mathematics background as the teachers participated in professional development across two summers. Professional development activities were associated with increases in teachers' self-efficacy; however, without considering mathematics…

Duty hours as viewed through a professionalism lens.

PubMed

Ginsburg, Shiphra

2014-01-01

Understanding medical professionalism and its evaluation is essential to ensuring that physicians graduate with the requisite knowledge and skills in this domain. It is important to consider the context in which behaviours occur, along with tensions between competing values and the individual’s approach to resolving such conflicts. However, too much emphasis on behaviours can be misleading, as they may not reflect underlying attitudes or professionalism in general. The same behaviour can be viewed and evaluated quite differently, depending on the situation. These concepts are explored and illustrated in this paper in the context of duty hour regulations. The regulation of duty hours creates many conflicts that must be resolved, and yet their resolution is often hidden, especially when compliance with or violation of regulations carries significant consequences. This article challenges attending physicians and the medical education community to reflect on what we value in our trainees and the attributions we make regarding their behaviours. To fully support our trainees’ development as professionals, we must create opportunities to teach them the valuable skills they will need to achieve balance in their lives. [P]rofessionalism has no meaningful existence independent of the interactions that give it form and meaning. There is great folly in thinking otherwise. Hafferty and Levinson (2008)[1] Understanding and evaluating professionalism is essential to excellence in medical education and is mandated by organizations that oversee medical training [2]. Historically, attention has been focused largely on the professionalism of individual students or residents, at least for the purposes of evaluation. Yet there is now a growing appreciation that professionalism can be defined, understood, and evaluated from multiple perspectives [3]. Importantly, context has been recognized as critical to shaping trainees’ behaviours, and hence as important to our understanding of them [4]. A restriction in duty hours for trainees is clearly an important environmental and contextual factor to consider in evaluating professional behaviour. In this paper I will review some key issues with respect to understanding and evaluating professionalism, and then discuss these in the context of duty hour reform. Readers should note that this is not intended to be a comprehensive review of the literature of either professionalism or duty hour reform, but rather a critical narrative review that uses selected articles.

Exploring English-Language Teachers' Professional Development in Developing Countries: Cases from Syria and Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dayoub, Ruba; Bashiruddin, Ayesha

2012-01-01

This paper attempts to present the findings of a study carried out in Pakistan that explored English-language teachers' professional development in developing countries. The main guiding question for the study was: How do English-language teachers at secondary schools learn to teach and develop professionally in Syria and Pakistan? Two cases were…

Supporting the Professional Development of Foreign Language Graduate Students: A Focus on Course Development and Program Direction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enkin, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

The 2007 Modern Language Association report spurred research regarding the professional development of foreign language graduate students. This article first reviews existing proposals for the professional development of graduate students, then addresses the relevance of helping graduate students to develop the knowledge and skills that are needed…

Strategies for continuing professional development among younger, middle-aged, and older nurses: a biographical approach.

PubMed

Pool, Inge A; Poell, Rob F; Berings, Marjolein G M C; ten Cate, Olle

2015-05-01

A nursing career can last for more than 40 years, during which continuing professional development is essential. Nurses participate in a variety of learning activities that correspond with their developmental motives. Lifespan psychology shows that work-related motives change with age, leading to the expectation that motives for continuing professional development also change. Nevertheless, little is known about nurses' continuing professional development strategies in different age groups. To explore continuing professional development strategies among younger, middle-aged, and older nurses. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, from a biographical perspective. Data were analysed using a vertical process aimed at creating individual learning biographies, and a horizontal process directed at discovering differences and similarities between age groups. Twenty-one nurses in three age groups from general and academic hospitals in the Netherlands. In all age groups, daily work was an important trigger for professional development on the ward. Performing extra or new tasks appeared to be an additional trigger for undertaking learning activities external to the ward. Learning experiences in nurses' private lives also contributed to their continuing professional development. Besides these similarities, the data revealed differences in career stages and private lives, which appeared to be related to differences in continuing professional development strategy; 'gaining experience and building a career' held particularly true among younger nurses, 'work-life balance' and 'keeping work interesting and varied' to middle-aged nurses, and 'consistency at work' to older nurses. Professional development strategies can aim at performing daily patient care, extra tasks and other roles. Age differences in these strategies appear to relate to tenure, perspectives on the future, and situations at home. These insights could help hospitals to orientate continuing professional development approaches toward the needs of all age groups. This should be particularly relevant in the face of present demographic changes in the nursing workforce. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Professional development strategies for teaching urban biology teachers to use concept maps effectively

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGregor Petgrave, Dahlia M.

Many teachers are not adequately prepared to help urban students who have trouble understanding conceptual ideas in biology because these students have little connection to the natural world. This study explored potential professional development strategies to help urban biology teachers use concept maps effectively with various topics in the biology curriculum. A grounded theory approach was used to develop a substantive professional development model for urban biology teachers. Qualitative data were collected through 16 semi-structured interviews of professional developers experienced in working with concept maps in the urban context. An anonymous online survey was used to collect quantitative data from 56 professional developers and teachers to support the qualitative data. The participants were from New York City, recruited through the NY Biology-Chemistry Professional Development Mentor Network and the NY Biology Teachers' Association. According to the participants, map construction, classroom applications, lesson planning, action research, follow-up workshops, and the creation of learning communities are the most effective professional development strategies. The interviewees also proposed English language learning strategies such as picture maps, native word maps, and content reading materials with underlined words. This study contributes to social change by providing a professional development model to use in planning workshops for urban teachers. Urban teachers improve their own conceptual understanding of biology while learning how to implement concept mapping strategies in the classroom. Students whose teachers are better prepared to teach biology in a conceptual manner have the potential of growing into more scientifically literate citizens.

The Medical Library Association's professional development program: a look back at the way ahead*

PubMed Central

Roper, Fred W.

2006-01-01

Objective: Reflecting patterns evident in past Janet Doe Lectures, the 2005 address reviews the Medical Library Association's (MLA's) professional development activities from their beginnings after World War II. A group of related but separate activities is traced through the establishment of an integrated professional development program. A further objective is to introduce newer members of MLA to their heritage and to remind others how the association has reached this point in its history. Setting: The lecture provides an overview of the evolution of MLA's professional development program—with emphasis on certification and continuing education in the early years. It further reflects briefly on some of the more recent MLA activities that have greatly impacted professional development and underscores some new initiatives. Analysis: The efforts of a virtual who's who of MLA's membership have been responsible for the convergence of the association's efforts over more than half a century to provide a comprehensive professional development program. As a participant in MLA's professional development activities for more than forty years, the 2005 lecturer provides a personal view of the growth and expansion of the program. Conclusions: Professional development has been a hallmark of MLA for many years. The association's challenge is to continue to develop creative and innovative programs, to continuously review and revise existing programs, and to have the vision and vitality to maintain a viable program that will provide the membership with the knowledge and skills needed to function effectively now and in the future. PMID:16404465