College and Career Exploration and Planning
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"Long term and sustained improvement which has a real impact on the quality of children's learning will be better achieved through determined efforts to build the capacity of teachers themselves to take responsibility for their own professional development, building their pedagogical expertise, engaging with the need for change, undertaking well-thought through development and always evaluating impact in relation to improvement in the quality of children's learning. That is the message from successful education systems across the world."
Professional learning is what teachers engage in to stimulate their thinking and professional knowledge and to ensure that their practice is critically informed and up-to-date. We believe that by undertaking a wide range of high-quality, sustained professional learning experiences, teachers are more likely to inspire pupils and provide high quality teaching and learning experiences, enabling learners to achieve their best. It is important that professional learning provides rich opportunities for teachers to develop and enhance their professional knowledge and practice, in order to progress the quality of learning and teaching and school improvement.
Critical self-evaluation is an important part of the professional learning and PRD process. The revised GTC Scotland Professional Standards have been developed to offer constructive support for teachers as they consider how they might develop their professional values and dispositions, their knowledge, skills and understanding through on-going critical self-evaluation and professional learning.
A model of Professional Learning
The model of professional learning captures the core features and processes of professional learning.
The central focus is the teacher-as-learner, the deeply interconnected relationship between the teacher-as-learner and children and young people, and the impact of this relationship on the learning experience.
Professional learning should be:
Leadership of and for learning is recognised as an essential factor to ensure professional learning is well planned, supported, promoted and sustained.
The professional learning model is a tool to help plan development of and engagement in professional learning. It could be used by those leading, providing and supporting professional learning to provide a shared language and aspiration informing the provision, structure and nature of professional learning. Individuals could use the model to help plan for and understand their own professional learning needs and expectations.
The Professional Learning process
⇒Join a professional association Joining a professional association in your field of choice is a great way to tap into a career network.
⇒Arrange some informational interviews. There′s no better way to get a feel for a certain career than talking to professionals in the field. Find them through your college′s career center, your school′s alumni association, job fairs and professional organizations.
⇒Take a variety of different classes. Don′t pigeonhole yourself into one tight line of study. Branch out and take a good look around to see what interests you.
⇒Complete a few self-assessment tests. Self–assessment tests can tell you a lot about yourself and may help you match your skills and interests with possible careers.
⇒Develop a career inventory. What kind of organization do you want to work for? What type of environment do you prefer? How much travel do you want to do? What kind of work schedule do you prefer? Think it through on your own, or take a career and interest assessment to get your answers.
⇒Research different careers. Browse the Bureau of Labor Statistics home page for detailed descriptions of different careers and statistics about the fastest growing fields.
⇒Network Meeting people who work in your prospective field can give you valuable insight into what life is like in that career. Gather information by gathering contacts.
⇒Use your college′s career center. Research materials, useful lectures, alumni contacts, self-assessment tests, interview workshops and the latest resume and career development software await you.
Examples of Professional Learning
From the information above, it is clear that professional learning can take many forms. Here are some examples of professional learning opportunities:
Evaluating the Impact of Professional Learning
Evaluation of the impact of professional learning is important in order to ensure it has been worthwhile and informs next steps. Evidence of impact can be gathered from a diverse range of sources including direct observation, information and data and people's views. It does not always have to be a written record of something. What is important is that whatever you use as evidence it should be analysed and reflected on.
