Adapting the task : what preservice teachers notice when adapting mathematical tasks

This paper reports on an in-depth study that explores preservice teachers’ pedagogical adaptations to a rich mathematical task. Data were collected from six elementary preservice teachers working in pairs to first solve a mathematics problem and then design adaptations to make the problem more accessible and more challenging for diverse learners. Results indicate that preservice teachers are able to draw upon a range of strategies to vary the mathematical content, the context, and the question asked. However, they also did not notice or attend to how their adaptations changed the mathematical structure of the problem. This study provides insights into what is involved in learning to adapt classroom mathematical tasks as an important pedagogical practice.

Re-thinking continuing professional development through changing metaphors and location in professional practices

Many professions have requirements for professional development activities to ensure continuing registration or membership. These commonly focus on participation in a limited range of activities. This paper questions the assumptions behind such approaches and what alternatives might be considered. It explores the suitability of metaphors used for continuing professional education and suggests that continuing professional development might be better conceptualised within practice theory. It identifies what a practice theory view of continuing professional development might involve and discusses the implications, particularly the notion of locating development within the practices of work.

Professional development and accountability: working with newly appointed staff to foster quality

The aim of this paper is to examine some issues in professional development and the accountability of academic staff particularly in regard to newly appointed staff. It examines ways in which universities can assist new staff develop their skills in the various aspects of their academic role and identifies the responsibilities of the university and heads of departments in this task. It illustrates these issues by reference to a case study of a major Australian university which has recently adopted a department-based scheme for the professional development of academic staff. This scheme, amongst other things, involves new staff in planning sessions with the head of their department and the keeping of records of responsibilities, achievements, needs for professional development and the resources which will be provided to assist staff. The introduction of any scheme for accountability of staff or of professional development is likely to encounter some resistance in the prevailing academic ethos. The paper will examine ways in which the genuine fears of some groups can be addressed and how such schemes may be developed and introduced in a sensitive fashion.

The effect of transition to specialty practice programs on Australian emergency nurses' professional development, recruitment and retention

BACKGROUND: To date, emergency nursing Transition to Specialty Practice Program (TSPP) evaluations have been single-site observational studies. The aim of this paper was to examine the professional development, recruitment and retention outcomes of Australian emergency nursing TSPPs. METHODS: An explanatory sequential design was used. Data were collected via online surveys and interviews of emergency Nurse Unit Managers and Nurse Educators. Survey data from EDs with TSPPs and EDs without TSPPs were compared. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. RESULTS: Data were collected from 118 EDs, and 13 interviews. TSPPs were offered in 72.1% of EDs. EDs with TSPPs had higher proportions of nurses with postgraduate qualifications (Mdn 28.3% vs. 22.1%, p=0.45) and Clinical Specialists (Mdn 16.4% vs. 6.3%, p=0.04). The median proportion of currently rostered nurses with TSPP completion was 34.2% in EDs with TSPPs introduced in 2000-2005 indicating ED high levels of retention. CONCLUSION: Emergency nursing TSPPs have had a positive effect on nursing professional development, recruitment and retention. To ensure consistency in outcomes and optimise reliability of emergency nursing skills and knowledge, a national emergency nursing TSPP framework is needed.

Professional development for medical educators

This book is for health professionals who are becoming involved in the education of people entering their professions.

Training New Acquisitions and Collection Development Librarians: Some Technical and Philosophical Guideposts

This article covers key competencies for success as acquisitions and collection development librarians, delineates between collection development's intellectual facets of curricular support and acquisitions' business functions and shows how the two interrelated. Also provided are best practices for training and mentoring and professional development information for new librarians entering acquisitions and collection development.

Professional Development for Newly Tenured Faculty

After receiving tenure, faculty acquire new responsibilities, experience less pressure to produce research, and receive significantly less guidance than during the probationary period. Despite these changes, few institutions provide intensive support to newly-tenured faculty. This report highlights institutional efforts to support this faculty cohort and to encourage newly-tenured faculty to craft professional goals that will lead to outstanding research and promotion to full professor. Differences between pre-tenure and tenured faculty responsibilities and professional challenges are also explored.

Professional development of social work in Russia

The aim of the paper was to get an understanding about how the profession of social work explains its relevance and legitimacy in today's Russia, to enlighten the importance of socio-political, professional and educational contexts in explaining the societal position of the social work profession in Russia. This paper begins with the analysis of the processes of legitimization, professionalization and constitution of social work in today's Russia. In addition to functionalist and critical perspectives on these three processes, in its second part the paper employs phenomenological approach looking into everyday life theory of social work that is constructed in routine work at the social service agencies. The third part of this paper talks about the issues of social services and social work with family and children in contemporary Russia.