SCS

Information Technology Professional Development

Principles: Professional Development and Adult Learning

Of importance to any professional development program are principles, or assumptions, on which the program is founded. The following divides these principles into two areas of equal importance: professional development and adult learning beliefs. The professional development principles are based on criteria developed by the Shelburne Community School’s Information Technology Committee during 1997.

These principles provide continuity throughout all of the program goals and for the design of future professional development opportunities.

The left-hand column lists each principle while the right hand column provides elements of the program that support the principle. Each program goal will be provided with it’s own set of supporting elements.

Professional Development Principles

Principle

Program Element
Professional Development's focus should be on student learning. In order for the faculty and staff to help with student learning, they must have a basic understanding of resources and skills to support the learning. This element provides such support.

For those who are not directly involved in student instruction, they will provide positive roll-models with their usage at work.
Professional Development's aim should be to improve both direct student instructional needs and indirect needs (such as administrative and classroom management applications) with an emphasis on communications. Elements include how to function as an employee with the organization as well as creating, or improving, on knowledge that will help students to utilize the same resources.
Professional Development opportunities should include all faculty and staff. This program goal is open to all new hires, including faculty, office staff, administrators, facility technicians, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, food service employees, and all other staff of the Shelburne Community School.
Professional Development opportunities should be afforded in various models. This program goal is designed to facilitate small group settings or as a one-on-one workshop. A handbook is provided as a follow-up resource along with shared content via the school’s Internet homepage.
Professional Development should be on-going. This program goal will provide the foundation for future professional development opportunities. This element will be clearly stated to the participants.
Professional Development should meet individual needs of faculty and staff. Although the participants will have little choice as to the content of the session, the completion of the workshop will be to begin the process of developing an individual learning plan on the use of

information technology will be afforded. This plan will revolve around the individual needs of the participants.
Professional Development should meet institutional needs. Institutional needs include:
  1. that which is essential to meet written curricula, and
  2. necessary for effective communication.
 1) The written curricula revolves around such global issues as accessing resources and effective usage. This program goal meets these needs in establishing a way to log into the data network, understanding usage policies, and an introduction to local collections of data.

2) This element delivers basic needs in relation to communicating via information technology at the SCS.
Professional Development requires the support of the community, school board, administration (district and local), faculty and staff to be effective. The base of support for this program goal has included (and will continue to include) the faculty and staff for the school. The administration has supported initial hire training in the past and the school board supports the use of time and funds for professional development as a whole.

 

Adult Learning Principles

Principle

Program Element
Maturity brings self-direction with adult learners. The individual professional development plan element will provide the opportunity for the participants to include self directed learning after the completion of the workshop.
Age brings experiences that aid in learning. Participants will be offered opportunities to share past experiences that relate to the content of this program goal.
For adult learners, learning becomes task centered, that is, for a specific purpose. The ability to communicate and gather information will have a significant meaning to most participants. Making the tasks built into this element a priority by the administration and fellow team members will increase the value of the workshop.
Adult learners want to apply what is learned immediately. The ability to send and receive E-mail immediately along with storing data to a personalized network storage location will be provided during the workshop.
For adult learners, motivations tend to be internal (I want to be here) vs. external (I have to be here). The workshop itself may, or may not, be voluntary (depending on the administration). The individual professional development plan for information technology will be based on the participants felt needs and therefore internally motivated.
Often adult learners require help with overcoming inhibitions, behaviors, and beliefs about learning. Knowing that some participants will arrive with little experience, past negative experiences, or other work related priorities a non-judgmental and informal evaluation of the participant’s success will be used for the workshop. The emphasis will be on the individual professional development plan and on-going support following the workshop. This strategy will decrease possible stress levels and allow for a more comfortable learning environment.

* Back to SCS I.T. Professional Development Web Page

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Last updated: April 06, 2007