What is Professional Development

The skills and knowledge needed or attained for personal development and career advancement. Learn more in: Clever Health: A Study on the Adoption and Impact of an eHealth Initiative in Rural Australia

is the result of career planning and includes the aspects that a person enriches or improves with a view to achieving objectives within the organization. It can be through individual effort or with the support of the company. Learn more in: Talent Revolution: New Challenges in People Management

The process of improving and increasing the capabilities of teachers through access to conference attendance, workshops, and informal learning opportunities. Learn more in: Computer-Driven Technologies for Effective Teaching in K-12 Classrooms in Nigeria

Required by many school districts for teachers to attend to gain proficiency in a particular subject matter to enhance student learning. Learn more in: Best Practices for Distance Learning in Elementary Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Refers to systematic, planned professional training for teachers to develop, improve, and advance their skills in their teaching activities. Learn more in: The Uptake and Use of Digital Technologies and Professional Development: Exploring the University Teacher Perspective

The term used for activities in which educators improve their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Learn more in: Joint Professional Development of Teacher Candidates and Mentoring Teachers in Using Project-Based Learning for 21st Century Learning Outcomes

Classes or courses teachers take, for a fee or for free, to improve their teaching skills or to earn another degree This can be done at the school, online, or by attending an actual college class. Learn more in: Personalized Learning Case Studies

The term used for activities in which educators improve their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Learn more in: Systematic Selection of Innovative Pedagogies in Teacher Education Courses and Practica

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Teacher training. Learn more in: Teacher Training and Technology: Current Uses and Future Trends

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Programs and experiences for current teachers to develop knowledge and skills related to teaching. Learn more in: Prospects and Challenges of Social Studies Teachers Professional Development in Nigeria

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Professional development refers to any formal or informal learning experience or process that refines and enhances the professional knowledge, skills, and practices of teachers to improve student achievement and growth. Learn more in: Middle School Teachers' Sensemaking of Job-Embedded Learning

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Continuing teacher education in content knowledge and instructional practice. Learn more in: Engaging Teachers in Science Practices and Discourse Through Online Professional Development

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School teachers develop their instructional skills in relation to ICT integration, regenerate their understanding of scientific concepts, and increase their understandings of knowledge in teaching, learning and educational goals. Learn more in: Exploring the Development of Pre-Service Teachers' ICT-TPACK using a Cognitive Stimulation Tool

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Activities designed to improve the knowledge, skills, and abilities of practitioners (such as online instructors, in this chapter). Learn more in: Learning to Teach Online: Negotiating Issues of Platform, Pedagogy, and Professional Development

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A learning situation that may include face-to-face or online learning opportunities. Learn more in: Enhancing the Landscape of Early Learning Training Environments

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Authentic participation in professional learning sessions including training, reading, dialoguing, experimenting, reflecting, and collaborative activities, which can be both formally delivered and informally experienced as on-the-job work integrated learning. Learn more in: International School Teachers' Professional Development in Response to the Needs of Third Culture Kids in the Classroom

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The act of learning in support of one’s career or professional interests. Learn more in: Preparing Gen Y and Z for the Future of Work Through Co-operative Education: A Case Study on the University of Waterloo

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A series of activities organized and aimed at achieving professional growth in knowledge, skills and workplace involvement. It usually includes the activities of selection, training, mentoring and evaluation and is related to the result of job assessments, career plans, promotional systems and job transitions. Learn more in: Communities of Practice for Promoting Organizational and Informal Learning in Public Administration

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Professional development can be defined as activities that improve an individual's knowledge, skills, and other personal and professional characteristics. Learn more in: Features of Effective Professional Development Practices for Teachers as ICT Users

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Training to enhance and improve teacher and administrator skill sets. Learn more in: Growth Models in the Age of School Reform and Accountability: Policy, Practice, and Implications

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Training for instructors designed with the intent to make them better educators. Learn more in: Federal Funding for Career and Technical Education

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This refers to any action undertaken to improve professional performance. Learn more in: Designing and Delivering Online Professional Development Courses for Online Educators: Lessons From the iEARN Online Professional Development Courses

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Whole group meetings scheduled once a month in which an expert in the use of various technology tools came to teach participants how to implement and integrate in their own courses. Learn more in: Mobile Learning in Higher Education

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The training and coursework that early childhood professionals complete to stay current with best practices in the field of early childhood education. Learn more in: Creating a Quality Online Early Childhood Program Focused on Building Community and Program Improvement

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It is a collection of experiences teachers engage in to support revisions to their practice and incorporating new pedagogical strategies and content knowledge in their practice. Professional development can be in a single setting and/or it could stretch across a more substantial period of time. Learn more in: Developing and Supporting Mathematics Teacher Educators Through Virtual Collaborations

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A type of learning that occurs in one’s career with the purpose of increasing one’s knowledge of certain topics, usually delivered in conference workshops, coursework, or practice situations such as internships. Learn more in: The Transformation of an ESL Teacher From the Face-to-Face to the Online Environment

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Short-term or long-term opportunities for college or university professors to enhance their knowledge and application of skills in the areas of teaching, learning, assessment, technology and research. Learn more in: Integrating Technology in the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education in Namibia: Is It an Effective Tool for Professional Development?

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The development of one’s skills and knowledge within their occupation. Learn more in: A Strategic Roadmap for Rising African American Women Leaders in the 21st Century

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The strategy schools and districts employ aimed at increasing teachers’ knowledge to better inform instructional practice. Learn more in: Improving Teacher Professional Learning: Inquiry Cycles and the Whole Teacher

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A systematic approach to providing continuous learning opportunities to employees. Learn more in: The Role of Strategic Leadership in Building the Geocentric Culture of Global Corporations

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A general term for content- and pedagogy-related training and/or development opportunities provided to teachers, intended to enhance their knowledge, skills, expertise, and teaching practice. Learn more in: Clemson University's Teacher Learning Progression Program: Personalized Advanced Credentials for Teachers

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As Timperley (2005) establishes, involves the dissemination of some kind of information to teachers in order to inform and improve practice. Learn more in: An Integral Analysis of One Urban School System's Efforts to Support Student-Centered Teaching

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A wide variety of formal or informal education, or learning intended to help professionals improve their professional knowledge, competence, skill, and effectiveness. Learn more in: College Faculty as Adult Learners: An Important Role in the New Age

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Providing knowledge and learning experiences for educators. Learn more in: The Snowball Effect: A Perspective on the Challenges to Computer Science Education in K-12

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Courses, seminars, or other avenues of learning that allow employees to further their career-related skills. Learn more in: Equity and Social Justice: Supporting and Serving Contemporary Learners in a Changed Higher Education Climate

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The experiences that provide practicing teachers with opportunities to advance their knowledge and skills. Learn more in: The Influence of Professional Development on Primary Teachers' TPACK and Use of Formative Assessment

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Opportunities for faculty to hone their craft by building pedagogical knowledge and technological skills. Learn more in: Shifting to Online Learning Through Faculty Collaborative Support

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Developing and improving skills to maintain credentials and skills to meet the professional needs. Examples include attending workshops, conferences, coursework, webinars, or online discussions. Learn more in: College Professors Turning Chaos Into Collegial Collaboration

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Refers to the acquisition of skills and knowledge both for personal development and for career advancement. Learn more in: Networking International Student Collaboration and Experiential Exercise Projects

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Work-related skill building. Learning opportunities for improving job-related knowledge or skills through training and instruction. Learn more in: A Holistic Professional Development Model: A Case Study to Support Faculty Transition to Online Teaching

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The intentional organization of workshops and sessions geared toward helping educators learn about and develop instructional skills to address challenges and opportunities. Professional development is often geared to the needs of a context or group of educators. Learn more in: Thriving Through Disruption: COVID-19, Online Education, and Innovation

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Additional learning following the earning of credentials in a career field or profession. Learn more in: A Scenario That Works: Adapting the Army's Soldier Skills Training Model to Teach K-12 Teachers Technology

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The set of tools, resources, and training sessions for educators to improve their teaching quality and effectiveness. Learn more in: Educators as Facilitators of Game-Based Learning: Their Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills

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Process of improving skills and developing knowledge to increase teaching effectiveness. Learn more in: Dynamic Approach to Teaching Geometry: A Study of Teachers' TPACK Development

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The often formal and sometimes informal process by which teachers learn new skills, procedures, or information related to job duties and/or improvement of job performance. Learn more in: School Librarian Experiences of Learning Management Implementation

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Refers to informal (not college credit) learning that occurs throughout a person’s career. In this paper, it refers to such learning in regard to teachers. Learn more in: Online Mathematics Teacher Professional Development

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A formal structure or program within schools where teachers gather with facilitators or experts to work on improving some aspect of instruction. Professional development may be ongoing, occurring multiple times, or in a single event. Learn more in: Leading Teacher Professional Learning: Shared Language for Shared Goals

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Is defined as the educational opportunities provided to teachers in order to assist them in technology education. Learn more in: Mobile Tablet Integration Using Augmented Reality

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The opportunity for an individual to enhance existing skills and acquire new skills that may assist their performance at work. Learn more in: Improving Classroom Management and Teacher Retention: A Needs Assessment

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Formal education courses, usually short in duration (and sometimes, one-off) designed to help teachers extend their professional knowledge, competence, skill and teaching effectiveness. Learn more in: Integrative Course Design and Pedagogy to Humanize Online Learning: A Case Study

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Opportunities for professionals, such as teachers, to improve their practices. Learn more in: Community of Digital Learners: Embracing the Affordances of Online Teacher Education

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Workshops, classes, or small meetings that teachers attend to improve their teaching skills. Learn more in: Teacherpreneurs as Agents of Reform

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Professional development may be used in reference to a wide variety of specialized training, formal education, or advanced professional learning intended to help administrators, teachers, and other educators improve their professional knowledge, competence, skill, and effectiveness. Learn more in: Developing a Competency-Based Instructor Training Model of Professional Development: A Key Component for Competency-Based Instructional Programs

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Classes or courses teachers take, for a fee or for free, to improve their teaching skills or to earn another degree These courses may be offered within their school or district, online, or at a college or university. Learn more in: Advantages and Disadvantages of Personalized Learning

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The training of in-service or pre-service teachers on a specific skill or content area applicable to their professional practice. Learn more in: The Theory and Process Involved with Educational Augmented Reality Game Design

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This is one of the effective means to augment teachers’ professional skills and attitudes, in order to produce better schools that will improve the learning process and student performance (Qi, 2012). Learn more in: Pedagogic Practice in Classroom and Workshop at Technical and Vocational Education Training Colleges

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A planned, comprehensive and systemic program of goals-driven, competency-based training activities that promotes productive change in individuals and school structures. The activities are interrelated and cumulative, complement the school’s and district’s vision/strategic mission and reflect all key constituencies. Learn more in: Ensuring Quality in Technology-Focused Professional Development

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The process of earning or maintaining formal or informal trainings to develop competency or expertise in a specific field or skill. Learn more in: Language Teaching in the Time of COVID-19: Insights From Experienced and Pre-Service Teachers

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Participation in learning or continuing education opportunities to acquire additional knowledge, skills, and abilities. Learn more in: Leveraging Virtual Professional Development Experiences to Prepare to Teach Young Children Online

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Engagement with activities or events to acquire or enhance knowledge and skills in certain pedagogical, curricular or instructional areas with the objective of improving classroom practices. Learn more in: Mobilisation and Enactment of Malaysian ESL Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: From Professional Learning to Professional Practice

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In education, professional development is any specialized activity designed for educators to improve knowledge, skills, and competence related to the practice of teaching. Learn more in: Professional Development in the Twenty-First Century: YouTube Teacher Training and Professional Development

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Refers to a process involving activities designed to improve professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes on topics of interest with the goal of improving professional practice and student learning. Learn more in: Helping Faculty Design Online Courses in Higher Education

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The opportunity to learn new, career-related information that enhances the learner’s opportunity and talents within their career path. Learn more in: Digital Leadership and Professional Development

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Learning to get profession qualification or to improve upon one’s professional qualification, knowledge, understanding, and skills. Learn more in: School-Based Professional Development of Teachers: The Role of School Heads as Leaders

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Formal and informal methods to continue the acquisition of professional knowledge post-qualification. Learn more in: Virtual Reality for Better Event Planning and Management

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Strategic, intensive, focused learning experiences that target career goals through knowledge building, observation, hands-on engagement, reflection, and application. Learn more in: Career-Ready Through Remote and Hybrid Fellowships: Experiential Learning in Graduate Education

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The enhancement of faculty’s educational knowledge and skills through various ways such as workshops and conferences that assist them to make improvements in their classes and educational contributions to academic programs. Learn more in: Beyond Onboarding: Building a Culture of Continuous Professional Development for Effective Online Instruction

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The process of learning undertaken to build the capacity of people working in a particular occupation or organization. Learn more in: Selecting Open Source Software for Use in Schools

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Opportunities for academic staff in higher education to enhance knowledge and application of skills in the areas of teaching, learning and assessment, technology, course design. Learn more in: Flipping the Post-COVID Online Classroom in a Professional Development Program at the Namibia University of Science and Technology

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The advancement of skills or expertise to succeed in a particular profession, especially through continued education. Learn more in: Strategic Management from Within

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Learning focused on helping one keep current within their profession and maintain professional credentials. Learn more in: Preparing K-12 Teachers for Blended and Online Learning: The Role of PLNs in Preservice Learning and Professional Development

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Refers to continuing education and career training provided to personnel after they have entered the workforce in order to help them develop new skills, stay up-to-date on current trends, and advance their career. Educators need continual education on emerging technologies to help them integrate them into their everyday work. Learn more in: A Program Planning and Evaluation Model for Training Teacher Educators on the Use of Technology in the Classroom

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Is a process carried out by the employees in a company, organization or institution to improve and also increasing their abilities by receiving education and training in their workplaces, following training provided by other organizations, or by seeing senior workers do that work. Learn more in: Professional Development and Training Needs for Administrators in an Islamic University Malaysia

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Personal development is achieved through activities aimed to improve skills and developing knowledge in a particular field. Learn more in: Exploring the Adoptions by Students of Web 2.0 Tools for E-Learning in Higher Education: Web 2.0 Tools for E-Learning in Higher Education

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An ongoing process of working with professionals to improve their knowledge and skills to better meet the needs of their students. Learn more in: Empowering Literacy Educators Through Trauma-Informed Practices

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Increase in the capacity of adults in organizations to achieve goals. Learn more in: Building Knowledge without Borders: Using ICT to Develop a Binational Education Research Community

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Providing information to professionals about issues related to their field of work. Learn more in: Coping With Compassion Fatigue Through Self-Care

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The process of career development in which a person seeks to gain education and experience which will help in the advancement in one’s profession. Learn more in: Exploring the Post-Doctoral Journey: Career Decisions, Employment, and Professionalism

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Instructors developing and improving their skills to keep their understanding and knowledge of their disciplines current and to adapt to new challenges. Learn more in: Faculty Development Through Collaborative Online International Learning

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The process of advancing the skills and capabilities of a group of practictioners. Learn more in: Level Up: Multiple Player Professional Development

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Opportunities for teachers and staff to engage in learning specific to topics related to improving their curriculum and delivery of instruction. Learn more in: Challenges to Implementing STEM Professional Development From an Ecological Systems Perspective

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Teachers learn knowledge and skills related to classroom teaching and management through all types of learning opportunities, including pre- and in- service training, workshops, college courses, conferences, etc., both for personal development and for career advancement. Learn more in: Pedagogical Challenges in Cross-Cultural Chinese Language Teaching: Perceptions and Experiences of Chinese Immersion Teachers in the U.S.

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Any type of continuing education effort that leads to improved skills for educators with the intention of boosting student outcomes. Learn more in: Developing a Virtual Professional Learning Community for Online Faculty

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Specialized training, formal education, or advanced professional learning activities that teachers attend or participate to improve their instructional practices and professional knowledge. Learn more in: Action Research and Teacher Portfolio as Two Strong Teacher-Led Professional Development Designs

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An ongoing learning process often carried out at or as an extension to the workplace. Learn more in: Virtual Reality (VR) Applications in Learning: “Living Autism”

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Opportunities for instructors to enhance their skills carrying out a particular concept in their pedagogical practices or to increase their knowledge of their subject matter area. Learn more in: Encouraging and Increasing Student Engagement and Participation in an Online Classroom

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Activities designed to prepare and offer continuing support to teachers to enable them to enhance their teaching. Learn more in: A Comprehensive Professional Development Approach for Supporting Science, Technology, and Engineering Curriculum in Preschool: Connecting Contexts for Dual Language Learners

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Ongoing process of developing related to the profession. Learn more in: Effective Training of the Teachers in Teaching of Mathematics: A Reflective Professional Development Model for Teachers-as-Designers

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Engaging in learning to further one’s skills, knowledge, or learning. Learn more in: Unlocking the Doors: Opening Spaces for Inclusive Pedagogy – The Implementation of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy+ in Teacher Education

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Training for K-12 teachers on specific topics with goals of improving the teaching and learning paradigm. Learn more in: An Agile K-12 Approach: Teacher PD for New Learning Ecosystems

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Training provided on a specific topic with the intent of enhancing job knowledge and performance. Learn more in: Teacher Insight on RTI Implementation at the Middle and High School Levels: A Comparative Case Study

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A form of vocational training that allows someone to acquire new knowledge and skills that relate to his/her profession, job responsibilities, or work environment. Learn more in: An Authentic and Sustainable STEM Pre-Service Teacher Professional Development Model: Authentic Learning Experience and Preparing for Tomorrow's STEM Professionals

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Information about the effects of teaching practices as related to a goal followed by high leverage action steps on how to fill in gaps to reach mastery in practice. Learn more in: Ready to Engage?: Urban Middle School Teachers' Responsiveness to Virtual Engagement Interventions on Their Instructional Practices

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A result of training that enables professionals to acquire knowledge, competences, skills and working experiences in order to better meet the requirements of their work. Its goal is to keep professionals up-to-date with current trends and to help them develop new skills in their field. Learn more in: Blended Learning Training Course for Teachers' Professional Development: What Are the Prospects Within the Field of Education in Greece?

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Throughout this chapter, I employ the term professional development to indicate formal (and to some extent informal) access to further training in pedagogy and technology for faculty members. Formal access is provided through workshops, training cohorts, and facilitated discussion groups. Informal access is provided through one-on-one consultation between instructors and WPAs, instructional design experts, or even other instructors. Learn more in: Reshaping Institutional Mission: OWI and Writing Program Administration

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Continuing education and career training after an individual has entered the workforce. Learn more in: Providing Teacher Certification and Professional Development Programs

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Learning aimed at improving work-related skills. Learn more in: A Study of Novice Faculty Members' Experiences During the Mentoring Process

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For teachers this is a formal process of continued learning through coursework, conferences, and other forms of training, which is mandatory in some states of Australia. Learn more in: Re-Educating the Educators: Collaborative 3D Printing Education

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Learning opportunities designed to strengthen the knowledge and skills of working professionals. Learn more in: Learning to Partner: Implementation of a Partnership to Reform High School English Instruction

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The activities of teacher learning during a professional career. Learn more in: Becoming STEAM: Perspectives From School Leaders

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Continuing education for in-service teachers. Learn more in: The Role of Teacher Dispositions in a Global Teaching Context

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A lifelong process in which professional knowledge is questioned, revised, and gradually improved by collective research of their own practice in concrete institution. It is common, collaborative, networked research, interpretation and understanding of the existing, and joint construction of better education practice. Learn more in: Educational Paradigm and Professional Development: Dimensions of the Culture of Educational Institution

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Development of knowledge, skills and attitudes of the personnel’s working in industry and practical life. Learn more in: A Study of Problems Faced by Diploma of Associate Engineering Graduates on the Job in Pakistan

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Is learning to earn professional credentials and learning opportunities situated in practice. It is known to be intensive and collaborative, ideally incorporating an evaluative stage. Learn more in: Performance Assessment in Teacher Education Programs: Direct Evaluation of Teaching Ability

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Teacher education and training intended to expand skills related to the field of education. Learn more in: Emergent Bilinguals in Rural Schools: Reframing Teacher Perceptions Through Professional Development

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Also known as “PD,” it refers to teacher learning after their initial certification. Public school teachers in U.S. schools are required to participate in a certain amount of PD in order to keep their teaching certificates valid. Learn more in: Learning Amidst Mayhem: Researching Teacher Development and Technology Use in Second-Grade Classrooms

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Training, coaching, and support provided to inservice teachers. Learn more in: Evolution of Covert Coaching as an Evidence-Based Practice in Professional Development and Preparation of Teachers

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Specialized or advanced training that allows practitioners to improve their practice. Learn more in: Engaging Online K-12 Students: Using Instant Messaging to Foster Teacher-Student Relationships

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Earning or maintaining professional credentials. Learn more in: Teaching Using the Cloud: The Author's Personal Cloudy Reflections!

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Normally formal training sessions aimed to upskill and update staff to maintain their effectiveness in their job or for career advancement. May be replaced by computer-based training or online courses. Informal learning experiences contributing to professional development are not usually acknowledged although they can also develop the person as a professional. Learn more in: Using an Adapted Continuous Practice Improvement Model to Support the Professional Development of Teachers in a Collaborative Online Environment

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On-going, regular sessions conducted in a collaborative setting to provide training for teachers. The goals include improving pedagogical skills, content knowledge, and instructional practice in the classroom. Learn more in: Critical Thinking: Centering Teachers' Knowledge and Understanding

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An ongoing process of training and education to improve teachers’ and administrators’ skills and practices in service of improved student learning. Learn more in: Sharing Labs: Building Collaborative Culture Through Teacher-Led Professional Development

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