Interests in Quality PD

I want to be part of the discussion because as a trainer, I want, like others, to continue to expand my skills and learn more about what works and what does not. In addition I have had some wonderful successes recently and would love to share some bits and pieces of those with the list.

I try to avail myself of every opportunity to learn more about how adults learn and how to meet the needs of adult learners. My single biggest challenge at the moment is practical tips for working with teachers/tutors to get them invested in professional development and not in a place of seeing it as one more thing they have to do. I would welcome any suggestions on how to foster the kind of climate where people want to learn more and don’t view professional development as a chore.

I am constantly on the look-out for ways to improve our offerings and my own skills as a training provider. The biggest challenge just might be keeping current with the many topics and issues relevant to adult educators and instruction!

I am very interested in discovering what other states have developed. I have a special interest in what constitutes high-quality, effective professional development and how to measure and evaluate it.

I think that for most of us, quality PD means something that we can go out and directly apply. I also enjoy learning theories, and the latest research on ideas about assimilating and retaining information.

I am interested in learning more about the range of approaches to providing professional development that are effective and provide quality experiences, particularly those approaches that reach across the miles.

I'd like to know the state of 'reflective practice' and how the participants have changed their stance on curriculum or aspects of learning (e.g. experiential learning, active learning, transformative learning).

How to enhance the quality of PD initiatives that are funded by the state office.

What you look forward to discussing: whether totally in-house, research based professional development will do what I have written just above (help my classroom be a more exciting place…including making me a more excited/exciting teacher). I have not read much adult education research that inspires me to be more excited or exciting.

I am always looking for better ways to work in the professional development arena.

Issues like:
- Paid PD at the expense of student contact time
- Need for good data to plan instruction
- Assessing effectiveness with a transitory population

My interest lies in ideas for providing professional development to Workplace/ workforce instructors. We have a pool of approximately 50 instructors across the province and we do have a certification system. Adult educators are always in search of more training though and i hope to get ideas from other participants to this list. Workplace instructors have their own website: www.awens.ca

I am interested in professional development in Youth Development and Workforce Development, and want to learn more about Quality Standards in these areas.