Whatever form it takes, at its core, the practice of development is inherently about envisioning a better future. When you have more than 70 development professionals from over 30 countries in the same virtual class for two and a half weeks, it’s all too good an opportunity to discuss with them the repercussions of Covid-19 on their professional practices. As outlined by Pettit: ‘reflective practice is the art of including yourself in your approach to your work, and acknowledging the influence of your position, assumptions and worldview on your understandings and actions’ (2006: 76). 54, No. All of your descriptions offer a window into your sense of professionalism. Take a moment to jot down a few words or phrases that come to mind when you hear the word "professionalism." Then, share and discuss your responses with a trainer, coach, or supervisor. Digital Technology and Consumer Behaviour. Therefore it is critical that you strive for excellence. At a glance We are currently facing a severe global health workforce crisis with critical shortages, imbalanced skill mix and uneven geographical distribution of health professionals, leaving millions without access to health services. 1-20. guided by two proposed outcomes: transformative learning and interdependence in education. How then, can development professionals seek to navigate these difficult and unavoidable uncertainties and engage with DE to develop their professional learning and construct their professional identity? Professional development can be defined as ‘a lens that can be used to make sense of experiences, practice and work’ (Trede, 2012: 164). What professional atmosphere do you want to set for yourself, children, and families? Within this purpose the definitions of professionalism, criteria of professionalism, the characteristics of a professional teacher and the status of teacher professionalism will be discussed from different perspectives. http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/CPlinkedDocs/WI_Core_Competencies_2014_16WITHlinks.pdf, A toggle to view site user menu login or navigation, : Complete and review this document with your trainer, coach, or administrator, http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/CPlinkedDocs/WI_Core_Competencies_2014_16WITHlinks.pdf, http://naaweb.org/resources/core-competencies, https://cscce.berkeley.edu/early-childhood-educator-competencies-a-literature-review-of-current-best-practices-and-a-public-input-process-on-next-steps-for-california/, http://www.dec-sped.org/recommendedpractices, https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/position-statements/2009%20Professional%20Prep%20stdsRevised%204_12.pdf, Someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. It reflects a lack of understanding and appreciation for the role of individual professionals as agents of change in the development process. However, with the rise in dominance of a small number of large-scale organisations, development professionals are becoming more and more siloed within specialised departments i.e. How might a trusted colleague or supervisor rate you on this assessment? DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education 2014. http://www.dec-sped.org/recommendedpractices. Irish Aid (2013) One World, One Future: Ireland's Policy for International Development, Dublin: Government of Ireland. This article focuses upon the development of transformative teacher professionalism. There are six major paradigms of education relevant to health professions education: behavourism, cognitivism, constructivism, sociocultural, humanism, and, transformative.. Each paradigm of education has a different perspective on the purpose of education, what it means to learn, and the roles of teachers and students in the learning process. The tools of transformative learning provide development professionals with an opportunity to develop more resilient and robust identities and avoid professional burnout and internal divisiveness. Depending on the size and activities of the employing NGO, it is not unusual for an individual to be responsible for several different functions. The National Afterschool Association's commitment to professionalism can be found in the Core Knowledge and Competencies for Afterschool and Youth Development Professionals (Adapted from Rhode Island Competencies for Afterschool & Youth Development Professionals, Washington State Core Competencies for Child and Youth Development Professionals, Ohio's Core Knowledge & Competencies for Afterschool Professionals … Conclusions: The potential for Transformative Learning as a tool for development professionals There is value in exploring transformational learning as a potential resource for development practice, as it presents benefits for the individual, organisational and even sectoral levels. As a direct-care staff member, you will need to be able to provide children, youth, and their families with culturally and developmentally sensitive care and help them be successful in the classroom now and in the years ahead. Participatory pedagogies that promote critical self-reflection that lead to transformed habits of the mind are the essence of transformative learning ( Mezirow, 2000 ). These subgroups centre around orientation and purpose, such as development educators being considered distinct from development practitioners. 2, pp.100-110. We regard transformative learning as the highest of three successive levels, moving from informative to formative to transformative learning. (2010). It is important to state that transformative learning should not be viewed as a catch-all solution to the problems that NGOs face, but alternatively should be considered a possible strategy to ameliorate the experiences of development professionals to strengthen the capacity of the NGOs in which they work. Need additional clarification? Watch this video to hear staff members share what being professional means to them. Reflect on what it means to be a professional staff member. For many years much of the general public has viewed early care and education providers (including those providing care to school-age children) as babysitters. As the report, Professionalism in Education and its Impact on Teachers, declares professionalism in education has been a matter of controversy for the recent decades. This immersive disruption is dramatically changing consumer perspectives and behaviour, with real implications for marketers to adapt their communication strategies. When striving for professionalism in your practice with children, youth, and families, you do not need to consider diversity or individual differences in beliefs, values, or growth. In their Early Childhood Educator Competencies: A Literature Review of Current Best Practices, and a Public Input Process on Next Steps in California, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment note that while no unified early childhood educator competencies have been adopted across all states in the U.S., competencies are gaining visibility because they are seen as tools to ensure that the early childhood education workforce is both professional and stable. 25, No. The Professionalism section of this document (see p. 15) contains a number of professional competencies derived from a review of the standards and recommended practices of several national professional organizations. This process continues to evolve and develop as you encounter new situations. Study the table below to identify competencies you feel competent in, as well as professional competencies that you want to further develop. 1-2, pp. 23, Nos. Providing protected time to explore professionalism in meaningful ways is key to a transformative learning approach. 121-139. Although identity comprises both social and psychological elements, identity formation occurs in groups, and provides a sense of ‘who one is in the world’ (MacLachlan et al., 2010: 83). Transformative learning, as a theory, says that the process of "perspective transformation" has three dimensions: psychological, convictional, and behavioral. (2013). Outside of their families, you might be the person they spend the most time with during these critical years of development. 69-78. (2009). professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. The Director's Toolbox Management Series. Khoo, S-M (Forthcoming) ‘Development NGOs, Civil Society and Social Change’ in R Munck, H Fagan and E Elgar (eds.) Who children become has everything to do with the experiences they have early in their lives; the experiences they have while they are in your care. This article will begin by examining the causes of this divergence in an attempt to better understand the role and experiences of development professionals. Transformation occurs when the individual is confronted with a disorienting dilemma that challenges their current identity, and instead of engaging in cognitive avoidance, decides to actively undertake a process of critical reflection and participation in dialectical discourse in order to strengthen and validate a new perspective (Mezirow, 2009). Taithe, B and Borton, J (2016) ‘History, memory and “lessons learnt” for humanitarian practitioners’, European Review of History: Revue Européenne D'Histoire, Vol. Inspiring peak performance: Competence, commitment, and collaboration. Complete the self-assessment in order to develop a professionalism growth plan. It suggests that a learner's interpretation of the experience creates meaning, which leads to a change in the behavior, mindset, … It is not enough for NGOs to merely champion reflective practice or become aware of transformative learning. As you complete lessons, you are not expected to review all the online references available. Optimum development is strengthened when children engage in meaningful interactions with adults who adhere to high- quality professional standards. One state's commitment to professionalism may be found in the Wisconsin Core Competencies for Professionals Working with Young Children & Their Families. By understanding professional identity within the framework of transformational learning it is possible to gain insight into ‘the current conditions and frames of society that create both the growing need for and the conditions of the transforming process’ where development professionals find themselves (Illeris, 2014: 153). In a school improvement climate where vague references to “transformative leadership” and “transformed school culture” are common, Mezirow’s transformative learning framework is a useful way Managerialism provides a new uncomfortable certainty for NGOs, offering security in instrumental and alienating forms of ‘good practice’. St. Paul MN: Redleaf Press. Which of the following traits contribute to professionalism in your work as a direct-care provider? Interacting with children, families, and colleagues must always be done in a professional manner. … MacLachlan, M, Carr, S C and McAuliffe, E (2010) The Aid Triangle: Recognizing the Human Dynamic of Dominance, Justice and Identity, New York: Zed Books Ltd. Maier, F, Meyer, M and Steinbereithner, M (2014) ‘Nonprofit Organizations Becoming Business-Like: A Systematic Review’, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Vol. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Feeney, S. (2012). Lydia Kelly holds an MA in Public Advocacy and Activism from NUIG and is currently working as a Teaching Assistant/Academic Support in the School of Politics and Sociology in NUIG. NAEYC has also developed an accreditation process that includes a self-study for programs to examine how well the program addresses the standards for high-quality care in programs for young children. 99-114. In your daily work, you assume significant roles that greatly affect children, youth, and their families. The usefulness of these tools, including critical reflection and dialogue, are not new to development practice. Nixon (2001:183) iterated how professionalism had become “a structured feature of the social and economic landscape” rather than a quality identified with a personal mission for excellence and vocation as in the past. you will enhance the quality of the program for children and families. There is value in exploring transformational learning as a potential resource for development practice, as it presents benefits for the individual, organisational and even sectoral levels. You can find these competencies in the Apply section of this lesson. (2008). This lack of attention on the needs and identities of development professionals is, arguably, short-sighted. Both the Law Societies and the Bar Councils insist that they must continue to administer their own admission exams, while organizations representing lawyers who were marginalised under the apartheid regime are adamant that these exam… It is in this turbulent context that development professionals are (in)forming their professional identities. ReferencesAndre, J (1991) ‘Role Morality as a Complex Instance of Ordinary Morality’, American Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. Are there areas of professionalism you that you want to improve upon? 159-167. This course will help you better understand the concept of professionalism and how it relates to your own competence, confidence, commitment, and awareness as a professional. 45, No. 136-146. https://www.opendemocracy.net/transformation/ir-ng-houghton/five-disempowering-traits-that-international-ngos-must-drop, Development Education and Human Rights: Informing Research, Policy and Practice, ‘They Should be Grateful to God’: Challenging Children’s Pre-Conceptions of the Global South through Human Rights Education, Engaging Development and Human Rights Curriculum in Higher Education, in the Neoliberal Twilight Zone, Gender Rights and Sustainable Development Education: The Case of Domestic Violence with Particular Reference to Africa, ‘Learning to Unlearn’ the Charity Mentality within Schools, From Practice to Policy: Reflections from the Participatory Process to Design a Development Education Strategy in Valencia (Spain), De la Práctica a la Política: Reflexiones sobre el Proceso Participativo para el Diseño de la Estrategia de Educación para el Desarrollo en Valencia (España), Critical Professionalism as a Pathway to Transformation, Creating Futures: 10 Lessons Inspiring Inquiry, Creativity & Cooperation in Response to Climate Change for Senior Primary Classrooms, No Is Not Enough: Defeating the New Shock Politics. 419-430. 64-86. In the context of such challenges, long established debates about representation, power relations and legitimacy are brought to the fore, stimulating ethical ambiguity for development professionals and posing further obstacles for NGOs. This further stimulates incentive for NGOs to adopt ‘business-like’ approaches, and increasingly risk falling prey to mission drift (Maier et al., 2014). Teaching at its core is a moral profession. Conclusions: The potential for Transformative Learning as a tool for development professionals. 1-2, pp. Simon, F. (2015). This book draws on recent scholarship in adult education to provide practical ideas for adult educators on how to stimulate and support their own development as educators and better understand the process of professional development as adult learning. Whether you are an infant and toddler, preschool, or school-age staff member, it is critical to be knowledgeable about and model professional behavior. You may also be faced with difficult ethical situations. Please note the References & Resources section at the end of each lesson outlines reference sources and resources to find additional information on the topics covered. This course will help you understand how your professionalism contributes to the growth and development of children and families you serve. Children's growth takes place over time, and each experience affects development. Howie, P and Bagnall, R (2013) ‘A beautiful metaphor: transformative learning theory’, International Journal of lifelong Education, Vol. It is important to think about your own sense of professionalism. Write yourself a note about an idea you have to further develop one of your professional competencies, and share it with a colleague, coach, or administrator. Each professional organization includes standards that address professional behaviors. Non-governmental organisations have been practicing ‘development’ in some form or another from as early as the mid-nineteenth century (O’Sullivan et al., 2016). The status quo is upheld by current power relations. This article focuses upon the development of transformative teacher professionalism. Schweikert, G. (2012). Mezirow, J (1990) ‘How critical reflection triggers transformative learning’ in Fostering Critical Reflection in Adulthood, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, pp. What do you expect from a person who is called a professional? Pettit, J (2006) ‘Power and Pedagogy: Learning for Reflective Development Practice’, IDS Bulletin, Vol. Development education and development practice are inextricably bound-up with the development professional, but what does it mean to speak of a ‘development professional’? The professionalisation of the development sector, however, is a relatively recent phenomenon occurring during the period of rapid expansion and ‘NGO-ization’ towards the end of the 1980s (Khoo, forthcoming). professionalism was affected by managerialism in education and its emphasis on performativity and corporate culture. Billett, S and Somerville, M (2004) ‘Transformations at work: Identity and learning’, Studies in Continuing Education, Vol.