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Disciplinary knowledge lies at the heart of academic work. However, connecting academics' disciplinary knowledge to their professional development as teachers has been a longstanding challenge for (research-intensive) universities. This is reflected in criticism of the practices that aim to support the professional development of university teachers. In order to create better connections, a deeper understanding is needed of how academics' disciplinary knowledge relates to the development of their teaching. In this paper, we therefore aim to advance theoretical insights about how academics' disciplinary knowledge connects to their professional development as university teachers. We do so by providing a conceptual analysis of teacher expertise and teacher knowledge perspectives. Literature discussed as part of the teacher expertise perspective provides insights into how knowledge is structured in order to perform teacher tasks. In our discussion of the teacher knowledge perspective, we include bodies of literature about teachers' knowledge base to explore the role of disciplinary knowledge in how to teach and about powerful knowledge to explore the role of disciplinary knowledge in what to teach. Insights from these bodies of literature can, from a teacher knowledge perspective, offer theoretical underpinnings for connecting academics' disciplinary knowledge to their professional development as university teachers. Adaptive expertise and practical knowledge are identified as concepts that include elements of both teacher expertise and teacher knowledge perspectives. Based on the conceptual analysis, we identify and discuss three aspects related to supporting the professional development of university teachers where attention to connection with teachers' disciplinary knowledge is important., Author(s): Esther E. van Dijk [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Johan Geertsema [sup.4] , Marieke F. van der Schaaf [sup.5] , Jan van Tartwijk [sup.2] , Manon Kluijtmans [sup.1] [sup.3] Author [...]

The current study describes the design, implementation, and analysis of a professional development programme using a Lesson Study model to enhance awareness in preschool professionals regarding inclusive education for children with autism spectrum disorder. The mixed method approach included pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, audio-recordings of group seminars, and an interview. The results indicated an increase in autism awareness among the professionals, suggesting that professionals changed their practice as a result of the programme. This was particularly clear regarding making adjustments to the learning environment and taking measures to prevent challenging situations. In addition to describing the implementation of a professional development programme in a preschool, this paper emphasises the importance of appropriate conditions for such initiatives., Author(s): Linda Petersson Bloom [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.32995.34, 0000 0000 9961 9487, School Development and Leadership, Faculty of Education and Society, The National Agency for Special Needs Education and [...]

Past studies have indicated shortcomings in the training of graduate students in the US, especially for practical career skills, teaching skills, and non-academic careers. Students thus find professional development and guidance lacking for the demands of the modern marketplace. This study extends this research to the unique situation of current graduate students in Korea, who represent an under-studied population and face further challenges from the demands of internationalization. From survey data at one representative university, this study examines (1) whether Korean graduate students feel that they receive sufficient guidance, training, and support for professional development and (2) whether Korean graduate students feel prepared for specific academic and professional careers and career skills. Additionally, English skills, motivation, and other factors are examined. Various shortcomings in these areas are reported, which parallel those found in the US, while unique problems also arise from the demands of English for academic and professional purposes. Korean graduate students require additional support and professional development programs to address these shortcomings., Author(s): Kent Lee [sup.1] , Hikyoung Lee [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0001 0840 2678grid.222754.4Institute of Foreign Language Studies, International Studies Hall 208A, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, 02841, Seoul, [...]

A Montreal Social and Health Service Centre (CSSS) has set up a learning community following the accreditation visit related to obtaining BabyFriendly Initiative certification. The evaluators of this program noted that parents did not retain much information from prenatal meetings. The article describes the professional development system established by the Perinatal Team that sought to refine its teaching practices. It also summarizes the two evaluations that allowed the professionals to improve on a continual basis. The discussion focuses on the conditions that have favoured the development of the skills of the teaching professionals. In particular, it appears that parents retain information and apply it when the professionals succeed in including them actively in the training and in reaching them emotionally in their learning: skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby and the reinforcement of breastfeeding goals are prime examples. KEY WORDS: Learning community; principles of andragogy; reflective practice; prenatal meetings Un Centre de services sociaux et de sante (CSSS) de Montreal a mis en place une communaute d'apprentissage des formateurs suite a la visite d'agrement relie a l'obtention de la certification Initiative Amis des bebes. Les evaluatrices de ce programme de qualite de soins avaient note que les parents retenaient peu l'information transmise lors des rencontres prenatales. L'article decrit le dispositif de developpement professionnel etabli aupres de l'equipe de perinatalite qui cherchait a ameliorer ses pratiques d'enseignement. Il resume aussi les deux evaluations qui ont soutenu de facon continue le perfectionnement des professionnelles. La discussion porte sur les conditions les plus susceptibles d'avoir favorise leur developpement des competences en enseignement. Il ressort notamment que les parents retiennent des informations et les appliquent lorsque les professionnelles reussissent a les rendre actifs et a les toucher emotivement dans leur apprentissage : le contact peau a peau et le renforcement des objectifs d'allaitement en sont des exemples eloquents. MOTS CLES : communaute d'apprentissage; principes d'andragogie; pratique reflexive; rencontres prenatales, Les professionnels de la sante sont regulierement appeles dans le cadre de leur travail a donner des formations. Pour ces professionnels, enseigner n'est pas le premier metier. Nombre d'entre eux [...]