Over the past few years developments in higher education have brought us to a position where collaboration between the university and the private sector is becoming more and more common. The industry approach to continuing professional development is based on the needs of acquiring, developing and retaining a skilled and competent workforce.…

This article introduces systems thinking and identifies its implications for practice-based learning and improvement. The article defines systems, identifies fundamental aspects of systems thinking, and provides strategies for creating more practice-based learning environments in medical contexts. (Contains 1 table.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the ways in which postgraduate study in vocational fields supports the development of advanced competences amongst mid-career professionals. Design/methodology/approach: The extensive written communications between health and safety professionals taking a postgraduate course in health and safety…

Training health professionals within university environments has traditionally focused on face-to-face methods. Practitioners working within the UK National Health Service (NHS) have found it difficult to gain leave from work to attend for study due to the demands of the NHS and staff shortages. In response, the authors developed a distance…

There is confusion and misunderstanding about the concepts of knowledge translation, knowledge transfer, knowledge exchange, research utilization, implementation, diffusion, and dissemination. We review the terms and definitions used to describe the concept of moving knowledge into action. We also offer a conceptual framework for thinking about…

Professional associations have an obligation to ensure the quality of professional preparation and practice, to provide continuing professional education, and to recognize those practitioners who take steps to improve their knowledge and practice. To date, no student affairs association has fully operationalized or embraced these ideas. The future…

Mandatory continuing education (MCE) has become widely accepted across many professions and jurisdictions in Canada as a re-credentialing mechanism. MCE is defined as continuing professional education (CPE) courses and/or programs, beyond the entry-level educational requirements, required by a licensure board, professional organization, or the…

In the not too distant past a person's skills, knowledge, understanding and competence were judged largely on the initial education and training that he or she had undertaken, with continuing professional development (CPD) being seen as an optional extra by those who had enthusiasm for it. Gradually CPD has come to be recognized as an important,…

This study provides a framework for the evaluation of assessments that may be used in adult continuing education. It provides an example of the analysis of an examination for 33 solicitors seeking specialist accreditation. Resampling was used to generate a group of 1000 results, and responses were analysed using a Rasch model. Results indicated a…

This paper reports on research into the professional development practice of principals in the Diocese of Parramatta, which administers a system of approximately 75 schools in the west of Sydney, Australia. A survey of 46 principals gathered data on respondents' qualifications, association membership, participation in Catholic Education Office…

Sponsored by the Department of Education under Title II-B, Library Career Training Institute, Ponce Technical University College's Library Management Institute was intended to improve the supervisory skills of 30 librarians of the University of Puerto Rico's Regional Colleges Administration. The institute consisted of eight continuing education…

The 12 papers in this collection were presented at 6 sections of the Division of Education and Research: (1) "Emergence of the Asian Pacific Area and Its Impact on Education and Training of Librarians" (Maxine K. Rochester, Australia); (2) "The Cultural Aspects of Colonialism: Case Study of the Relevance of the Imported Curriculum…

For academic leaders who must encourage and enable faculty self-development the authors list 47 activities designed to reinforce, motivate, and enable self-development. For faculty members they list 95 activities, the strategy being to change environments, to risk new exposures, alter habitual patterns, and undertake new challenges. (JT)

A study of the learning orientation of 220 female registered nurses concluded that there was still a need to determine more accurately the utility of learning orientations as predictors of participation in different types of learning activities. (Author/BP)