Module 4 - Professional Development Strategies (Tiffany)

Professional Development Strategies

My Experiences with Professional Development

      Effective professional development is the same as any type of learning; it needs to be relevant, interesting, and supported by a network of others. 

     With my current employment, the majority of my professional development opportunities have been in the form of either conferences that are sponsored by associations that I am a member of, such as the West Virginia Association of Museums and Appalachian Studies Association, or workshops that are hosted by local venues, such as Pricketts Fort or regional historical societies.

      In my experience, what often makes these conferences and workshops beneficial, aren’t just the knowledge they convey, but the network of support that surrounds them. Most often, I attend these events with colleagues, which helps greatly when we want to implement new ideas. It makes things easier when someone already gets your vision. It is also great to know that there is support in the associations themselves through the other members; we often call upon each other for assistance in answering questions, locating resources, or sharing ideas and experiences. 

     This is especially true with the WVAM, as we’re a small group. It also means we have a lot of control over our conference sessions. If enough people express an interest in learning a particular skill or knowledge, then the board tries to accommodate that in sessions. A lot of sessions center on being more effective in various professional aspects and some do speak specifically on leadership. Last year I attended a session on how to effectively lead volunteer staff which I’ve found to be immensely helpful at work, not only with our volunteers, but our undergraduate student employees.

Technology Integration Initiative

     The professional development strategy that I would like to employ would begin with introducing the initiative, with the basics such as how and why. A demonstration would be provided to illustrate the procedure(s), followed by the opportunity to train, and then evaluations. 

     During all steps of the process, it is vital to ensure that a strong network of support is already in place before charging ahead. A leader cannot lead without a supportive team. In thinking back to some of my weaknesses in my Leadership Assessment, I'd would need to exhibit a strong sense of assurance, not only in myself, but the team and the initiative as a whole.

     In an ideal world, I would suggest hands-on training, either on site or off, with an expert. However, this isn't always feasible due to time or financial restraints. This would be where Personal Learning Networks will be indispensable. Networks beyond the work place would provide the opportunity to engage with others that have undergone a similar TI Initiative. What were some challenges and how were they overcome? 

     I don't consider the strategy to be a strictly linear procedure, but rather continuous process that strives for evolution.

     Below are links to two websites that I've found beneficial, especially Cited.org. I've also included two articles that are accessible through our library's database. 

CITEd Center for Implementing Technology in Education

Leaning Forward

Kopcha, T. (2010). A systems-based approach to technology integration using mentoring and communities  
      of practice. Educational Technology Research and Development, 58(2), 175-190. Retrieved March
      9, 2015, from JSTOR.

Penuel, W., Fishman, B., Yamaguchi, R., & Gallagher, L. (2007). What makes professional development
     effective? Strategies that foster curriculum implementation. American Educational Research Journal,
     44(4), 921-958. Retrieved March 9, 2015, from ProQuest Central.

Branding

     “Brand-ED” School Leadership is bringing together a team whose aim is to help establish and then share their school’s identity. Sheninger explains that positively “branding” your institution “will instill a greater sense of pride in the leaders’ work and/or school function” (p. 105). Consequently, through effective branding, the leader will assist in positively impacting the school’s culture, finances, and student performance (p. 106).

    I found an interesting blog post written by a former principal who discusses how his school attempted to brand his elementary school after hearing Eric Sheninger speak. What I found salient is how the school decided to accomplish this and the results.

Why Leaders Should Brand Their School 
     Yesterday during a discussion with a professor concerning getting the word out on what exactly it is that we do here, especially concerning students, a lot of what we've been reading and discussing in this class came together. I explained to her the idea of branding and we discussed some different ways of achieving that. By the end of the conversation, I learned from her students that Facebook is out, Instagram is in, and I'm looking into Fairmont's Technology Policy to see about implementing an Instagram account for the Center.We have some other ideas, but social media is one that I can tackle first.

Personal Learning Networks

      While I do consider the associations that I am a member of to be a part of my PLN, another channel  that I frequently use are interest groups on LinkedIn. Chapter 8 discusses LinkedIn briefly, and while I know that it is often used as a way to network to help find jobs, I mainly use it to read and engage in discussions. 

     I first began using the site as an undergrad, seeking information from museum professionals. At the time, I didn’t know many personally and I wanted some information that I was only going to get by engaging with those working in the field. Since then, I’ve joined various groups that are specific to certain aspects or jobs, such as collections management or museum education. So while I do run across people looking for or advertising jobs, I also get to see ideas bounced around, questions being answered, and people providing a  date for a webinar that I might not have known about otherwise. It's has helped me by providing some guidance in my academic and potential professional careers.
      Referencing what I said earlier about this field being a some what small one, at least in this area, having access to PLN such as LinkedIn is vital. A majority of museums are small scale, with limited budgets and limited staff; technology based PLNs help tremendously.