Reframing Professional Development Through Understanding Authentic Professional Learning

Abstract

Continuing to learn is universally accepted and expected by professionals and other stakeholders across all professions. However, despite changes in response to research findings about how professionals learn, many professional development practices still focus on delivering content rather than enhancing learning. In exploring reasons for the continuation of didactic practices in professional development, this article critiques the usual conceptualization of professional development through a review of recent literature across professions. An alternative conceptualization is proposed, based on philosophical assumptions congruent with evidence about professional learning from seminal educational research of the past two decades. An argument is presented for a shift in discourse and focus from delivering and evaluating professional development programs to understanding and supporting authentic professional learning.

Cite this

Ann Webster-Wright (2009). Reframing Professional Development Through Understanding Authentic Professional Learning. Review of Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308330970

@article{ann2009reframing,
  title  = {Reframing Professional Development Through Understanding Authentic Professional Learning},
  author = {Webster-Wright, Ann},
  year   = {2009},
  journal = {Review of Educational Research},
  doi    = {10.3102/0034654308330970}
}

Citations in this library

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 1,171 citations exist upstream.

References

Cited by