Abstract
As professionals, each of us has a responsibility to maintain, as well as expand, our knowledge and skills related to the current recommended practices in the field of early intervention and early childhood special education. We achieve this through professional development activities. This obligation should not simply be fueled by the requirements of so many clock hours or Continuing Education Unit (CEU)every year to keep a license, but it should be grounded in the aspiration to possess the knowledge and skills to implement with fidelity those evidence-based practices that have a high probability of supporting children and families in achieving positive outcomes and meeting their desired goals. For children, this is creating learning environments that assist them in developing new skills and achieving greater independence. For families, this includes matching resources to their decisions that result in the foundation and framework for supporting their child’s learning and development and the family’s quality of life.
So the question that I would like to pose is—How do you think about your professional development and how does DEC fit into your plan?
Do you think about your professional development as related and focused activities or is it a series of unrelated events? Do you have specific outcomes that you want to achieve? There are many mechanisms to access information and expand skills, including attending in-service training, going to conferences, participating in book studies or reading journals, participating in communities of practice, taking university courses, listening to webinars, engaging in a mentor or peer coaching relationship, attending a workshop, and engaging in action research. This list, although not exhaustive, illustrates there are many choices as we think about the medium to access information and improve job skills. In addition to considering the many potential delivery mechanisms, do you match the professional development activities that you engage in with what you know about yourself, what motivates you, and how you learn best? Do you learn by listening with application of the information later, or do you learn best by hands-on experiences and on the spot practice? Do you take the time to reflect and develop a plan that identifies your learning goals, mechanisms you will utilize to achieve those goals, a plan for skill development and implementation including action steps, and a time frame for skill acquisition?
As you develop your plan, what are some possible ways that DEC can fit into and support your plan? As a professional organization, DEC is not in a position to fulfill all needs for everyone related to their professional development, but there are a number of opportunities available to support you as a member of our organization and support your development as a professional.
DEC Position Statements and Papers: DEC has a number of position statements and papers that are foundational for professional practice. These include our code of ethics (including professional development); inclusion; family culture, values, and language; challenging behavior; response to intervention; and role of special instruction, to mention just a few of these resources.
Learning Decks: The learning decks are a series of webinars to support the professional development of our membership, focused on dissemination of evidence-based practices and improvement of intervention practices for young children with disabilities and their families.
DEC Special Interest Groups (SIGs): The SIGs are a group of DEC members who have a shared interest regarding a particular topic. This forum is designed to encourage the sharing of ideas, information, and resources. What an exciting way to learn from each other.
DEC Professional Development Activities: A variety of activities are focused on professional development. These include the annual international conference, webinars and learning decks, topic specific institutes, and pre/post conference sessions for more in-depth examination and application of specific practices.
Recommended Practices (RPs): The RPs is DEC’s effort to bridge the gap between research and practice. With the recent revision of the RPs, signification work is underway to role out materials to support their utilization. This work includes focus groups to identify and develop support materials for the field and videos supporting awareness and application.
Councils: Councils are groups of DEC members working on specific projects and initiatives. Current councils include membership, policy, voices (diversity), and technology and communications. Concentrated collaborative work can result in focused conversation and expanded knowledge.
DEC Products: DEC has a variety of print products designed to support practitioners in the application of evidence-based practices in our field. These include journals, the monograph series, and the upcoming series on the DEC RPs.
We know that to be effective in promoting quality professional development, we must rely on principles of adult learning and knowledge application that is supported by implementation science, the best available research providing evidence of the effectiveness for specific practices, and the wisdom of professionals and families. What are your experiences? Where do you stand? Are you active in planning your professional development to expand your repertoire and improve the quality of services you provide? Is DEC a part of your professional development plan?