Abstract:
The use of professional standards for registration and regulation has become an accepted part of the landscape in the teaching profession, both nationally and internationally. Standards are used to not only enable teachers to enter the profession but to also maintain a presence in the profession. In Victoria registered teachers are required to demonstrate that they have maintained their professional practice as part of renewing their registration. This means that they must have taught for at least 50 days and undertaken at least 100 hours of standards referenced professional development activities in the previous five years. An initiative introduced in 2008 has provided specific support for teachers who need to identify professional development opportunities that reference standards of professional practice.
This paper discusses the development of Pdi, a search engine of professional development courses and activities developed by the Victorian Institute of Teaching. It outlines the importance of all teachers having centralised access to professional development activities and the value of quality assurance mechanisms to ensure all activities and course teachers find on Pdi reference standards of professional practice and principles of effective professional learning. It also considers the value of Pdi in supporting the education of providers of courses and activities on the specific learning needs of teachers. Other features of Pdi will be discussed, as will future developments of the site.
This paper discusses the development of Pdi, a search engine of professional development courses and activities developed by the Victorian Institute of Teaching. It outlines the importance of all teachers having centralised access to professional development activities and the value of quality assurance mechanisms to ensure all activities and course teachers find on Pdi reference standards of professional practice and principles of effective professional learning. It also considers the value of Pdi in supporting the education of providers of courses and activities on the specific learning needs of teachers. Other features of Pdi will be discussed, as will future developments of the site.