PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE FACULTY

By: Amrinder Singh

Lect. BGIET

PROFESSIONALISM

Its not the job you do. Its how you do the job.

Professionalism is knowing how to do it, when to do it and doing it.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development includes all types of learnings opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning opportunities situated in practice.

It relates to the developing of the facultys skills, relating to teaching, behaviour and delivering the latest knowledge relating to the subject.

MAIN CRITERIA FOR PROFESSIONAL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

Academic qualification Expert and specialised knowledge in field which one is practising professionally. High quality work in (examples): creations, products, services, presentations, consultancy, primary/other research, and administrative. A high standard of professional ethics, behaviour and work activities while carrying out one's profession Reasonable work moral and motivation. Is an individual who does not require supervision.

WHO AND WHY PARTICIPATE

A wide variety of people, such as teachers, military officers and, health care professionals, lawyers, accountants and engineers engage in professional development. Individuals may participate in professional development because of : an interest in lifelong learning a sense of moral obligation to maintain and improve professional competence enhance career progression keep upgrade with new technology and practice to comply with professional regulatory organizations

APPROACHES TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Case Study Method Consultation Coaching Lesson Study Mentoring Technical Assistance

SUGGESTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF FACULTY

Refresher training programmes should be conducted in related subjects for the faculty in educational institutes
Latest technology such as LCDs , audio and visual aspects should be provided by the institutes for effective delivery of the subject to the students. Academic staff colleges should be established in the engineering , social science/, Business schools, to train the new faculty and refresher courses for the senior faculty for every semester/ term/year

All the faculty members should be encouraged and motivated by management/institutes for attending seminars / conferences / workshops and training programmes both at national and international level and all the related expenditure and on duty leaves should be given to the faculty by the concerned institutions

E-books and e-journals/ periodicals, digital libraries should be made available to every faculty member in every institute.

Faculty should also be provided positive atmosphere and support both in monetary and non-monetary terms for carrying out their further studies, such as PhDs and Post Doctorates. Faculty need evidence that someones paying attention- job security, positive service conditions etc.
The institute should conduct F.D.P programmes by inviting eminent acadmecians from IIMs and IITs. For interfacing with industry, Guest lectures should be organised and interactive sessions should be carried with the eminent people from the industries, such as CEOs, so that the practical aspects can be learned and are given the practical scenarios of the companies, to bring about the synergistic effects.

Faculty evaluation programmes should be introduced.

Programmes should be conducted to change the mind set or the psychology of the teachers, as they should not consider their profession as a burden but perform their duties and responsibilities with the enthusiasm and their own inner will.
Problem solving research workshops should be organised i.e. the research should be future oriented and not past oriented.

E-FDPs and e-training arrangements should be made available for the female faculty of every institute, who especially due to certain responsibilities are not able to take up training programmes outside their home towns.

Faculty exchange programmes should be organized and various sessions such as interaction foreign delegates should be conducted frequently to gather the facts because each person involved will have a new/different perspective

In order to develop faculty professionally, certain skills should be incorporated, that they should focus their skills and minds, not only in doing postmortem of the research, but think a step further in coming up with new innovations and researches, which have not been made by the industry. So there is a great need for the faculty to be proactive rather than reactive

Institutions must create opportunities for faculty to engage in critical reflection and have open discussion so that they can frame issues clearly.