Structured professional development and Private Training Establishment (PTE) staff - Literature Review

Last updated by: ako_admin (Ako Administrator) on 17 November 2009 - 1:57pm

This literature review focuses on the question “What professional development strategies are most effective in enhancing student performance outcomes within the Private Training Establishment (PTE) sector in New Zealand?”

Funded by the Ako Aotearoa Regional Hub Funding scheme.

Authors: Dr. Bruce H Knox, Knox Educational Consulting Services, kecs@slingshot.co.nz

Date: July 2009

 

 

Introduction

This literature review was carried out by the New Zealand College of Massage (NZCM) to determine whether there is a connection between professional development and enhanced student outcomes in the vocational education sector. This work adds to the previous study “Impact of Student Support Services and Academic Development Programmes on Student Outcomes in Undergraduate Tertiary Study: A Synthesis of the Research”. [Prebble et al, 2005]. The report from this study recommended that:

  • more research be undertaken on academic staff development
  • more research [including the PTE sector] be undertaken on how it makes a difference to teaching and learning in New Zealand
  • tertiary institutions are encouraged to use their academic staff development units as centres for research on teaching and learning, as well as for training and development

Question

Does the provision of structured professional development to tutorial staff in PTEs (Private Training Establishments) result in the outcome of enhanced student performance?

Answer in brief

  1. Extensive literature exists within the schooling and university sectors, theoretically connecting effective professional development with enhanced student outcomes
  2. Within the secondary school sector, several local investigations provide direct evidence of this connection and the benefits of appropriate professional development
  3. Within the tertiary [university] sector direct evidence is very limited
  4. Within the tertiary [PTE] sector direct evidence is non-existent

Issues arising from these answers

  1. Within the PTE tertiary sector, further evidence is needed to validate the connection between professional development and student performance
  2. The type of professional development that yields the most positive outcome also needs to be evaluated and identified

 

This work is published under the Creative Commons 3.0 New Zealand Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence (BY-NC-SA). Under this licence you are free to copy, distribute, display and perform the work as well as to remix, tweak, and build upon this work non-commercially, as long as you credit the author/s and license your new creations under the identical terms.