What is professional development for educators?

Professional development for educators involves a continual process of learning, reflection and action to progress an educator’s skills and knowledge. Teacher Professional Development (PD) ultimately leads to enhanced teaching practices, which have a positive impact on students’ learning. 

Ultimately, professional development aims to improve an educator’s practice through adopting a holistic approach to the enhancement of their personal skills and proficiency as educators. It’s an ongoing process throughout the entire career of any teacher. 

Teaching practice covers a range of areas including technological, pedagogical and content knowledge. Essentially any activity which supports an educator to reflect, learn and act to improve their practice, we can call professional development. This online professional development for educators collection of webinars and training resources has been crafted by experienced Twinkl teachers who’ve walked in your boots! 

With these Twinkl learning materials, you can build on your professional career and learning hours. Access a range of different learning areas such as Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), Prac and Beginning Teachers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Languages, Inclusive Education, and so much more! 

What are professional development hours for teachers?

Continuing professional development hours for teachers includes the time spent for the individual in ‘active learning’. This defines the real time the teacher spends in learning something relevant for their continuing professional development goals. 

The National Education Summit addresses the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) for maintaining teaching standards across Australia. All professional teachers need to complete a minimum number of professional development hours to maintain registration. Each territory has its own guidelines, but it’s normally a minimum of 20 hours of PD for every calendar year, where you teach over 20 hours. 

A selection of the webinars you can find in this collection:

Importance of Goals in Your QIP - A QIP is a Quality Improvement Plan. Learn how to structure, organise and prepare your QIP to set up for success. The QIP helps centres assess their performance in delivering quality education and care, and to plan and strive for continual improvements. 

Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives - This webinar covers what classroom teachers may consider when embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in learning experiences. As well as discussing our understanding of culture, presenter Belinda Huntriss covers the importance of consultation with your local community and culturally responsive pedagogy.

Inclusive Classrooms with Miss Inclusivity - Find professional development for educators on how to be inclusive in the classroom. 

What do NESA and AITSL stand for?

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) oversees teachers’ accreditation in New South Wales (NSW), alongside teacher accreditation authorities statewide. NESA is responsible for monitoring teaching and learning practices, assessments and school standards across NSW schools. It’s through accreditation that teachers demonstrate their ability to meet APST standards. 

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) provides leadership in supporting quality teaching and school leadership across Australia. They are responsible for defining and maintaining teacher standards, influencing improvements in teaching, and supporting quality professional practice. AITSL has played a pivotal role in negotiating agreed accreditation standards for initial teacher programmes. 

The benefits of teacher-led professional development include boosting industry knowledge and insight, improving teacher efficiency, and allowing teachers to sit in the student’s chair for learning, keeping them on their toes and maintaining their spirit for teaching! Watch our video below, where teacher Amy walks you through some handy tips about continual professional development for educators.