Continuing Professional Development Courses for Teachers and Higher Ed Staff
European educators prioritise career development, EU statistics prove. Across the bloc, over 90 per cent of teachers have attended continuing professional development courses (CPD) for teachers. Statistics for higher education professionals indicate similarly high participation rates.
These figures point to the success of the EU’s drive to create a European Education Area and upskill its staff. But what compels education professionals to develop new and existing skills?
Although fulfilling, a career in education is not for the faint-hearted. The last few decades have presented teachers and education professionals with a growing task list against a backdrop of rapid tech development and enriching yet complex cultural diversity.
This post examines the challenges, motivations, skill gaps, and career benefits of continuing education not only for teachers and lecturers but also for all other professionals in education.
Navigating the High Seas: Emerging Challenges Facing Teachers and Higher Education Professionals in Today’s Europe
When I was in primary school many moons ago, life was much simpler. The internet did not exist, students of all ages considered their educators an authority to be feared or at least respected, and for the most part, a class consisted of pupils from the same locality. The setting could hardly be more different for today’s European educators.
They likely instruct a diverse student group hardly bursting with enthusiasm for learning. Aside from mastering socio-sensitive communication, educators face a class of pupils starting out at vastly different learning points. Language barriers, economic disparity, and mental health issues among and between pupils are but a few of the difficulties.
With student needs and ambitions streets apart, educators must innovate continually in response. Meanwhile, they must progress through curricula and maintain ever more taxing paperwork, not to mention juggle the digital revolution and fend off intensifying parent pressure.
It is hardly surprising that teacher recruitment and retention have been a mountain to climb across the bloc. Weighing workload and salaries, many leave the education sector. Greater numbers still rule out a career in education right from the start.
How CPD Can Make Teaching More Attractive and Easier
Considering the many momentous tasks educators must accomplish throughout their careers, it is hardly surprising that they are crying out for support and continuing training. Local and national governments run CPD programmes to expand teacher skillsets and help them keep up with an evolving educational landscape.
The EU has led from the front, providing funding and setting up as well as supporting thousands of continuing professional development courses for teachers of all levels.
CPD benefits reach beyond staff and educators, meaning students, parents, institutions, and communities reap significant rewards.
Continuing Education Benefits for Educators
With a vast course selection featuring professional development in all educational aspects available throughout the year, teachers can easily focus on a skills gap and eliminate it. Teachers’ learning needs differ, leaving course providers no choice but to develop a myriad of courses.
Whether the course focuses on integrating technology into the classroom, supporting migrant students, or delivering the latest methodologies, educators can quickly identify a suitable programme.
The networking and collaboration opportunities during the courses are exceptional, feeding motivation and boosting confidence.
Significant Institutional Gains
Schools and higher education institutions do well to facilitate continuing professional development. Not only does the entire institution grow, but participants improve their skills with a direct and very positive knock-on effect for students. The institutions raise educational standards while aligning them with other European schools and colleges and utilising the common European education framework.
Continuing Professional Development Strengthens Communities
Skilled and fulfilled educators and education staff make for happy classrooms and students. Student well-being grows, and better relationships at home and in the community materialise.
Notable EU CPD Initiatives
The EU has long been keenly aware of the challenges in the sector. As educators navigate ever-more complex classrooms, training them in sufficient numbers and retaining them has proven a momentous task.
For its 2020 Eurydice Report entitled “Teachers in Europe: Careers, Development and Well-being“, the authors examined the everyday reality for teachers across Europe in great detail. They concluded that improving initial teacher training and diversifying continuing professional development opportunities would help to firm up and optimise the sector.
With Erasmus+, the EU created a powerful professional development structure for educators and educational professionals many years ago. Funded staff mobility programmes continue to deliver skill expansion in spades. Besides, Erasmus+ has been a fertile ground for collaboration, networking, and mutual support.
The European Education Area by 2025 initiative has seen education professionals cooperate in reaching European targets and raising standards in all member states. Peer observation, support, collaboration, learning, and counselling are now commonplace.
Working groups consisting of education experts from all member states have been mandated to identify best practices and implement the “EEA actions and reinforce synergies with other EU policies initiatives, including the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027), the European Skills Agenda, and the Green Deal.”
CDP Course Offerings – Tomorrow’s Skills Today
When searching for a captivating Erasmus+ staff mobility course, you soon realise how comprehensive the selection of courses is. Registered course providers have gone to great lengths in crafting career-enhancing courses and catering to all educational professionals’ needs.
Both EPALE and the European School Education Platform feature a convenient search option on their websites. Tags categorise topics, skills, locations, and more, meaning you can quickly identify the right course for you.
At Atlantic Centre of Education on the Wild Atlantic Way in Galway, Ireland, we offer a wide selection of professional development courses for higher education staff and teachers of all levels. You can find out more via the links below:
How to Find the Right Continuing Professional Development Courses
Selecting the Erasmus+ course that will benefit you most on a professional and personal level requires, first and foremost, in-depth self-reflection and ideally peer evaluation.
Spend some time reflecting on the following:
- STRENGTHS, DEVELOPMENT AREAS, INTERESTS, AND PASSIONS: Identify the above first while reflecting on your daily work tasks.
- IDENTIFY YOUR AND YOUR INSTITUTION’S NEEDS: Note down which aspects of your teaching and your institution’s offerings require optimisation.
- CONSIDER YOUR CAREER GOALS: With an eye cast into the future, evaluate what skills align with your career goals.
Next, you need to find the right course through a simple internet search or by availing of the search tools mentioned above.
It’s also wise to speak to colleagues or your Erasmus coordinator and ask for recommendations.
You will likely find many suitable programmes, meaning you will have to prioritise what skills you need to hone most urgently and select a course accordingly.
Don’t forget, many education professionals participate in different programmes at many locations year after year. You can too!