The coalition model for professional development

ABSTRACT

The Coalition Model for Professional Development (CMfPD) was created to develop capacity in a network of adult and continuing education (A&CE) staff from eight district school boards in the eastern Ontario region in Canada. The CMfPD had three main components: 1) a collaborative structure, 2) continuous learning and 3) a culture of care. Interviews were conducted with twenty-two network members to explore their experiences with the CMfPD. Qualitative analysis of interview data revealed positive professional development (PD) experiences associated with model components. In addition, network members reported professional growth as a result of the CMfPD, with respect to increasing their capacity, promoting collaboration with their colleagues and preparing them to enact change in the field of A&CE. The importance of this PD model is discussed in relation to how its components helped mobilise the collective work of a newly formed education coalition dedicated to system-wide change.

KEYWORDS:

• Professional development
• model
• coalition
• collaborative structure
• continuous learning
• culture of care

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the commitment of all those associated with the Eastern Regional Partnership for Adult Education: members of the Partnership Table and the teams; adult education staff and students, and the Eastern Ontario Staff Development Network. Funding for the Adult Education Strategy came from the Ontario Ministry of Education. The views expressed in this publication are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Province of Ontario or the Ontario Ministry of Education.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexandra Youmans

Alexandra Youmans is an adjunct assistant professor at the Faculty of Education, Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. She is passionate about equipping educational professionals with the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to support learner success at all levels of education. Dr. Youmans has taught courses on innovative curriculum planning, collaborative inquiry and programme evaluation. Her areas of research interest include adult and continuing education (A&CE), programme evaluation and early maths education. She was an educational researcher for the Eastern Regional Partnership for Adult Education (ERPAE), documenting their implementation of the Adult Education Strategy in eastern Ontario from 2016-2019. Connect with Dr. Youmans via Twitter @DrSandyYoumans.

Lorraine Godden

Lorraine Godden teaches career and employability courses in the Faculty of Public Affairs, Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Previously, Dr. Godden has taught adult education, teacher education, and educational leadership courses. Dr. Godden’s research agenda explores the intersection of career development and employability, work-integrated learning, adult education, school-to-work transition, and other educational multidisciplinary and public policies. Her research has been published in national and international journals and conferences, and she has successfully completed many collaborative, empirical, and community-based research projects that have informed theory, policy, and practice-based initiatives. Connect with Dr. Godden via Twitter @LorraineGodden1.