Continuing Professional Education (Module 2)
According the Association for Talent Development (https://www.td.org/), workplace spending on employee learning has seen a steady increase over the last several years, from an average of $1229 per employee in 2014, to $1296 per employee in 2017, which is the most recent year cited on their webpage. Number of learning hours per employee increased as well, from 32.4 to 34.1. Most of my early professional life was spent as a freelance musician, so I was responsible for my own professional development, which took the form of lessons, reading, and listening to/watching new performances. The amount and type of learning was dependent on my own personal finances and schedule. With my current full-time job at a university, professional development opportunities are available, often as online courses, but some in-person as well.
One session that stood out to me was an LGBTQ+ Safe Space training. I felt somewhat informed on the subject, from my own study and personal friendships and interactions, but not being a member of that community, I want to continue to learn and be a source of support in any way I can. The afternoon session was very informative and I found it interesting to absorb the material as a recipient of the training while also observing the session through the lens of what I have been studying about adult education. One of the most important things I took from this observation is that our facilitator acknowledged that the group had a wide variety of knowledge and experience on the subject, and presented the material in such a way that any information I already knew was still fresh and interesting and tied in with new information and insights.
This week also directed us to explore a field that requires continuing professional education to maintain a license or certificate. I chose massage therapy as I feel this can be such helpful preventative care for problems such as migraines (which I know about firsthand!), sports related injuries, and quality of life mobility and activity. To maintain a license in the state of Pennsylvania, a therapist must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, which can become quite expensive. Since many massage therapists are freelancers, it made me think back to my freelance musician days and gain a new appreciation for the work that they do.
This idea of professional development for freelancers also made me think about an idea I had to combine two of my passions, music and ESL, and a possible challenge that might arise. I have had many colleagues over the years come to the United States to train or perform and wish to open a private studio. This can present difficulties for those musicians who have learned English as a second language. I think an ESL course designed for a private music teacher could be very helpful, from communicating with parents and children to navigating the business of being self-employed in the U.S. I'm not sure how practical this would be as a source of income however, as it could be cost-prohibitive to my target audience. Still, it is an idea to hang onto and possibly explore further.
One session that stood out to me was an LGBTQ+ Safe Space training. I felt somewhat informed on the subject, from my own study and personal friendships and interactions, but not being a member of that community, I want to continue to learn and be a source of support in any way I can. The afternoon session was very informative and I found it interesting to absorb the material as a recipient of the training while also observing the session through the lens of what I have been studying about adult education. One of the most important things I took from this observation is that our facilitator acknowledged that the group had a wide variety of knowledge and experience on the subject, and presented the material in such a way that any information I already knew was still fresh and interesting and tied in with new information and insights.
This week also directed us to explore a field that requires continuing professional education to maintain a license or certificate. I chose massage therapy as I feel this can be such helpful preventative care for problems such as migraines (which I know about firsthand!), sports related injuries, and quality of life mobility and activity. To maintain a license in the state of Pennsylvania, a therapist must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, which can become quite expensive. Since many massage therapists are freelancers, it made me think back to my freelance musician days and gain a new appreciation for the work that they do.
This idea of professional development for freelancers also made me think about an idea I had to combine two of my passions, music and ESL, and a possible challenge that might arise. I have had many colleagues over the years come to the United States to train or perform and wish to open a private studio. This can present difficulties for those musicians who have learned English as a second language. I think an ESL course designed for a private music teacher could be very helpful, from communicating with parents and children to navigating the business of being self-employed in the U.S. I'm not sure how practical this would be as a source of income however, as it could be cost-prohibitive to my target audience. Still, it is an idea to hang onto and possibly explore further.
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