A transformative model of continuing professional development in a day nursery: practitioners' perspectives on the implementation of symbolic gesturing

Abstract

Drawing on experiential learning and transformative learning theory, a transformative model of continuing professional development (CPD) was employed to implement symbolic gesturing in a day nursery. The model of CPD aimed to empower practitioners working with infants to have autonomy over their professional learning. Perspectives of the nursery staff about the CPD were captured in narrative semi-structured interviews pre and post the three months of implementation, and from reflective diaries used during this period. Practitioners concluded that the model was successful because it allowed them flexibility to use symbolic gesturing in a way that was navigated independently by each practitioner as part of their daily routine rather than as a specific, formal course of instruction requiring formulaic adoption. Findings also indicate that the CPD model had beneficial learning outcomes in both cognitive and affective domains for practitioners and the infants in their care. Limitations of the small-scale study are acknowledged but the study highlights implications for practice and theorising about CPD in early years settings. The model could be of interest to researchers and practitioners wishing to develop effective CPD in other nursery settings to introduce symbolic gesturing, or more generally other professional development initiatives.

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ORCID for Jennifer Byrne: orcid.org/0000-0002-6969-5539

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