Why professional development
Jan Faulkner explores the benefits of engaging in a meaningful program of professional learning and how to develop an effective professional learning plan.
By Jan Faulkner, KU Learning and Development
First published November 2021, updated October 2025
A commitment to lifelong learning is part of being a professional no matter your occupation. However, it has special significance when it comes to being a professional in an early childhood service.
Characteristics we try to encourage in children are an eagerness to learn, a curiosity to discover and a willingness to try new things. These same characteristics apply to our best early childhood educators and to them, professional development is a must. When educators participate in rich professional development, they are better able to contribute to the ongoing growth of their own practice and the practices within their service.
Benefits of professional development
The many benefits of professional development include:
- Gaining confidence in your work
The more you learn about your work, the more confident you are to make decisions and articulate the reasons for those decisions to others. - Learning new ideas and building knowledge and expertise
It is incumbent on professionals to keep pace with the latest research in children’s learning and wellbeing. Most importantly, professional development helps you to keep pace with contemporary practice and grow your skills, knowledge and understanding. It is key to adjusting to and thriving in a constantly changing professional landscape. - Developing a learning culture in your service
Participating in professional development helps educators to adopt a growth mindset and cultivate critical thinking. This adds to job satisfaction and keeps everyone engaged and excited about their work. - Renewing momentum for your work
Engaging in professional development helps you to build potential in your career and strive towards your career aspirations. It also demonstrates a commitment to your work and keeps you enthusiastic about the possibilities.
Planning for your professional development
When it comes to making changes and transforming practice, a well thought-out professional development plan is a key pathway to success. Developing the plan is an important process that helps you realise your potential. Below are several steps that will help you to create a meaningful and achievable plan.
Step 1: Self-reflection
The first step in your planning is to identify the professional interests, knowledge and skills that you currently possess. This is the starting point and will help you decide where you want to develop as a professional and how you will get there.- Step 2: Identify your ambitions and aspirations
Identify your specific aspirations by considering the following questions:
• What ambitions and aspirations do you have for yourself now and into the future?
• How do they align to those of the service where you work?
• What relevance do they have for children’s learning and wellbeing? - Step 3: Gather information
Identify the professional skills, knowledge and experience you need so that you can work towards achieving your ambitions and aspirations. Ask yourself, “How do I build on the skills, knowledge and experience I already have, to gain those that I need?” - Step 4: Choose how you will gain the skills and knowledge needed
Identify the strategies and resources that will help you to work on the areas identified in step 3. You should seek a variety of experiences that will challenge your current views and ways of doing things – not simply validate them. The best professional development will:
• Provide opportunities for thinking critically and considering practice from different perspectives including theoretical and practical viewpoints.
• Challenge you to continue investigating and researching practice.
• Offer different pathways such as professional learning communities, coaching and action research as well as formal courses and workshops. - Step 5: Develop a timeline
Develop a broad timeline for accomplishing the opportunities identified in step 4. This timeline might need to be flexible to suit your circumstances, but you are more likely to realise your plan if you have set yourself a timeframe. - Step 6: Write it all down
Make sure your plan is documented and visible. It is essential to come back to it often so that you stay on track and focus on the aspirations you set yourself.
- Step 7: Evaluate your plan
Assessing your progress regularly is important so that you can modify and adjust as the situation changes. Your professional development plan should always be a work in progress – open to adjustments and refinement. It must grow and change, reflect your current situation and provide a pathway for ensuring that your knowledge and skills genuinely develop over time
Ultimately the purpose of professional development is to build the capacity of early childhood professionals to continually create better environments for children’s learning and wellbeing. At its core must be educators who view themselves as having a strong professional identity. It builds on past learning, provokes thinking and contributes to individual and team growth.
Discuss your plan openly with your colleagues because they will provide encouragement and support. By continuously developing your capacity and deepening your understanding of the work you do with children, your commitment and enthusiasm will be sustained, and you will gain enormous satisfaction from your profession.
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Resources
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. Performance and development toolkit for teachers: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/performance-and-development-toolkit-for-teachers-overview
ECA Professional Learning Plan Template – https://learninghub.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/online-professional-learning-guide