Understanding Professional Development

This assignment delves into the crucial role of professional development in shaping effective teaching practices. It analyzes different perspectives on professional development, including self-directed learning and collaborative approaches. The assignment encourages critical thinking about the benefits of professional development for both teachers and students, referencing relevant research and studies. Additionally, it explores various models and strategies employed in teacher professional development programs.

Personal and
Professional
Development

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Approaches to self-managed learning...................................................................................3
1.2 Ways to encourage personal and professional lifelong learning...........................................4
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learning to individual and organisations......................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Evaluation of own current skills and competences against standard professional and
organisational objectives.............................................................................................................6
2.2 Identifying self development needs and activity requirement..............................................8
P2.3 Identify the development opportunities to meet with current and future needs.................9
2.4 Formulation of personal and professional development plan...............................................9
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................10
3.1 Process and activities required to implement the development plan..................................10
3.2 Undertake and document development activities as planned.............................................12
3.3 reflection of own learnings with organisational goals and objectives................................13
3.4 Development plan according to feedback and evaluation...................................................14
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................15
4.1 Solution for work based problems......................................................................................15
4.2 Communication at various level in respect of above problems..........................................15
4.3 Effective time management strategies ...............................................................................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional are two different aspect which are considered very important
for personal and professional growth (Forte and Flores, 2014.). Professional development refers
to work ethics, perfectness and skills development of employee in the organisation. Personal
development helps to improve self skills as communication, social ethics and mental skills.
Whereas professional development contains the development plan to improve the work ethics,
organisational behaviour knowledge under supervision of mentor or trainer. Person and
professional development programs helps the organisation to perform the task ethically and
professionally. Thomas and Cook is one of the mass travel agency which is working effectively
in UK and Italy. The above context of personal and professional development is discussed in
Thomas and Cook travel and tourism organisation.
TASK 1
1.1 Approaches to self-managed learning
Self managed learning refers the skills regarding self management and teaching skills
which grow in behaviour of the person or organisation by facing practical experience and
situations in life (Desimone, 2011). Self management motivates and encourage to learn the skills
and techniques to tackle the situations and challenges by their own abilities and mental skills. It
increase the confidence level and leadership skills to lead the organisation by using self
managing skills and management techniques. The owners of Thomas and Cook travel
organisation was also blessed with the skills of self managed learnings. Which helped the
organisation to set the benchmark and examples of successful entrepreneurship in the global
environment. These are the sources useful to self-managed learnings :
 Online Courses : Technology has given lots of advantages to the world, and internet is
one of them. There are many course books and sources available on internet which helps
to excel the self managing skills. Online teaching institutions, classes and coaching are
the example of online learning.
 Seminars and conferences : Different colleges, institutions and organisations organise
seminars and conferences of experts and professional. They share their experiences and
achievements which helps to learn new techniques and methods to operate the functions.

 Social networks : Social websites and network is also a best source to get the information
and learn the tactics of self management (Cox, Bachkirova and Clutterbuck, Eds., 2014).
Social networks are also considered as fastest connectivity networks to interact with
organisations and peoples. Views ideas and feedbacks regarding self managed learnings
helps to manage the operations.
1.2 Ways to encourage personal and professional lifelong learning
Aims and objectives defines the meaning of life and existence of an employee or
organisation (Cleary and et. al., 2011). Without any goal learnings and teaching remain worthless
for every one. Personal and professional skills depends upon the behaviour of the person and
entity. For lifelong learning it is require to generate self motivational spirit of learning the skills.
Thomas and cook faced many practical experience while establishing the organisation, an
incident of travel from Leicester to Liverpool was one of the incident from which they took and
lifelong learning experience. There are many ways which can helps to get lifelong learning
advantages such as :
(Source: Evaluating Self-directed Learning Skills, 2017)
Illustr
ation 1: Self managed learning

Self directing initiative :
Self directing approach is considered as best practice to find out the best ways of
directing employees and organisation (.Calderhead, Denicolo and Day, 2012).
Continuous personal development skills :
Personal development skills helps to employees that how should they behave and use the
skills in the organisation in different situations. Personal skills contains communication,
presentation, grooming and directing skills.
Healthy Competition :
Competitive spirit encourage the employees to learn new things and tactics to improve
the abilities and skills. It helps to charge the employee towards the goals of the organisation.
Thomas and Cook applies competitive approach to maintain healthy and effective competition
among the employees and other rival travel agencies.
competitive approach should apply at ground level first. Making employees active
towards the goals is the main objective of healthy competition approach.
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learning to individual and organisations
Any learning experience helps the person or an entity in future actions and situations.
There are many stages come in the life cycle of the a person and organisation, so that it may
chances of repetition of the situation at any level (Gamrat and et. al., 2014). At that level self
learning and management plays a winning role to tackle the situation. The global business
environment and tactics knowledge helps Thomas and Cook travel agency to explore their
business size in other countries. Self managed learnings have some individual and organisation :
For individual
 Self managed skills helps to enhance self confidence in the nature of the person to
face the challenges (Ifanti and Fotopoulou, 2011).
 It develops the leadership skills in the behaviour of the employees.
 Self-managed skills create self motivating spirit in the behaviour of employee.
 It removes the dependence on others to complete the tasks and handle the situations.
For Organisation

 Self managed learning remove the cost of external resources which are required for
improving efficiency and skills.
 Organisation need not to make efforts to give directions to the employees for getting
the wanting results.
 It helps to increase the productivity and reduce the cost of services.
 It helps to maintain healthy competition spirit while working in the competitive
environment.
TASK 2
2.1 Evaluation of own current skills and competences against standard professional and
organisational objectives
There are many kinds of business learning tactics and skills which are required to operate
the functions of the organisation (Lumpe, and et. al., 2012). As a part of organisation operation I
must have the knowledge about the management functions and the process to plan the effective
strategy. I need to evaluate the nature of challenges and relate them to my similar personal
situations. The real life experiences will help me out to resolve the challenges and conflicts. It
will build my confidence to lead the organisation in practical manner. I must need to stay
motivated on the workplace which is required to motivate other team mates.
Targets and plans need to clarify and defined to the team mates so that they would be
able to clear the image of outcome. I must need to direct them with the practical experiences and
live examples to accomplish the goals and motives.
PROFESSIONAL
SKILLS
CURRENT
LEVEL
5 = Strong
3 = Average
1 = Weak
BEST CURRENT
EXAMPLE
WAYS TO
IMPROVE
Communication
skills
2 Communications skills are
as essential skills which are
must to correlate with the
organisation's department
I need to improve my
communication skills
to elaborate the
dimensions and the

(Meichenbaum, 2017.).
Define the objective and
targets with effective
communication skills.
goals of the
organisation. I need to
analyse the
communication tactics
as per corporate and
business environment.
Leadership skills Leadership skills are the
skills which are require to
lead the organisation to get
the wanting goals and
objectives. Leadership skills
helps to resolve the conflicts
and problems during the
performing the task.
I need to build up my
confidence level to
direct the plan to my
team mates and
colleagues. I need to
attend the seminars
and motivating
incidents to improve
the leadership skills.
Problem solving
skills
5 Leader always ready to helps
the employee to rid off the
situations which occurs
during the task.
I need to learn the
techniques and
methods of resolving
the issues and conflicts
while performing the
task. Taking ideas to
resolve the issues from
similar kind of
problems and
situations.
Listening skills 3 Listening skills helps to hear
every individual.
I need to design a
procedure to hear the
problems of every
individual or as a
group.

Name: Sid Baneson
Address: 4, Darbishire, London
Mobile number: XXXX
E – mail: [e-mail]
Objective: To provide best and effective results by operating the functions of travel industry.
Find out the best options to achieve the wanted goals.
Qualifications:
 Graduated Masters in Human resource management
Experience:
 3 years experience to work with My Destination travel company by handling human
resource department
Personal skills:
 Team spirit
 Punctuality
 Leadership
 Problem solving
Date:
Signature:
2.2 Identifying self development needs and activity requirement
The below SWOT analysis is done to improve the scale of Thomas and Cook's brand
image at global Level :
Strength
I have impressive and effective convening
power it is my strength. I am able to convene
the party by my effective communication and
knowledge about the hospitality. And these
skills helps to boost the scale of the
organisation.
Weakness
My weak point is I become unbalanced while
having bulk of problems to tackle the situation
on time. As a leader the I have to categories the
problems and priorities to resolve them in
systematic manner.

Opportunities
I use practical scenarios to achieve the targets.
I apply my mental skills to examine the next
opportunities.
Threats
An organisation's environment effect by its
competitors and rival companies. There is
always a situation exist in competitive
environment which is deciding the price. I
need to find out the plan and strategies that will
help to make me flexible to take decisions in
competitive environment.
P2.3 Identify the development opportunities to meet with current and future needs
I have to improvise the growth model to improve the skills and performance of
employees. To met the desired targets I need to fulfil the needs of the organisation. In every
organisation there are always two types of needs exist such are Current needs :
Current needs kind of needs are required to fulfil at immediate basis. This needs
may be short term finance, employees etc. this needs are required to fulfil time to time basis. I
need to prepare the list of current needs and get the approval from the higher authorities to
sanction the list. Future needs :
The targets or objectives which are planned for future needs some specific
requirement such as finance, resources, managements, development programs. Future needs can
be estimated by forecasting of last situations and results (Moon, 2013). There are some set of
procedures and system are required to made for forecast the future needs from my side.
2.4 Formulation of personal and professional development plan
Personal and professional development plans helps to demonstrate the organisation's
dimensions and changes in ethical manner. Thomas and cook's personal and professional
development programs are required to made around the employee behaviour to explains the
travelling plans and policies to the customers.

S.
No
.
LEARNING
OBJECTIV
E/GOAL
CURRENT
PROFICIE
NCY
TARGET
PROFICIEN
CY
DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
TIME
SCALE
1 Communicati
on
3 5 There is a huge scope to
improve the communication
level of the employees in the
organisation. I need to plan
a session of professional
communication program in
which they are taught the
dimensions of professional
behaviour and etiquates.
35 days
2 Leadership 3.5 5 I need to focus on
developing the leadership
skills of the employees. The
skills and the importance of
leader in the organisation. I
need to define the roles
which are played by the
leader at workplace.
30 days
Task 3
3.1 Process and activities required to implement the development plan
SKILLS AIMS RESOURCES I
NEED TO
ACHIEVE MY
OBJECTIVES
TARGET DATE
FOR
ACHIEVING
MY
OBJECTIVES
ACTUAL DATE
OF
ACHIEVING
MY
OBJECTIVES
Decision making To make There are many April 2017 to 31/04/2018

and problem
solving
strategies and
plan to decide the
targets and
objectives.
sources are
available as books
journals and
articles regarding
the strategies and
plan to achieve
specific
objectives.
March 2018
Time and
Organisation
management
To manage the
time and
providing the
resource on time.
I have to analyse
the deliverable
time and evaluate
the actual process
time. I need to
resolve the
conflicts of
idleness.
April 2017 to
March 2018
31/04/2018
Planning Planning is an
essential point to
execute the
performance and
the objectives in
the organisation
For better results
and positive
outcomes the
systematic plan is
require to made.
Better plan is the
evidence of
positive outcome.
April 2017 to
March 2018
31/04/2018
Written
communication
Written
communication is
used to retain the
evidences and
plan in a formal
way. Written
Proper
documentation
plan is require to
execute the
performance and
task. I need to get
April 2017 to
March 2018
31/04/2018

communication is
essential to
explain the
objective and the
plans to the
directors, in
general meetings
and reports.
written
documentation to
present the report
and achievement
in annual repot.
Interpersonal
skills
Interpersonal
skills contains the
skills which
maintain the
employee relation
and the
cooperative
environment in
the organisation
(Nicholls, 2014).
I need to make
HR department
approachable to
the employees so
that the issues and
problems get
resolve on time.
April 2017 to
March 2018
31/04/2018
3.2 Undertake and document development activities as planned
Below are some activities are planned to undertake and document development activities.
PERIOD OF
WORK
ACTIVITY UNDER
TAKEN
WHAT IS
LEARNT UP
TILL NOW
WHAT TO DO
NEXT
WHEN TO DO
Week 1 Analysis of
challenges and issues
that would fall upon
the company.
Keep monitoring
the challenges
and problems to
prepare the
As the problem get
detected the
solution need to be
find out by best
Same week

resolving plan. practice.
Week 2 Analysing the
corrective action plan
for improve the
required skills.
Assumptions
and theories to
ascertain the
task.
Monitor the plans
and measure the
effectiveness of the
plan.
Same week
Week 3 Find out the
developing criteria to
improve the
performance and
efficiency.
The learning
criteria should
be analysed in
respect of
specified are.
Measuring the
effect of
development
program.
Same week
Week 4 Overview of
feedbacks and
reaction within the
organisation or
outside the
organisation.
HR department
of the
organisation
need to get
proper action
plan on
feedbacks and
plan the
strategies.
Effectiveness of
the feedback is
evaluated on the
basis of resolving
parameters.
Same week
Week 5 Analysing the
improvement plan of
monitoring the
methods of
improvements.
Methods and
approaches are
classified for
improvement
program.
Measuring the
overall
performance and
prepare a
summarised report
as a conclusion.
Same week
3.3 reflection of own learnings with organisational goals and objectives
Personal overview on self managed learning in organisation's context :

 Initial meetings preparation : Preparation of plan is the primary work which is done by
the managers at initial stage. Plan provide the image of task and structure (Owen, Fox
and Bird, 2016).
 Past knowledge and experience : Experience and knowledge always helps the
organisation at various level.
 Motivation and anticipation : Motivation is one the essential factor which helps the
employees in the organisation to keep moving towards the goals and objectives.
 Maintaining records : Records helps to evaluate the performance and find out the
results. It also helps to prepare improvement plan in required areas.
3.4 Development plan according to feedback and evaluation
Learning
Needs
Priority Activities to be
Undertaken
Resources
Required
Target
deadline
Proof of
Achievement
Time
management
skills
High Enrolment
process to
attend the
seminars and
lectures
(Pennington
and Richards,
2016.
Time 01/12/17 Documented
proff
Multi-
Tasking skill
High Dividing the
responsibilities
and roles
among the
departments.
Task format Continuous
basis
Results of task
and
performance
Leadership
and
Motivation
skill
High Guidance and
direction to the
employees and
explain
Examples
and
experiences,
Approaches
01/12/17 Certified proof

importance of
motivation.
and theories.
Presentation
skill
Medium Reporting
format and
system.
Time 01/11/17 Certified proof
People
management
skill
High Analysing of
enough sources
to define and
prepare the plan
for presented
project.
Budget and
finance
requirement
01/12/17 Certified proof
Task 4
4.1 Solution for work based problems
An organisation faces different kinds of challenges and problems while operational or
running the business. Thomas and Cook also face different kind of challenges regarding
improving such are
 Improving customer relationships
Building customer relationship is an essential and crucial part for any
organisation. A satisfactory customer will always be effective the image of the organisation.
 Maintain brand image
Brand image is one the importance aspect for any travel industry. Attractive an
effective travel plans with quality customer services remains main objective to the organisation.
This is one the basic challenge in front of managers to maintain the brand image of Thomas and
Cook travel agency.
4.2 Communication at various level in respect of above problems
There are different corrective and effective communication plan should be follow at
various levels in Thomas and Cook organisation.
 Find out the key factors and prepare the improvement plan for the challenge.

 Analysing the availability of resources and prepare the documentation format to execute
the plan in team meetings.
 Assign a spoke at various level which will helps to communicate the higher level through
presentation plans.
 Formal documentation for getting approvals on improvement and development plans
from higher authorities.
 Monitoring and evaluating the performance to maintain discipline while performing the
task.
 Discuss the reviews and feedback of customers in group and find the best option to
building customer relations and improve the image.
 Explain the advertisement plans and strategies in annual reports and meetings.
The above steps helps the organisation to deal with the discussed problems of Thomas
and Cook.
4.3 Effective time management strategies
In order to get high market growth and opportunities in target market; it is essential for business
entities to set certain time management strategies which can forces employees to complete their
tasks before its time schedule. Below mentioned some effective time management strategies: -
 Firstly, managers are required to set their goals as per its priorities and make time
schedule. It helps in managing all tasks and activities in a systematic manner.
 Managers also have to use certain planning tools and techniques so as to reassume
employees' performance in as specific time period.
 Delegation of authorities is also an adequate time management strategy.
CONCLUSION
The above research tells the meaning and importance of personal and professional
development to improve the work and behaviour ethics for personal and professional benefits.
Thomas and Cook is the elected organisation to understand the dynamics and models of personal
and development plan. This report is able to identify the self managed learnings and their
approaches which could help the employee and organisation to improve the behaviour personally
and professionally. It also describe the effectiveness of the development by evaluating the
process and the future benefits. In every organisation there are some challenges and stages comes

where professional and personal skills helps to accomplish the objectives in formal and ethical
way.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Calderhead, J., Denicolo, P. and Day, C., 2012. Research on Teacher Thinking (RLE Edu N):
Understanding Professional Development. Routledge.
Cleary and et. al., 2011. The views of mental health nurses on continuing professional
development. Journal of clinical nursing. 20(23‐24). pp .3561-3566.
Cox, E., Bachkirova, T. and Clutterbuck, D. A. Eds., 2014. The complete handbook of coaching.
Sage.
Desimone, L. M., 2011. A primer on effective professional development. Phi delta kappan.
92(6). pp .68-71.
Forte, A. M. and Flores, M. A., 2014. Teacher collaboration and professional development in the
workplace: A study of Portuguese teachers. European Journal of Teacher Education.
37(1). pp .91-105.
Gamrat, C. and et. al., 2014. Personalized workplace learning: An exploratory study on digital
badging within a teacher professional development program. British Journal of
Educational Technology. 45(6). pp .1136-1148.
Ifanti, A. A. and Fotopoulou, V. S., 2011. Teachers’ perceptions of professionalism and
professional development: A case study in Greece. World Journal of Education. 1(1).
p .40.
Lumpe, A. and et. al., 2012. Beliefs about teaching science: The relationship between elementary
teachers’ participation in professional development and student achievement.
International Journal of Science Education. 34(2). pp .153-166.
Meichenbaum, D., 2017. The evolution of cognitive behavior therapy: A personal and
professional journey with Don Meichenbaum. Taylor & Francis.
Moon, J. A., 2013. Reflection in learning and professional development: Theory and practice.
Rutledge.