AALPD Pre-Conference Session: Picking Up the Gauntlet for Professional Development

Abstract: The Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD) responds to the "Throwing Down the Gauntlet for Professional Development" challenge issued by Johan Uvin, Acting Assistant Secretary of Education, OCTAE, and Gail Spangenberg, President, National Council for Adult Learning in their September 24, 2015 blog post (http://sites.ed.gov/octae/2015/09/24/throwing-down-the-gauntlet-for-pd/). In it, the authors ask us to "...rethink and restructure recruitment, training, and program staffing and benefits so that more of the current workforce is motivated to remain in the field and so that young professionals are inspired to enter Adult Education as a respected and fully professional career goal." The blog sets 6 priorities that include defining an effective adult education teacher, identifying best practices and approaches in professional Development, building professional development explicitly into adult education planning, and improving data collection for professional development. AALPD welcomes the focus on Professional Development and stands ready to "pick up the gauntlet for PD" starting by exploring strategies, advocacy, and communication. As the field of professional developers, we must come together to respond to the challenge.