Continuing professional development (CPD)
Monitoring and evaluation using input and output approaches
These approaches can work together to ensure professional development efforts are planned, implemented and result in meaningful outcomes and impact.
The input approach involves identifying learning needs and establishing objectives, while the output approach concentrates on defining desired outcomes and evaluating their achievements. By aligning learning objectives with desired outcomes, organisations can ensure that continuing professional development (CPD) can help to meet challenges and improve practice.
The input approach helps determine resource requirements and activities, while the output approach focuses on resource allocation decisions. Using these approaches helps organisations allocate resources and prioritise investment in activities that have the greatest impact.
The output approach offers a framework for assessing CPD’s effectiveness and impact, while the input approach enables continuous monitoring and reflection.
Through systematic evaluation of outcomes and performance metrics, organisations can identify successful strategies, address deficiencies and continuously improve CPD opportunities.
The input and output approaches establish a continuous feedback loop, where data is used to inform future planning and decision-making.
By integrating feedback from everyone, organisations can ensure that CPD remains relevant, responsive and tailored to changing needs and priorities. Integrating input and output approaches can build a culture of learning, innovation and continuous improvement.
By appreciating the process of professional development and its outcomes, leaders can ensure practitioners engage in CPD and contribute to organisational objectives.
The input and output approaches to CPD outlined above can be used to improve professional development in social work organisations
Developing your strategic action plan
The input-output model needs coordinated actions at all levels. Strategic planning involves several important steps and considerations.
Assess organisational needs
Carry out a comprehensive analysis of the organisation's current and future needs, considering sector trends, regulatory changes, technological advancements and skill gaps within the workforce.
Define clear and measurable individual and organisational objectives that meet the organisation's goals and priorities.
Identify development opportunities
Provide a variety of opportunities for different learning styles and preferences, including workshops, seminars, online courses, mentoring programmes, conferences and on-the-job training.
Make sure to get input on needs and priorities with practitioners from different backgrounds, roles and experience levels, as well as colleagues. Use co-design and peer learning circles.
Also you could work with academic institutions to co-produce programmes that use research, theory and strong practice, offering opportunities for academic credit or certification.
Engage in joint projects with people accessing services to identify priorities. Then incorporate their views, insights and experiences into materials, case studies or simulation exercises.
It is useful to develop opportunities for cross-organisational collaboration by partnering with other organisations, professional associations or community agencies. This will allow you to develop initiatives, share resources and offer joint learning opportunities.
You could use online collaboration platforms for virtual co-design. This allows practitioners to share resources, exchange ideas and collaborate on designing learning activities.
Allocate appropriate resources
Ensure there are appropriate continuing professional development (CPD) resources. This may involve budgeting for training programmes, hiring external trainers or consultants and investing in learning management systems.
Assign staff members to oversee programmes, coordinate activities and support practitioners. Use a range of metrics to evaluate CPD’s effectiveness and impact, including participant feedback and learning outcomes.
Given the need for evidence of CPD’s benefits, try to measure changes in practice or performance. It’s important to use appropriate tools and methods to assess and improve CPD.
Develop a framework
Build a comprehensive framework that outlines the processes, policies and procedures for planning, implementing and evaluating professional development activities.
It should include criteria for selecting CPD opportunities, guidelines for monitoring and documenting them and mechanisms for recognising and rewarding learning achievements.
Integrate CPD activities with performance management systems
Integrate initiatives with your performance management system to ensure alignment between individual development objectives.
This may involve setting individual goals as part of the yearly appraisal process, identifying appropriate CPD and providing feedback and coaching to support continuous professional development.
Promote and communicate CPD opportunities
Promote awareness of CPD and encourage employee participation using communication strategies. This may include regular updates on training programmes, testimonials from employees who have benefited and highlighting the link between professional development and career progression.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of CPD initiatives
Establish mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating CPD’s effects on individual performance, employee engagement and organisational outcomes. This may involve collecting feedback from participants, tracking important performance indicators and conducting reviews to assess the overall effectiveness of programmes.
Ensure CPD complies with EEDI principles
Leaders should implement processes to ensure that CPD complies with principles of equality, equity, diversity and inclusion (EEDI). This involves several important steps such as ensuring the content is accurate, comprehensive and well aligned with recommended practice and legal requirements. It’s also important to use:
- inclusive language
- diverse representation in materials
- materials that are accessible for all
It’s particularly important to gain organisation-wide commitment, with visible support from senior leadership to achieve EEDI principles. EEDI training should also be integrated into broader diversity and inclusion initiatives, with leaders actively promoting EDI principles in their interactions and decision-making processes.
Implementing a blended approach to CPD delivery
While face-to-face and online CPD can be equally effective both have strengths and limitations. When developing a CPD strategy, use a blended approach where face-to-face sessions are combined with online components.
SMART planning
Effective communication is crucial for any successful action plan concentrated on employee wellbeing. Use SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound) planning to help to address many important considerations explained in this section.
Clear communication is important to any successful action plan, especially for employee wellbeing plans. You should share findings from the health check or monitoring. It is a good idea to highlight strengths and areas for improvement. You could think about creating an open environment where employees feel able to share concerns and feedback freely. This helps them take part in action plan discussions.
Clearly define objectives. Specify the action plan’s goals and describe:
- what it will address
- its reasons for priority
- when it will finish
- how to measure it
Use inclusive language as it promotes a collective effort. A commitment to co-design is another important tool. It stresses the importance of creating solutions together. It shows how input from employees and stakeholders will shape the action plan.
Regular updates will ensure transparency and engagement with ongoing progress reports. Feedback mechanisms are a way for employees to contribute feedback and act on it.
Make sure that your organisation has easy access to information. It's important to develop good communication skills in your organisation. You could consider providing communication training, especially for leaders. This is a useful tool to support open dialogue. You should celebrate achievements and progress. This encourages a positive organisational culture.
References
This is the list of research and evidence sources used to produce this section. Publicly available links are included.
Li, Z., Che Hassan, N., & Ab Jalil, H. (2023). The effectiveness of face-to-face versus online delivery of continuing professional development for science teachers: A systematic review. Education Sciences, 13(12), 1251.
Rogers, M., et al. (2022). The Social Work Online Team Training (SWOTT) Toolkit: Embedding team-based peer learning in continuous professional development. Social Work Education.
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Research in Practice
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DfE.
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 30 October 2024
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 30 October 2024