Continuing Professional Development (CPD) involves different types of learning experiences, e.g. on-the-job development, training and formal qualifications, as well as informal learning and experiential learning. It is important to use a range of different methods to develop as a childcare worker. CPD may involve a degree of shadowing, reading information in a book or online, or talking with colleagues about how they dealt with a difficult situation. The important thing is that childcare workers reflect on their learning and think about how it will affect their work or role in the future. Childcare workers can learn through practical experiences, e.g. learning through doing the work and getting experience. During practical experiences, childcare workers can also learn through observing and listening to others, e.g. children, other staff or professionals. This gives childcare workers the opportunity to analyse and appraise their own practice or the practice of others in order to analyse and appraise how they could improve or do things differently and why.
Childcare workers need to be able to apply their learning and transfer knowledge and skills to new situations. In order to do this, it is important that childcare workers consider the relevance of what they are learning or developing and how it could be relevant to their practice. Taking time to reflect will lead to a deeper understanding of learning and help childcare workers to apply the information to practical situations. Therefore, it is important that they identify opportunities to apply their learning and development to everyday practice.
Learning opportunities may include the following:
Childcare workers can develop their practice and improve the knowledge needed for their role by reading the setting's policies and researching current legislation. A wealth of information is available to support knowledge and best practice. Examples include:
Further reading:
Mae Datblygiad Proffesiynol Parhaus (DPP) yn cynnwys gwahanol fathau o brofiadau dysgu, e.e. datblygiad mewn swydd, hyfforddiant a chymwysterau ffurfiol, yn ogystal â dysgu anffurfiol a dysgu trwy brofiad. Mae’n bwysig defnyddio amrywiaeth o ddulliau gwahanol er mwyn datblygu fel gweithiwr gofal plant . Gall DPP olygu gwneud rhywfaint o waith cysgodi, darllen gwybodaeth mewn llyfr neu ar wefan, neu siarad â chydweithwyr am y ffordd y gwnaethant ymdrin â sefyllfa anodd. Y peth allweddol yw bod gweithwyr gofal plant yn myfyrio ar eu dysgu a meddwl am sut y bydd yn effeithio ar eu swydd neu rôl yn y dyfodol. Gall gweithwyr gofal plant y blynyddoedd cynnar a gofal plant ddysgu drwy brofiadau ymarferol, e.e. dysgu trwy wneud y swydd a chael profiad. Yn ystod profiadau ymarferol, gall ymarferwr hefyd ddysgu trwy arsylwi a gwrando ar bobl eraill, e.e. plant, staff eraill neu bobl broffesiynol. Mae hyn yn rhoi cyfleoedd i gweithwyr gofal plant ddadansoddi ac arfarnu eu harfer eu hunain neu arfer pobl eraill er mwyn dadansoddi ac arfarnu sut y gellir ei wella neu ei wneud yn wahanol a pham.
Mae angen i gweithwyr gofal plant allu cymhwyso eu dysgu a throsglwyddo gwybodaeth a sgiliau i sefyllfaoedd newydd. Er mwyn gwneud hyn, mae’n bwysig fod gweithwyr gofal plant yn ystyried perthnasedd yr hyn sy’n cael ei ddysgu neu ei ddatblygu a sut y gallai fod yn berthnasol i’w arfer nhw. Bydd cymryd amser i fyfyrio yn arwain at ddealltwriaeth ddyfnach o'r dysgu ac yn helpu’r gweithiwr gofal plant i drosglwyddo’r wybodaeth i sefyllfaoedd ymarferol. Felly, mae'n bwysig eu bod yn adnabod cyfleoedd i gymhwyso eu dysgu a’u datblygiad i arfer bob dydd.
Gall cyfleoedd dysgu gynnwys y canlynol:
Gall gweithwyr gofal plant ddatblygu eu hymarfer a gwella’r wybodaeth sydd ei angen ar gyfer eu rôl drwy ddarllen polisïau'r lleoliad, ac ymchwilio i ddeddfwriaeth gyfredol. Mae llawer o wybodaeth ar gael er mwyn cefnogi gwybodaeth ac arfer orau. Dyma enghreifftiau:
https://www.estyn.llyw.cymru/arfer-effeithiol
Darllen pellach
What learning opportunities or information are available to support continuing professional development? Identify as many opportunities as possible on the diagram.
Pa gyfleoedd dysgu neu wybodaeth sydd ar gael er mwyn cefnogi datblygiad proffesiynol parhaus? Nodwch cymaint o gyfleoedd â phosibl ar y diagram.