Graduate Students in Foundations of Education: Call for Professional Development Ideas

This paper explores the professional development experiences of nine graduate students working on their doctoral degrees in foundations of education. The experiences of these students illustrate the need for enhanced professional development of future teachers and leaders in foundations of education. These students came to foundations of education as a second career. They were eager to learn their new professional roles and motivated to work with students. Some of the students had close relationships with mentors; others did not. The close knit group of graduate students provided support for each other. Findings from the narratives of these students show that it is important to note that there must be recognition by students and faculty alike that professional development is a necessary and vital part of the curriculum for doctoral students. The paper also reviews some ideas for professional development for graduate students, including: (1) mentoring; (2) attending research conferences; (3) focusing on student goals and beliefs; (4) using portfolios; (5) attending seminars; and (6) practicing "duography" as an arts-based form of qualitative research. A praxis model for professional development is presented in table form. (SLD)