Role of the Professional Organization
According to Janet Bray’s presentation, professional organizations provide the members with a collective, strong voice that increases their bargaining power. Additionally, these organizations help in the recognition of the members’ profession through advocacy and representation as well as increase the ease of access to relevant and current information relating to their profession by networking its members throughout the country and with other relevant organizations. In the above respects, Bray concludes that professional organizations act as a provider of professional development for the members since they can access relevant information and improve their recognition.
Professional organizations help in professional development of its members through different ways. These organizations organize conferences and conventions that offer a wide range of topic related to the members’ professions. They also organize workshops aimed at supporting the professional careers of its members. Some of these organizations offer distance learning to its members who cannot attend the conferences, conventions or workshops in person. For developing learners, the organizations offer internships and apprenticeship to college and university students in order to develop the skills they learn in class. Some organizations also have mentorship programs that develop members’ professionalism. Finally, for the conferences, workshops, distant learning programs, internships, and mentoring programs attended, these organizations offer accreditation and certification to the members as well as recommendations to boost their CVs and experience for consideration in other job opportunities.
As I read this presentation, I learnt several reasons that I should join a professional organization as a professional. The outstanding thing that I learnt in this presentation is the fact that professional organizations act as advocates to its members. For instance, these organizations represent members to the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor as well as liaison with the State Directors of Career and Technical Education. In my opinion, these are important advocacy grounds that an individual cannot easily achieve on his/her own, but the professional organizations perform this responsibility on behalf of several professionals.
Major Professional Organizations
The professional organization that I have chosen to work on in this assignment is the Association of American Educators, which is the largest non-union professional educators’ organization (AAE n.d.). It advances the teaching profession by offering a modern approach to the members’ representation and educational advocacy. Additionally, the organization promotes professionalism, collaboration and excellence of the members.
After reading this organization’s profile and the testimonies from the members and parents who have benefited from the services of the organization, I developed interest in this organization, providing that not all students join the teachers’ union immediately after completing their education. Some students stay outside the union for the rest of their professional practice. In my opinion, I would wish to stay outside the union since I wish to work in the private sector.
As anon-union member, this organization would assist me find a job and provide me with a posting that best suits my interest, since the organization’s main aim is to satisfy the best interest of its members. Additionally, the organizations advocates for reasonable compensation of its members, which I would benefit from. The best thing that I would benefit from this organization is career development through its provision of books, teaching materials and networking with other individuals in my profession form different regions (Brown & Freeburg, 2009). Finally, the organization represents its members in different forums that advocate for the rights of non-union members.
Currently as a student, I belong to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Office and the American College counseling Association. The latter has helped me develop me counseling skills and face life with more courage.
Professional Development Speaker Series
Summary:
George Mason University and Kidz Online hosted the above-mentioned webcast. The live event was broadcasted on Monday, April 23, 2001 at 7:30 PM and another session broadcasted on Monday, April 30, 2001 at 7:30 PM. Teachers at Prince William County Schools developed the presentation and the major focus of the presentation was Web Resources in K-12. The major topics covered in the presentation included World Wide Web searching techniques, Web site evaluation, and useful search engines for K-12 and useful web-based technology tips for the classroom.
Reaction
In my opinion, the speakers and developers of this topic have adversely elaborated the topic of their presentation. Their major topics of discussion are relevant to the title of their presentation. The use of internet resources in the education sector has become rampant and most learners go online for their research and learning materials. The speakers’ ideas are consistent with the materials that I have previously read on the topic. Learners and educators need to be conscious of the search resources they use in different grades of learning. The speaker clearly tackle this issue and advices both the learner and the teachers on the best resources to use at every level. The question that I would like to ask the speaker regards the advantages of implementing the search resources in the education as opposed to other methods such as library research. The speaker fails to convince the audience of the advantages of these search resources, but only gives the requirements with different levels of education.
References:
Brown, D., & Freeburg, B.W. (Eds.). (2009). Foundations of workforce education (2nd. ed.). Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing. ISBN-13: 9780555015087
Association of American Educators (n.d.). Profile. Retrieved from http://www.aaeteachers.org/
