Professional development can take many forms. It may be offered through in-service days, during which educators are required or asked to attend by their employers in return for coverage in the form of an occasional teacher. Optional in-service days are similar, but usually require the teacher to take the initiative to attend. After school or before school mini-workshops may be offered on specific topics at a board or school level. Additional university or college courses constitute professional development, as do staff meetings, classroom visitations, conferences, mentoring, coaching, portfolios, and professional readings. Basically, professional development is represented by any experience that increases a teacher's knowledge, skills, and understanding of their work.

Because professional development deals with the education of adults, it is important to acknowledge the principles of adult learning. Andragogy, or adult learning, includes an emphasis on self-direction, transformation and experience. In brief, adults learn by doing and exploring, and by changing and adapting strategies. These principles of adult learning should be interwoven into the practice of professional development, in order to ensure the information is presented in the most efficient, effective manner. Adults learn best in non-threatening environments that support their established self-concepts. MacKeracher (1996) believes that for adults to become fully engaged in learning, they must be aroused, be undefensive, and must be willing and able to channel their motives into change processes. Success is more probable if the adults are in the learning environment voluntarily. It is through these principles of adult learning that professional development programs should be delivered.

When discussing professional development it is difficult to ignore the impact of technology on the availablity of professional development opportunities. Valdez (2001) points out that technology can help teachers continue to learn throughout their careers by overcoming time and distance barriers. Telecommunications are able to facilitate teacher collaboration and sharing of planning resources. The decision-making process can be supported through the use of technology in collecting and exchanging relevant data. Distance education offered through universities allows teachers to participate in professional development by interacting via the Internet on important academic and research-related topics.

Effective, successful professional development challenges our current practices, yet reconginzes that teachers, as professionals, will reflect on their growing experiences and thus, generate newer ideas. It can be viewed as a cycle, whereby information is presented, assimilated, developed, reflected upon, modified, and once again, presented as new or further information. Continued support of professional development represents the bridge necessary to connect where new and experienced educators are now and where they need to be in order to meet the ongoing challenges involved in helping students to achieve higher learning.

Professional development can be a powerful tool for school improvement. But it also forms the basis for teacher growth and collegial support that results in authentic approaches to teaching and learning. Research has shown that a significant amount of internal assistance is crucial to implementing change within a school or school system (Blase & Blase, 1994). Thus commitment to the establishment of professional learning communities requires a board and school-wide commitment to the professional development of the school staff, first on becoming a professional communitiy of learners, followed by on-going professional development as a professional learning community.