Professional section

David is responsible for the development of the Professional section of the journal.

This can include a wide variety of materials including:

Papers and articles to support learning and continuing professional development (CPD) including learning activities.
Book, paper, equipment, conference and meeting reviews
Software support inclding choosing and how to use particular programmes
Editorial pieces designed to provoke discussion within the profession
Papers that are more fundamental and support professional development
Historical pieces like Backward glance items from 25 years ago 

These papers in the journal are designed to encourage the lifelong learning and development of readers of the journal through presenting materials that will support continuing professional development (CPD).

This used to be a separate section but are now all part of the Professional section of the journal which is to the back of the journal in hard copy and lower parts of the online content list. 

The features that separate them from the rest of the journal are the inclusion of learning activities. They generally have the following format:

• Introduction
• General information or background to the topic,
• A series of tasks which help to develop and reinforce learning through practice, thinking around the topic or personal development.
• Links or references to further reading

We would welcome contributions to this section from:

• Complete learning activities
• Part complete ready for learning activities to be added
• Ideas on subject areas or activities that you would like to see covered
• Feedback on any that have been published
• Cartoons or illustrations that we could build an activity around.

This section also tries to be innovative in its approaches to Learning and CPD so a could include something you have tried and works for you, a collaborative project, a short piece on how you have used these pieces along with your online e-journal e.g. CPD Windows, PebblePad etc. Although this section has tended to concentrate on skills development there is no reason why it shouldn’t include a wider variety of topics. In terms of length they are generally 1,000 – 1,500 words in length though have been as long as 2,000, together with screen captures, tables or any figures that are appropriate or can liven up the activity and thinking around Learning and CPD.

Previous Learning and CPD activities include: