Reconceptualising the outcomes of Continuing Professional Development

This paper considers the potential outcomes, both positive and negative, of continuing professional development from the perspectives of practitioners and managers. Following a consideration of the literature it draws upon da ta collected during a 3-year evaluation of the English National Board Frame work and Higher Award to highlight divergent views and tensions within Cont inuing Professional Development (CPD). Considerable discrepancies between p ractitioners and managers emerge which raise a number of searching question s about the value each group accords to continuing professional development . Based on the data a new framework for conceptualising the outcomes of CPD is presented which fundamentally undermines a quasi-market approach. (C) 2 000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.