The Use of Information Communication Technologies for Staff Continuous Professional Development in Organizations. The case study

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to identify and compare the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) for Staff Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in a community of education and business organizations and prepare recommendations for more efficient staff CPD using ICT. Obviously ICT use for CPD helps to overcome traditional barriers, such as lack of financial resources, time, expertise and facilities; however there are other dimensions and factors influencing significance of ICT use in CPD in the organizations, such as attitudes from employer and employee perspectives, regulations and requirement of ICT competencies for staff members, possibility for regular update of ICT competencies of staff members. Quantitative research method was used. The assessment of staff of the organizations show that CPD is important in all types of organizations, and ICT competencies are significant for professional career development in an organization. The stronger focus of ICT competence development and staff CPD is in business organizations, when comparing to VET and community organisations. Indication of general index for three types of organizations is statistically significant. Staff member participation in professional online networking is still a challenge in majority of organisations.