Professional development as employment capital is increasingly seen from a lifelong learning perspective, providing a means for improving the quality of the workforce and retaining competent and effective staff. Such an approach can sustain individual growth and optimism and empower individuals to fulfil their potential while also contributing to society (Mackay, 2017). To achieve this goal, flexibility and accessibility are among the priorities in organising adult education, with a strong focus on facilitating employability and inclusion through adult learning (Kersh & Laczik, 2021). The transfer of professional development results of adults to practice is described in theory as a complex and multi-layered process of taking what was learned in one context and applying it effectively and continuously to new job-related contexts (Kubsch et al., 2020).

A range of theories have been developed so far that conceptualise transfer of learning results into practice. The findings of the previous theoretical and empirical studies revealed that solutions for effective professional development of adults and transfer of adult learning  results depend on many different factors, including contextual factors such as local culture, which affects how adults learn and whether they apply the new knowledge in their workplaces (Brion, 2023). One of the offered solutions is the Integrative Transfer of Learning model (Galoyan & Betts, 2021) with 4 dimensions identified: (a) task dimension, (b) personal dimension, (c) context dimension, and (d) pedagogical dimension. In this model, social and cultural contexts are defined as factors that explain how intercultural norms and different cultural ways of thinking may interfere with the process of communication, learning, and transfer into practice.

Besides, a thorough understanding of adult perceptions and choices related to their professional development can assist service providers in developing the opportunities that adults are likely to uptake (Heckathorn & Dotger, 2023; Korsager et al., 2022). As identified by a seven-country study (Brown & Bimrose, 2018), the main drivers for learning of low-skilled adults are as follows: enhancing self-efficacy, working on self-improvement, raising the capacity to meet labour market needs, being motivated by a significant other, and advancing work-related practical skills(learning by doing). Contrary to this, an effective professional development, and hence an effective adult learning, of high-skilled professionals (e.g., teachers, managers), according to previous studies  (Goldhawk & Waller, 2023; Wakefield, 2022),  should meet the following criteria: it should be sustainable, active and collaborative, it should include modelling of effective practices, coaching and expert support, and feedback and reflection. High quality, easily accessible and effective professional development of teachers showed a positive and significant effect not only on teacher self-efficacy and teaching practices, but also on student learning processes and outcomes (Didion et al., 2020; Jensen & Würtz Rasmussen, 2019; Korsager et al., 2022; Murphy et al., 2020).

The goal of the current research (December 22, 2023 - December 21, 2026) is to develop an evidence-based framework and propose practical solutions for effective professional development of adults and the transfer of its results into practice, offering tools for assessing the impact of professional development on practice at organisational and system levels in Latvia. The research questions leading the inquiry are as follows: What does effective professional development for adults mean and how is it implemented in Latvia? What is the most appropriate framework for ensuring effective professional development of adults at organisational and system levels in the private and public sectors in Latvia? How to evaluate or measure the process efficiency and effectiveness of transferring the results of professional development of adults to practice at an organisational and system level in Latvia?

The study is planned to be organised as a mixed-method design-based research including four steps. First, the preliminary or preparatory web-based qualitative research will be conducted to reveal the current situation and to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the field in Europe and worldwide. This will include a systematic review and meta-analysis based on the protocol designed in PRISMA (Page at al., 2021) and use of the e-resources subscribed by the project applicants(e.g., databases, search tools) to explore the characteristics and universal and/or context-sensitive solutions for effective professional development of adults. It will also look into effective ways transferring training results into professional practice to identify good practice examples worldwide (case studies), transferable into the socio-cultural and legislative context of Latvia. Second, a desk research (analysis of normative documents of Latvia) followed by focus-group discussions with three different groups as follows: (a) representatives of the main adult education and professional development service providers (e.g., HEI, VET centres, high-performance institutions/enterprises as learning organisations, etc.); (b) adult learners (e.g., from the sectors enjoying the highest employment rates in Latvia (7-16%): education, trade, manufacturing, health and social care, transport and storage, etc.), and (c) representatives of NGOs, enterprises and institutions developing education policies at national and local level. Besides, a representative survey of adult learners will be conducted to identify the current situation in the field in Latvia from the perspective of practice and governmental policies. Third, after evaluating the existing experience and solutions, and analysing the existing policy priorities and ongoing reforms, the improvements or new solutions will be proposed, applying multilevel modelling and re-modelling with a design thinking approach. This will enable sketching of the first prototypes for the effective professional development of adults and assessing the transfer of its results into practice in Latvia, The expected additional outcome is a specific solution for teachers as a priority target group of the Ministry of Education and Science as well as a possible specific solution for low-skilled adults (employees) as one of the priority target groups of the Ministry of Economics. Fourth, the first prototypes will be tested, validated and updated and the final technical (digitalised) solutions will be elaborated, tested and validated using iterative, agile working methods involving design thinking and hands-on workshops. Finally, recommendations for the successful implementation of the developed practical solutions will be proposed at organisational and system levels.

The expected outcomes are many-sided. To begin with, implementation of a design-based research approach intends to comprise a systematic study into ways how adult professional development results are transferred into practice, what impedes this process and how the effectiveness of this process is measured. The analysis will be done against the theoretical background, relevant international experience, and the contexts and needs this sector has in Latvia. The impact of the results of current adult professional development on practices in Latvia will be analysed, considering the existing policy priorities and ongoing reforms. Then an evidence-based framework for effective professional competence development of adults and for the transfer of its results into practice will be developed, offering validated practical solutions for assessing the effectiveness of the professional development on organisational and system levels in accordance with the Latvian context and current educational policy goals. Besides, the research results will be presented in at least five international scientific conferences. It is envisaged that within the project, four articles will be submitted or accepted for publication and three articles will be published in Web of Science and/or Scopus indexed journals and proceedings. Another projected outcome, by the end of the project, is two defended Master's theses defended and one PhD thesis submitted for defence. This way the research results are expected to contribute to enhancing evidence-based decision-making on how to make professional development of adults more effective and more efficient and how to better achieve strategic education development objectives. The study is also expected to create new knowledge and practical solutions at organisational, local, and national levels. This research is funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia, project “Elaboration of evidence-based solutions for effective professional competence development of adults and assessment of the transfer of its results into practice in Latvia”, project No. VPP-IZM-Izglītība-2023/4-0001.

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