Continuing professional development: current trends and management in selected primary schools of Mpulungu district.
| dc.contributor.author | Nakasula, Chawe Rhoda | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-09-27T07:24:02Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-09-27T07:24:02Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2022-08-02 | |
| dc.description | Thesis | en |
| dc.description.abstract | This research investigated the Current Trends and Management of Continuing Professional Development in selected primary schools of Mpulungu district. The purpose of the study was to explore current trends and effects, examine management of CPD and explore adequacy of management of CPD programmes in schools. The study used a descriptive survey research design and adopted questionnaires and document review for data collection. The quantitative data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and statistical package Microsoft Excel (MS) version 2013 which helped to generate frequency tables, graphs and charts that were presented in percentages. The study sampled 100 respondents, 80 class teachers were selected using stratified random sampling while 20 management representatives were selected using maximal variation which is a purposive sampling technique. The major research outcomes regarding CPD implementation revealed that CPD is voluntary and self-driven, there is no needs assessment undertaken, teachers acquire qualifications irrelevant to their area of practice and there is no or very little input from school administrators in regards to the long term CPD implementation. Teachers choose the courses and finance their own CPD training. The study also revealed that CPD is not controlled, is not systematic, and teachers prefer long term based CPD as opposed to school based CPD. The study on effects of current trends revealed lack of study direction, lack of specialization, promotion of irrelevant study programmes, promotion of teacher movement from lower grades to higher grades, reduced teacher retention, promotion of extended absence, inhibiting maximum teacher performance, promoting teacher study competition, resulting in CPD training which is not demand driven but haphazard, and not in line with MOGE`S needs and priorities. There is no accountability after studies and CPD training consumes a lot of time. School managers do not effectively manage the long term CPD because there is no planning, no directing, no control, no coordination, no monitoring and there is no evaluation taking place. However, planning and monitoring rather takes place in school based CPD activities. There is no proper documentation of CPD progression of individual teachers in schools. Individual teachers manage their own long term CPD. The major concern is how long term CPD is managed in schools. It’s not effective, that’s why performance of teachers has continued to deteriorate, consequently affecting the learner development, school development, education system development and the social system development. On adequacy of management of CPD, the study shows that the way long term based CPD is managed is not suitable in that, it’s not compulsory to all teachers, not founded on school needs, mostly done outside the area of practice, training is not audited, CPD is not providing relevant knowledge and skills needed while CPD progression is not documented and has no effective strategies or policies that can empower management to fully execute their functions. Further study revealed that CPD programmes teachers are undertaking are not adequate. It implies that knowledge and skills acquired are inappropriate to their current areas of practice and do not provide enough experience for teachers to become specialists. The study reveals that management of CPD remains voluntary and teachers exercise their autonomy in CPD activities. Teachers engage in CPD activities out of their personal interest and aspirations. That is why, many teachers undertake CPD training which is not based on school needs and the Ministry of General Education priorities. The study also shows that Management of CPD remains weak due to weak policy on CPD implementation. The policy guidelines should be implemented fully. If the current trend is not addressed, schools will continue producing unwanted and unproductive professionals who cannot serve any purpose in improving teacher performance. If the recommendations of the study could be upheld, teacher performance problem would be addressed in approximately all schools in Mpulungu district. | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/7740 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.publisher | The University of Zambia | en |
| dc.subject | Managing continuing professional development-- Schools. | en |
| dc.title | Continuing professional development: current trends and management in selected primary schools of Mpulungu district. | en |
| dc.type | Thesis | en |