An assessment of the implementation of continuing professional development programmes for teachers in secondary schools in Lady Frere district, Eastern Cape
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Date
2012
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Publisher
University of Fort Hare
Abstract
This study assessed the implementation of Continuous Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) programmes for Lady Frere rural senior secondary school teachers. The interest in the study was aroused by the consistent poor Matric results in the Eastern Cape Province despite the entire efforts by Department of Education to put structures to facilitate teacher development programmes for the secondary teachers in the region. Moreover, research has found that, in spite of the development programmes that are conducted for senior secondary teachers there is no teacher change, no improved classroom practice and therefore no improved learner performance. Subsequently, it appears from literature that there has never been a study conducted to assess the implementation of CPTD programmes. Hence the researcher was motivated to assess how the CPTD programmes are implemented in the Lady Frere district of Eastern Cape with the intention of exploring better strategies to implement CPTD programmes that may result into teacher change. The nature of the research problem placed the study within the post-positivism paradigm, and used the mixed-method design. Concurrent procedures were used to collect, analyse and interpret data. The quantitative data was collected through the use of questionnaires while qualitative data were collected through interviews, observations and document analysis. With observation, it was necessary for the researcher to observe both the training programmes and the teachers in their classes after each development session organised by the facilitators in the district (three training sessions and three class visits). The fifteen rural secondary schools were involved in the study through questionnaires administered to each grade eleven teacher (one per school), cluster leaders, HoDs, principals and facilitators. Interviews were conducted with a random selection of teachers, cluster leaders, HoDs, principals and facilitators of the programmes. The head of the Curriculum Section (CES) of the district was interviewed as well.
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Keywords
High school teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape, Teachers -- Vocational guidance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape, Teachers -- Development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape, Teachers -- Education (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape, Teachers -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape