Exploratory Study on the Professional Development of University Teachers in the Province Baluchistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Professional development refers to a set of activities that enhance a teacher's knowledge, skills, performance, and understanding. The study aimed to investigate the influence of training on the professional development of university teachers who underwent training through the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE) Phase II. The study was mixed methods in nature by employing a concurrent triangulation design. A multistage sampling technique was used; in the first stage, the province of Baluchistan was selected conveniently; in the second stage, the trainees of training centres in the province of Baluchistan were selected universally to collect quantitative data; in the final stage, 60% of course coordinators and 25% of resource persons were selected conveniently for qualitative data to triangulate the responses obtained from trainees. The study utilized two instruments - a questionnaire and an interview schedule. The first instrument, a self-developed questionnaire based on 08 subscales consisting of 55 items, indicated high reliability was used; the second tool was an interview schedule consisting of 09 questions validated by experts. Qualitative data were analysed by thematic analysis. According to the analyzed data, it has been found that training has a positive impact on the professional development of university faculty. However, the trainees are not satisfied with the research sessions. Overall, the training has a significant positive impact on the professional development of university teachers.