Monitoring and Evaluation of Teacher Professional Development for Resourceful Classroom Practices

Samantha Govender,Oluwatoyin Ayodele Ajani

doi:10.13189/ujer.2021.090421

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing teachers' in-service professional development activities based on teachers' perspectives of monitoring and evaluation for the programmes in South Africa. Teachers attend various scheduled professional development activities on a yearly basis to improve their classroom practices; however, the effectiveness of these activities depends on the monitoring and evaluation of teachers on the quality and nature of what they receive as professional development activities. This qualitative research study used the interpretive paradigm to collect data from three Heads of Departments in semi-structured interviews and five teachers in a focus group interview. Theory of andragogy was used as a theoretical framework to underpin teachers' views on workshops, clusters' meetings, conferences and other professional development activities they attended. Findings revealed that South African teachers were not adequately monitored and evaluated on their attendance at various professional development activities for enhanced classroom practices and seemingly, teachers do not attend professional development activities frequently every year. Findings also revealed that the contents of the professional development activities are not satisfactory to the teachers. The study, therefore, recommends that teachers should be assessed to determine their professional needs and the frequencies for these professional development activities should be increased to enhance their classroom practices.

Highlights

Improvement of teachers’ classroom practices is critical to the quality of education in South Africa
This study aims at exploring the perspectives of teachers on the monitoring and evaluation of existing professional development activities and how these activities impact their teaching and learning in South African high schools
Assessment of existing teachers' professional development activities in South African high schools revealed that teachers have various perspectives on the existing in-service professional development (IPD) activities available to them

Summary

Introduction

Improvement of teachers’ classroom practices is critical to the quality of education in South Africa. Several approaches have been adopted to enhance teachers’ classroom practices; some of these activities have not been productive to teachers [12]. South African teachers deserve regular and quality professional development training like other professionals who constantly and consistently access professional development to improve their productivities [24]. The state of basic education in South Africa reveals that many teachers are confronted with how best to facilitate learning and reduce learners’ challenges in academic performances [26]. Teachers need to be responsible for how they can individually and collectively improve their classroom teaching to enhance their learners' performance [8]

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion