What Kind of Professional Development Activities and Motivations do Science Teachers Need for Effective Job Performance? Towards Education for Sustainable Development

Abstract

The study investigated the kind of professional development activities and motivations that science teachers need for effective job performance and consequently towards education for sustainable development in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A sample of 243 science teachers comprising 137 male and 106 female were purposively sampled from 60 senior secondary schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria was used. The study adopted survey research design. The instrument used for data collection was Teachers’ Professional Development and Motivation Need Questionnaire (TPDMNQ) with the reliability value of 0.89 using Cronbach Alpha. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The research questions were answered using Mean and Standard Deviation scores while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using t-test. The study revealed that there is no significance difference between the mean opinions of male and female science teachers on professional development activities need for effective job performance (t=19.87, df= 241, P>0.05). It was also found that there is no significant difference between the mean opinions of male and female science teachers on motivations need for effective job performance (t=22.31, df= 241, P>0.05). It is recommended among others that Ministry of Education should organize conferences, seminars and workshops should be organized for science teachers regularly and they should also be send for continuing education in order to enhance their teaching skills for effective job performance. Teachers should participation in study groups and administrator should also send teachers to observation visits to other schools for effective job performance. Government should ensure prompt payment of salaries, promotion and career advancement as at when due for effective job performance and consequently towards education for sustainable development.