Abstract:
In the endeavour to produce students who are nationally and internationally competitive, quality teaching and student accomplishment have been the subject of much controversy on the education front. As a result, most education systems now include the topic of teacher professional development as a necessity. It is therefore imperative to determine how impactful Professional Development (PD) programs are, as well as the barriers that inhibit the successful application of PD programs in the classroom. The study examined the perceptions Junior High School (JHS) Science teachers in six (6) circuits in the La Dade- Kotopon municipality hold about the impact of PD programs on their content knowledge and instructional practices. The study also aimed to identify the barriers the Science teachers face in the application of the PD programs. Employing the purposeful sampling technique, 15 respondents were sampled. Thematic analysis employed in the analysis of data revealed that teachers found PD programs impactful on both their content knowledge and instructional practices. Findings also revealed that the JHS Science teachers faced several barriers in the application of knowledge gained from PD programs. Findings additionally justified the implementation climate theory and an aspect of Durlak and DuPre (2008) ecological model of implementation, upon which the study was based. The study went on to recommend solutions to eliminate such barriers inhibiting the application of PD programs in the classroom to facilitate the effective teaching of science to produce competitive students.
Keywords: Professional Development Programs, Barriers, Teachers’ Instructional Practice
