Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Practices Among Basic School Teachers in the Central Region of Ghana
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Date
2022
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SAGE Open
Abstract
This paper reports on an exploratory study regarding the current continuing professional development (CPD) situation of
basic schoolteachers in Ghana. The study investigates the teachers’ CPD needs, frequency and nature of CPD provisions, and
barriers to teachers’ participation in CPD activities. Using a cross-sectional survey involving 456 teachers, the study found
that teachers required to be developed in areas of “ICT skills for teaching,” “research and dissemination,” and “teaching
students with special learning needs.” It was also revealed that the predominant CPD practices were workshops and in-service
training, and continuing education. However, these practices were seldom provided and rarely met the development needs
of the teachers. Teachers’ participation in CPD activities were also found to be minimal due to factors such as non-availability
CPD offerings, lack of pre-requisite information on CPD activities and lack of schools’ support. The study concludes that
the current CPD situation of teachers in Ghana reflects a lack of implemented CPD policy framework. There is, therefore,
the need for a broader CPD policy framework that will guide the provision, participation, and CPD practices of teachers in
Ghana.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
professional development, in-service training, policy