The influence of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme on the classroom practices and professional development of technology teachers

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to explore the influence of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme on the classroom practices and professional development of Technology Education teachers. Clarity was sought on how those Technology Education teachers who had participated in the CPD programme were influenced by the outcomes of the CPD programme in terms of their classroom practices and professional development. Although the school set-up and its management structure was not part of the outcomes of the CPD programme, the researcher felt that it was also important to highlight and describe from teachers’ point of view the nature of support (if any) that the teachers received from their respective schools to enhance their professional development and growth. A qualitative approach to research, in the form of multiple case studies was used in this study. Purposeful sampling was applied to select the three teachers who participated in this study. Data was collected using multiple qualitative data collection strategies and instruments that included the use of once-off semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and documents analysis. Findings from this study revealed that those Technology Education teachers who participated in the CPD programme under review in this study had their classroom practices and professional development, to some extent influenced by the outcomes of the CPD programme. Teachers confirmed that most of the teaching strategies they apply in their classes were adopted from the CPD programme under review. Teachers acknowledged that they had acquired new teacher Technology Education-specific teacher knowledge which in turn helped their learners to learn effectively in class. There is also evidence from the results of this study that suggest that teachers had been greatly motivated by the CPD programme to improve their Technology Education-specific teacher knowledge. However, teachers still lacked the ‘drawing skills’ that are critical to procedural knowledge. Further, the study revealed the need for the development of structured classroom activities that will assist novice Technology Education teachers to deal with the dynamics of the subject with much ease. Lack of effective curriculum management and support in schools were highlighted as inhibitors to the professional development and growth of Technology Education teachers.