The perspectives of teachers on the implementation of the CPTD system

Abstract

This study reports on an investigation into the perceptions and experiences of Cohort 3 teachers regarding the Continuing Professional Teacher Development system that is managed and implemented by the South African Council for Educators. The primary research question that guided this study was to find out what the experiences of Cohort 3 South African teachers are regarding the Continuing Professional Teacher Development system. The researcher used sub-questions that focused on Cohort 3 teachers’ perceptions and experiences of the implementation of the Continuing Professional Teacher Development system by the South African Council for Educators. The researcher used an exploratory case study approach to gather the data and embedded this qualitative study in the socio-cultural theory of Vygotsky. Personal interviews were employed as data collection methods. Participants consisted of Cohort 3 teachers from a primary school in Pretoria. The study examined a range of experiences and perceptions regarding the Continuing Professional Teacher Development system and found that most of the Cohort 3 teachers were showing some frustration with the system so far. The convenience-sampled participants indicated their need for greater variety in the choice of activities in the system and for them to have more of a say over what they should choose to complete as activities to earn them points upon completion. The study found a lack of the individual Cohort 3 teacher’s voice in the Continuing Professional Teacher Development system with regard to how the activities are chosen and which acivities are available to Cohort 3 teachers. The literature highlights the context within South African schools that keeps teachers from engaging with professional development. These teachers failed to plan for their own professional development by mapping out their activity choices, based on their preferred areas of growth, due to the aformentioned context they have to deal with. The study found that teachers were not focused on their own professional development since they must face and handle multiple social and economic issues inside and outside their classrooms.