The management of professional development of teachers in secondary schools

Abstract

Professional development has proved to be a key aspect in maintaining standards of teaching and learning; it is also needed to address change and development in the education system. However, there seems to be some oversight in terms of the need for professional development within the school system. This study aimed at investigating how school management teams manage the professional development of teachers in schools in the Ekurhuleni District in the Gauteng Province. Five secondary schools within the district were involved in the study. A total of fifteen participants were purposively selected to participate in the study. A head of department, a teacher and either the deputy principal or another educator who was involved in the professional development of teachers from each of the five schools were selected for the study. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and document analysis. During the semi-structured interviews the researcher was able to obtain rich data related to the experiences of participants regarding professional development and its management. The data obtained from the semi-structured interviews was compared with findings from the document analysis to enhance the trustworthiness of the research findings. The findings of the study reflect a lack of formal professional development in the school context. The reason for inadequate or no professional development of teachers stems from multiple factors, such as a lack of understanding of the concept of professional development; the lack of clear guidelines; and a lack of various resources needed to implement professional development as well as the management of the professional development process. This study recommends that collaboration between all stakeholders should be undertaken to compile specific management guidelines and practices which may be implemented in schools to encourage and support the professional development of teachers.