Abstract:
Professional development is more than marking an attendance register at a workshop.
Professional development is a reflective process of continuous self-development that
should inform the very essence of any learning context. This dissertation builds on
how teachers experience school-initiated type-2 teacher professional development in
secondary public schools and how their experiences may contribute to the work in the
field of teacher professional development and assessment. Although a number of
studies have examined teachers’ comprehension of the Continuous Professional
Development framework in South Africa and the quality management policies, there
is a considerable lack of literature on the relationship between the professional
development of teachers and school improvement.
The purpose of this dissertation is to understand teachers’ experiences with the
implementation of Type-2 Continuous Professional Teacher Development activities in
public high schools. The data for this qualitative study were collected through semistructured
interviews and policy document analysis. The coded data were analysed
and emerging themes were identified. The participants of this study consisted of
teachers and members of the School Management Team.
However, the study found that teachers perceived that there is a gap in the focus of
professional development programmes. Teachers felt that the type-2 developmental
activities seemed only for the benefit and achievement of the school’s goals, and do
not adequately address the developmental needs of teachers themselves.
The findings of this study argue that a culture of shared responsibility and leadership
in secondary schools do indeed improve the development of teachers and the
successful academic achievement of learners.
