The role of departmental heads in the professional development of Mathematics teachers

Abstract

Professional development has proven to be a key aspect in upholding the teaching and learning standards, where it assists in addressing change and development in the education system. However, this study addresses certain oversights regarding the need for professional development in the education system. Learners attain poor results in subjects like Mathematics and Language. Thus, this study sought to investigate the departmental heads’ role in the mathematics teachers’ professional development. Effective teacher professional development activities have proved to maintain and enhance the standards of teaching and learning. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, mathematics departmental heads and mathematics educators in two primary and secondary schools were targeted in order to share their experiences regarding the professional development of teachers. A total of four departmental leaders and eight teachers were purposively sampled in the Nkangala District based on their experiences in Mathematics and their practices in their professional development. The study was guided by the principles of the instructional leadership theory, wherein departmental heads manage the curriculum and teachers in their departments. In terms of methodology, the qualitative research approach was adopted based on a case study design. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study’s findings indicate that poor learner performance is attributed to poor instructional skills. The reason for poor instructional skills stems from ineffective professional development initiatives. This study recommends a thorough training of departmental heads so that effective professional development may be implemented in schools to improve learner achievement.