Research in Pedagogy, Vol.9, No.1, Year 2019, pp.

81-94
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Solomon Melesse1, PhD Original scientific paper

Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies UDC: 371.13
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences DOI: 10.17810/2015.93
Bahir Dar University
Ethiopia
Kassa Gulie2 (MA), Senior Lecturer
Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies Department
College of Education and Behavioural Sciences
Bahir Dar University
Ethiopia

===============================================================================

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEACHERS’ CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL QUALITY: PRIMARY SCHOOLS
IN FAGITA LEKOMA WOREDA, AWI ZONE, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA IN FOCUS

Abstract: This study examined the extent to which Primary Schools of Fagita Lekoma
Woreda implement teachers’ CPD and its impact to quality in education. Data were
collected from teachers, school principals, and woreda education office supervisors.
Questionnaire and interview were used as the data gathering tools of the study. The
quantitative data was analyzed using percentage and one sample t-test. The
qualitative data was analyzed via thematic description. The findings confirmed that
the respondents’ level of agreement regarding the implementation of teachers’ CPD
was found significantly greater than the expected mean (3) in some parameters of
the implementation of CPD (e.g., teachers' access to new ideas (3.48), teachers' state
of sharing experiences (3.44), and teachers' professional interaction (3.48)). But,
there was no significant difference between the expected mean (3) and the
calculated means of the other parameters (e.g., attention given for teachers true
learning (3.15), focus on staff professional development (3.10), pursuit for improved
teaching and learning (3.06), teachers' engagement into continuous professional
development (3.31), the match between professional development provision and
professional needs (3.08), conceptualization of professional development (2.92),
being insensitive of matching of staff development opportunities to individual
concerns (2.75), effort made to relate learning experiences to work place conditions
(2.88), and teachers’ engagement into professional development that promotes
inquiry, creativity, and innovation (3.04)). The aggregate calculated mean value of
extent of CPD implementation (3.14) also showed insignificant difference from the
expected mean (3). Moreover, it was confirmed that there was no significant
difference between the expected mean and the calculated means of all the
parameters of the impact of CPD implementation on quality in education of primary
schools of the woreda. Having considered the above major findings, relevant
recommendations were forwarded in the recommendation section of this article.

Keywords: Implementation; Impact; Continuous Professional Development;

Quality in Education.

1
www.bdu.edu.et/febs
2
www.bdu.edu.et/febs

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Background of the Study

For education to play the role of enhancing the capacity of citizens and informing important
choices to their welfare, it has to meet minimum quality standards. Among other conditions, it
is strongly argued that universal goals set for education in terms of access need to be
accompanied with quality instruction. This in turn requires teachers to be qualified to do their
job effectively. This is reflected in the Education and Training Policy (TGE, 1994) and Education
Sector Development Programs charted out in Ethiopia.

Teachers in the present Ethiopia are expected to be reflective and change-oriented thereby to
meet the government and public demand for quality education. They are expected to
consider the dynamic nature of the learners and the society at large. This situation signifies
the importance of continuous professional development (CPD), which aimed at improving the
quality of the teaching learning process in particular, and improving quality of education in
general. Teachers are expected to employ interactive methods of teaching to help each and
every student learn to her/his maximum potentiality. The literature on quality education
indicates a strong link between teacher professional development and quality in education
especially in the areas of teachers’ beliefs and practices, students’ learning and on the
implementation of educational reforms (UNESCO, 2006).

CPD is said to have been coined in the mid-1970’s (Gray, 2005). Its notion is rooted in the
constructivist philosophy which claims that a person’s constructions and views of the world
are not stable, but are in continuous change. Accordingly, it is presumed that teachers have to
engage themselves in planning and executing their professional development on continuous
basis to cope-up with the rapidly changing world. In this regard, Amare and Temechegn (2002)
noted that teacher development is an essential element to bring meaningful changes in
addressing equity, quality, relevance and efficiency.

According to Gray (2005), CPD embraces the idea that individuals aim for continuous
improvement in their professional skills and knowledge, beyond the basic training initially
required to carry out the job. In teaching, such development was used to be called ‘in-service
training’, or INSET, with the emphasis on delivery rather than the outcome. Similarly, CPD is
viewed as professional growth that a teacher achieves as a result of gaining increased
experience and examining his or her teaching systematically (Reimers, 2003; Institute for
Learning, 2009).

The teacher professional development program in the Ethiopian context is a national

intervention program run by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and supported by six European
countries with the intent of enhancing the quality and effectiveness of teachers’ education
through both pre-service and in-service teacher training programs including Teacher System
Overhaul (TESO), Leadership and Management Program (LAMP), and English Language
Improvement Program (ELIP). The national program involved eleven Regional Educational
Bureaus (REBs), Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs), and nine universities as implementers
(MOE, 2007; MOE, 2008a). The purpose of this national project was to improve the
knowledge, skills, qualifications and attitudes of primary and secondary school teachers by
setting objectively verifiable indicators and target outcomes for the aforementioned areas.
The target outcome for the in-service CPD priority areas were pedagogical knowledge and
improving the capacity of teachers (MOE, 2007).

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Professional development in the broader sense refers to the development of a person in his or
her professional role. More specifically, teacher professional development is the professional
growth a teacher achieves as result of gaining increased experiences and examining his or her
teaching systematically (Glatthorn, 1995). Professional development includes formal
experiences such as attending workshops and professional meetings, mentoring, etc, and
informal experiences such as reading professional publications, watching on television
documentaries related to academic discipline, etc. (Ganser, 2000).

This conception of professional development is, therefore, broader than career development
which is defined as‚ the growth that occurs as the teacher move through the professional
career cycle‛ (Glatthorn, 1995) and broader than staff development, which is‚ the provision
organized in-service training programs designed to foster the growth of groups of teachers; it
is only one of the systematic interventions that can be used for teacher development
(Glatthorn, 1995). When looking at professional development, one must examine the content
of experiences, the process by which the professional development will occur, and the
context in which it will take place (Ganser, 2000; Fielding & Schalock, 1985).

Changes in the educational system of a nation and global requirements demand staff
development activities. In a major initiative to address problems related to relevance, access,
equity, and quality of educational provision, the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE)
introduced the Education and Training Policy in 1994. The ETP, supported by articles in the
Ethiopian Constitution, sought to decentralize educational authority to the 11 states and called
for new paradigms of education based on relevant, active, and student-centred teaching and
learning.

The ETP established the foundation for all subsequent strategies, guidelines and programs.
The education sector development programs were Education Sector Development Programs
I, II and III which were developed in 1997, 2002, 2005 and 2009, respectively. In line with the
goals of creating‚ trained and skilled human power at all levels who will be driving forces in
the promotion of democracy and economic development in the country‛ (MoE, 2005, p. 5), the
programs have focused on the expansion of the system, increased access for marginalized
children and girls, and reduction of attrition. With rapid quantitative expansion, attention has
increasingly been directed towards the issue of quality. Improving curricula, providing
textbooks, increasing community participation, and augmenting financing for education are
among the strategies pursued to address the perceived decline in the quality of education.
Moreover, while all policy documents stress the importance of teachers for promoting
learning, the emphasis on improving teacher quality is most prominent in the 2005 Education
Sector Development Program (MoE, 2005).

The Ethiopian MoE (2004), therefore, disclosed that teachers are agents of change and in the
front line of educational reforms. Realizing quality education, therefore, becomes a dream
without having competent teachers. To enhance the quality of education, MoE (2008) has
developed a ‘General Education Quality Improvement Program’ package (here after GEQIP)
that pave the way to mitigate the existing problems of education. As quality in education is
being affected by different factors, there arises the need to develop the package. One of the
programs designed as part of the package is Continuous Professional Development (CPD).

Now days, there has been a rapid and dynamic changes in every walks of life. The real world
where professionals practice is exhibiting dynamism. As a response to this rapid change, there

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is a need for professionals to update themselves regularly. To this end, professionals demand
new knowledge, skills and high commitment to lifelong learning (Craft, 2000).

McNeil (2004) on his part stated that the quality of teachers is the highest determinant factor
of realizing quality in education. He further noted that the role of teachers in keeping quality
of education is vital particularly in developing countries like Ethiopia where very few resources
are available for students. This implies that improving teachers' competence is a key issue in
assuring educational quality.

To ensure educational quality, countries are forced to carry out continuous school based in-
service training programs as a major means of teachers’ professional development. The in-
service training programs have been implemented in schools with the objective of updating
teachers with new knowledge and skills by performing different activities in group and
individually. Moreover, the school based in-service training program will be cost effective,
practical and easier to address teachers’ immediate concerns (Solomon & Alemayehu, 2007).

With no question, schools are placed where actual teaching learning process would be
practical. Therefore, in addition to designing, implementing and training at school level,
attention has to be given by school principals and supervisors to promote experience sharing
culture among teachers and thereby do problem solving activities at school level as
professional growth is by and large a social product. However, there is a rumour among
primary school teachers whom the researchers have met at different occasions that CPD has
not been effectively implemented in a way that it can contribute for quality education among
some of the primary schools in Ethiopia. This triggered the researchers to do an investigation
into the status of primary school teachers’ CPD implementation, and its impact for having
quality teachers in primary schools of the woreda.

Statement of the Problem

Ethiopia has made extraordinary achievement in expanding education at all levels of the
system. However, it seems that this achievement in terms of students’ enrolment did not
meet quality standards. Quality of education has become a serious concern among all
stakeholders. The national assessment results of 2000, 2004, and 2008 (MOE, 2008a)
indicated that, in many schools, children were not mastering basic skills. Despite the
concerted effort by the government, improving quality of education while at the same time
keeping the expansion of the education program has become a challenge.

A review of the performance reports of Teacher Professional Development program I and II

showed tangible results and shortcomings both at policymaking and implementation levels.
Evidences documented from researches conducted by universities, reports compiled from
field visits and impact studies by the Ministry of Education showed that the TDP program has
brought promising changes in terms of the targets set for the projects life span.
Achievements registered and problems encountered are linked to organizational
arrangements and readiness to implement the program by all stakeholders. In response to
these problems, the MOE has worked out a new toolkit for effective implementation of
school based Continuous Professional Development (CPD) at school level.

Even if access to basic education has relatively better achieved in Ethiopia, the quality of
education needs more work. The quality of education as it was evaluated by different

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professionals is below the desired standard level (e.g., MOE, 2008). In order to address
problems related to quality of education, MOE has designed General Education Quality
Improvement Package (GEQIP) which has six programs under it. CPD is one of the programs
of this package with the purpose of improving teachers’ competence and thereby enhance
students’ achievement. CPD as a new form of reaction in Ethiopia was intended to solve the
problems of educational quality by continually updating teachers.

To this end, Fagita Lekoma education office has implemented the CPD program as a primary
means of improving teachers’ professional performance. The focus of CPD as a program is not
only for teachers’ simple involvement in training but also it includes the empowerment of
teachers to take self-responsibility for continuous improvement and effectiveness as real
professionals. Even though all the teachers have been involved in the CPD program, rumours
from practitioners pointed out that the program could not bring a significant improvement on
the academic achievement of students’ and teachers’ professional competence. The
researchers’ frequent interactions with primary school staffs, as we go for community service
purposes, confirmed that there is still a gap between the intended professional competence
and the actual competence of teachers. As a result, there is also a gap between the intended
students’ academic achievement and the actual academic achievement of the students.

The major objective of this research is, therefore, to investigate the status of teachers’ CPD
implementation and its impact on realizing quality education in primary schools of Fagita
Lekoma woreda Education Office. On top of this, the researchers have participated in various
meetings and workshops designed for evaluating how CPD activities were practiced at
primary schools of Ethiopia. The experience gained from this exposure confirmed that CPD as
a program is not well organized. Thus, it can be said that it is not uniformly practiced at
schools and cluster centres.

As a result, the researchers designed to answer the following basic research questions:
- To what extent do Primary Schools of Fagita Lekoma Woreda implement teachers’
CPD?
- How far does teachers’ CPD implementation in the Primary Schools of Fagita Lekoma
Woreda influence quality in education?

Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study were:

- To investigate the extent to which Primary Schools of Fagita Lekoma Woreda
implement teachers’ CPD, and
- To check the impact of teachers’ CPD implementation in Primary Schools of Fagita
Lekoma Woreda to quality in education.

Significance of the Study

This research was designed to bring the following significances:

- Enable stakeholders to identify factors that affect CPD implementation,
- Help stakeholders to see the impact of some factors on CPD implementation,
- Give information about the extent to which school principals, cluster supervisors and
Fagita Lekoma woreda Education Office experts support classroom teachers while
implementing teachers’ CPD,

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- Provide information for decision makers and teachers themselves about the extent to
which they participate in teachers’ CPD activities,
- Develop an insight for program decision makers on how to improve the positive impact
of teachers’ CPD program implementation on teachers’ day to day practice,
- Used as a base line data for other researchers who want to do research with similar
problems at a wider scale and in-depth.

Delimitation of the Study

The study focused on primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda which is found within the
jurisdiction of Awi zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The major concern of this study is to assess
how far CPD is being implemented, and the impact of CPD implementation on quality in
education.

Research Design

A descriptive survey method was employed in this study.

Population

The population of this study includes Fagita Lekoma woreda Education Office Experts, primary
school principals, cluster supervisors of the primary schools and primary school teachers.

Sampling Technique

To select the required sample size, the researchers employed snow ball sampling technique
for the Fagita Lekoma woreda Education Office Experts. As a result, it was hoped that those
officers who had been better involved in the program implementation would be selected.
School principals and cluster supervisors of the sample primary schools were selected using
comprehensive sampling technique. Also the sample schools were selected using simple
random sampling technique. Teachers in these schools were selected using systematic
random sampling technique. That is, teachers in the sample schools were arranged in
ascending order on the basis of their teaching experiences and selection was made thereof at
intervals.

Sample Size

Out of 22 full cycle primary schools of the woreda, the researcher took only eight schools. The
principals and supervisors of these sample schools were also taken. Sample schools were
Addis Kidam, Sharata, Ashewa, Gezehara, Ayjasta, Nechela, and Finzit. The schools were taken
out of eight clusters so that the researchers have eight cluster supervisors and eight school
principals as a sample. Out of twenty two Fagita Lekoma education office experts, the
researchers took eight of them as a sample using snow balling. And out of 443 male and 339
female (a total of 782) teachers of the selected schools, the researchers took 100 teachers as
samples. The total sample size of the study is, therefore, 116.

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Data Gathering Tools

The researchers used questionnaire and interview as data gathering tools. Questionnaire and
interview were employed to see the status of CPD implementation and its impact on quality
education at primary schools in the woreda. The reliability and validity levels of the
instruments were checked via different procedures. The validity of the instruments was
improved through the comments of two professors of Measurement and Evaluation at BDU.
To check reliability, Cronbach alpha was employed in the data received from the pilot study.
Using Cronbach alpha value, reliability level of the questionnaire was found 0.84.

Data Analysis

The researchers analyzed and interpreted the quantitative data collected from different data
sources by using one sample t-test, and percentage. The qualitative data was thematically
analyzed using description.

Data Presentation and Analysis

The Status of Teachers’ CPD Implementation in primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda

Table1: CPD Implementation, test value=3

Areas of implementation N Actual Std. df t Sig. (2 -
Mean tailed)
Teachers' access to new ideas 116 3.48 1.306 115 2.655 .011
Teachers' state of sharing experience 116 3.44 1.227 115 2.599 .012
Attention for teacher learning 116 3.15 1.211 115 .916 .364
Teachers' professional interaction 116 3.48 1.129 115 3.071 .003
Focus on staff development 116 3.10 1.225 115 .566 .574
Pursuit for improved teaching and learning 116 3.06 1.074 115 .387 .700
Teachers' engagement into CPD 116 3.31 1.112 115 1.995 .051
Match between professional development
provision and professional needs 116 3.08 1.118 115 .496 .622
Conceptualization of professional development 116 2.92 1.234 115 -.449 .655
Staff development opportunities are insensitive to -
individual concerns 116 2.75 1.135 115 1.588 .119
Staff development opportunities make little effort
to relate learning experiences to work place 116 115
2.88 1.215 -.685 .497
conditions
Teachers engage in professional development that
promotes inquiry, creativity, and innovation 116 3.04 1.283 115 .216 .830

An attempt was made to check how far continuous professional development is being
practiced in primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda. Table 1 specifically summarizes data
related to how far continuous professional development program was practiced in the
primary schools of the woreda. The results indicated that the respondents’ level of agreement
to the implementation of teachers’ CPD was significantly greater than the expected mean (3)
in measures of the implementation of CPD such as teachers' access to new ideas (3.48),
teachers' state of sharing experiences (3.44), and teachers' professional interaction (3.48).

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The difference between the expected mean and the calculated means of the above measures
of CPD implementation was found significant at α value of 0.05.
However, there is no significant difference between the expected mean and the calculated
means of the other measures of CPD implementation in primary schools of the woreda. That
is, attention given for teachers true learning (3.15), focus on staff professional development
(3.10), pursuit for improved teaching and learning (3.06), teachers' engagement into
continuous professional development (3.31), the match between professional development
provision and professional needs (3.08), conceptualization of professional development
(2.92), being insensitive of matching of staff development opportunities to individual
concerns (2.75), effort made to relate learning experiences to work place conditions (2.88),
and teachers’ engagement into professional development that promotes inquiry, creativity,
and innovation (3.04) were moderately practiced in primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda.
As it can be seen from both the presentation and Table 1, some of the measures of CPD
implementation were slightly below and some others were above the expected mean.
Generally, the result implies that CPD implementation in the primary schools of Fagita Lekoma
woreda is moderate.

Similar findings have been observed from the interview data analysis. All the interviewees
agreed that CPD had been implemented in their respective schools. But, its implementation
was at a moderate level. They suggest that its implementation was facilitated with people
who were not well versed with pedagogical models, principles, and theories. The researchers
felt that it could be a good reason for having a moderate CPD implementation in primary
schools of Fagita Lekoma Woreda.

The Impact of Teachers’ CPD Implementation in primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda

Table 2: Impact of Teachers’ CPD Implementation to Quality Education, test value=3

Areas of Educational Impact of CPD Implementation N Cal. Std. df t Sig. (2 -
Mean tailed)
Investment in staff CPD 116 2.90 1.257 115 -.552 .583
Creating much more opportunity on teacher 116 115
2.83 1.309 -.953 .345
collaboration
Opportunities for teachers to share best practices 116 2.88 1.464 115 -.568 .572
Improvements in student learning and achievement 116 2.87 1.415 115 -.686 .496
Teachers show improvements in their own teaching
repertoires 116 2.88 1.395 115 -.596 .554
Teachers show improvements of understanding their
purposes 116 2.88 1.381 115 -.602 .550
Teachers are more likely provide an increased range
of learning opportunities for students 116 2.81 1.269 115 -1.093 .279
Teachers' sense of commitment become more
positive than before 116 2.67 1.424 115 -1.655 .104
Teachers' relationship with students become more
positive than before 116 2.73 1.388 115 -1.399 .168
Improved sense of teacher professionalism 116 2.81 1.314 115 -1.055 .296
Increased motivation to stay within the profession 116 2.75 1.312 115 -1.374 .175
Teachers renew, review and extend their
commitment as change agents to the moral purpose 116 115
2.83 1.309 -.953 .345
of teaching

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Teachers acquire and develop critically all the inputs

for good planning and practice with beneficiaries 116 3.04 1.441 115 .192 .848
There is teacher improvement in knowledge and skill 116 3.13 1.495 115 .649 .519
Teachers show high commitment and moral purposes
to their teaching 116 2.87 1.372 115 -.707 .483
There is an improvement in teachers' thinking and
planning 116 3.08 1.266 115 .438 .663
There is improvement in teachers' actions of taking
account of their life and career phases and the 116 2.90 1.317 115 -.526 .601
contexts in which they work

An attempt was made to check the impact continuous professional development

implementation has brought into the educational practices of primary schools of Fagita
Lekoma woreda. Table 2 specifically summarizes data related to the impacts of the
implementation of continuous professional development program on quality of educational
practices of primary schools of the woreda. The results indicated that there was no significant
difference between the expected mean and the calculated means of all the measures of the
impact of CPD implementation on quality of educational practices of primary schools of the
woreda. That is, the respondents’ level of agreement to all measures of CPD implementation
impact on quality of primary school educational practices of the woreda was found moderate.
As it can be seen from Table 2, some of the measures of CPD implementation impact on
educational practices were slightly below and some others were above the expected mean.

Generally, the result implies that the impact of teachers’ CPD implementation on the
educational practices of the primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda was moderate. This
finding was slightly different from the interview result. All the interviewees shared that the
implementation of teachers’ CPD program in the schools for years had created greater
opportunity to share ideas freely with other colleagues, share best practices done by others,
increased student achievement, increased their skill of interactively using different active
learning methods, increased their skill of planning lessons, help them to be more committed
to their job than before, etc. For example, one of the interviewees disclosed that,
CPD implementation has contributed a lot for me. It created an opportunity to share
best practices with other teachers of the same level, teachers interaction with
students become more and more emotional and become more and more like a father
or mother-child relationship, have also improved their skill of managing diversity in
the classroom, increased their skill of planning a lesson, and see a refined purpose of
teaching as a profession and love it. But, the interviewee disclosed that more should
be done on properly implementing CPD to bring deep-rooted and lasting effect on the
professional life of teachers.

Generally, the researchers felt that the interview finding regarding the impact of CPD
implementation at primary schools fits to the findings of the status of CPD implementation in
the woreda. As a result, the researchers support the interview finding at the cost of the
quantitative finding.

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Discussion of the Findings

The Status of Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development Implementation in the

Primary Schools of Fagita Lekoma Woreda

An attempt was made to check how far teachers’ continuous professional development was
being practiced in the primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda. Table 1 specifically
summarized data related to how far teachers’ continuous professional development program
was practiced in the primary schools of the woreda.

The results indicated that the respondents’ level of agreement about the status of teachers’
CPD implementation was significantly greater than the expected mean (3) in measures of the
implementation of CPD such as teachers' access to new ideas (3.48), teachers' state of sharing
experiences (3.44), and teachers' professional interaction (3.48). The difference between the
expected mean and the calculated means of the above measures of CPD implementation was
found significant at α value of 0.05 (Refer to Table 1).

Professional development was acknowledged to be centrally important in maintaining and

enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in schools (Craft, 2000; Harland & Kinder 1997;
Harris, 2002). The international literature (e.g., Day 1999b; Hargreaves, 1994) has consistently
shown that professional development is an essential component of successful school level
change and development. It confirmed that where teachers are able to access new ideas and
to share experiences more readily, there is greater potential for school and classroom
improvement. Evidence also suggests that attention to teacher learning can impact directly
upon improvements in student learning and achievement. Where teachers expand and
develop their own teaching repertoires and are clear in their purposes, it is more likely that
they will provide an increased range of learning opportunities for students (Joyce, et. al,
1999). The literature (e.g., Talbert & McLaughlin, 1994) demonstrates that professional
development can have a positive impact on curriculum, pedagogy, as well as teachers’ sense
of commitment and their relationships with students.

Recent research (e.g., Gray, 2000; Harris, 2002; Maden & Hillman, 1996; OFSTED, 2000) has
reiterated that quality of professional interaction, the focus on staff development and the
relentless pursuit of improved teaching and learning are key characteristics of successful
school improvement.

However, there is no significant difference between the expected mean and the calculated
means of the other measures of teachers’ CPD implementation in the primary schools of the
woreda. That is, attention given for teachers true learning (3.15), focus on staff professional
development (3.10), pursuit for improved teaching and learning (3.06), teachers' engagement
into continuous professional development (3.31), the match between professional
development provision and professional needs (3.08), conceptualization of professional
development (2.92), insensitive to matching staff development opportunities to individual
concerns (2.75), effort made to relate learning experiences to work place conditions (2.88),
and teachers’ engagement into professional development that promotes inquiry, creativity,
and innovation (3.04) are moderately practiced in the primary schools of Fagita Lekoma
woreda. As it can be seen from both the presentation and Table 1, some of the measures of
CPD implementation were slightly below and some others were above the expected mean.

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Generally, the result implies that teachers’ CPD implementation in the primary schools of
Fagita Lekoma woreda was moderate.

Similar findings have been observed from the interview data analysis. All the interviewees
agreed that teachers’ CPD had been implemented in their respective schools. But, its
implementation was at a moderate level. They suggest that its implementation was facilitated
with professionals who had low exposure with pedagogical models, principles, and theories.
The Impact of Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development Implementation in the
Primary Schools of Fagita Lekoma Woreda

An attempt was made to check the impact teachers’ continuous professional development
implementation has brought into the quality of education practiced at primary schools of
Fagita Lekoma woreda. Table 2 specifically summarizes data related to the impacts of the
implementation of teachers’ continuous professional development program on quality of
education practiced at the primary schools of the woreda. The results indicated that there was
no significant difference between the expected mean and the calculated means of all the
measures of the impact of teachers’ CPD implementation on quality of education practiced at
the primary schools of the woreda. That is, the respondents’ level of agreement to all
measures of teachers’ CPD implementation impact on the quality of educational practices of
the woreda was found moderate (Refer to Table 2). As it can be seen from Table 2, some of
the measures of teachers’ CPD implementation impact on quality educational practices were
slightly below and some others were above the expected mean. But the difference was not
significant. Thus, the result implies that the impact of teachers’ CPD implementation on the
quality of education practiced in the general primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda was
moderate.

This finding was slightly disconfirmed by the interview result. All the interviewees share that
the implementation of teachers’ CPD program in the primary schools has created an
opportunity to share ideas freely with other colleagues, share best practices done by others,
increased student achievement, increased their skill of interactively using different active
learning methods, increased their skill of planning lessons, help them to be more committed
to their job than before. These list of CPD implementation, as to the researchers, enhance
quality in education.

The current interview finding is consistent with the suggestions made by early researchers. In
this line, evidences pointed out from the related literature suggest that attention to teacher
learning can impact directly upon improvements in student learning and achievement. Where
teachers expand and develop their own teaching repertoires and are clear in their purposes, it
is more likely that they will provide an increased range of learning opportunities for students
(Joyce, et. al, 1999). The research literature demonstrates that professional development can
have a positive impact on curriculum, pedagogy, as well as teachers’ sense of commitment
and their relationships with students (Talbert & McLaughlin, 1994).

Recent research has reiterated that quality of professional interaction, the focus on staff
development and the relentless pursuit of improved teaching and learning are key
characteristics of successful school improvement (Gray, 2000; Harris, 2002; Maden & Hillman,
1996; OFSTED, 2000). However, it also acknowledges the importance of teachers engaging in
continuing career long development that meet their own personal and professional needs.

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These needs vary according to circumstance, personal and professional histories and current
dispositions. Yet, matching appropriate professional development provision to particular
professional needs is essential if effective learning is to take place (Solomon & Alemayehu,
2007). This ‘fit’ between the developmental needs of the teachers and the selected activity is
critically important in ensuring that there is a positive impact at the school and classroom
level. Where staff development opportunities are poorly conceptualized, insensitive to
matching with the concerns of individual participants and, make little effort to relate learning
experiences to workplace conditions, they make little impact upon teachers or their pupils
(Day, 1999a). Research has shown that in order to achieve improvements in teaching and
better learning outcomes for students, teachers need to be engaged in professional
development that promotes inquiry, creativity and innovation. Using peer coaching,
mentoring, sabbaticals and other forms of sustained professional learning has been shown to
have positively affected teaching and learning outcomes (Joyce, Calhoun et al., 1998; Little,
1993).

Conclusions

From the findings of this study, one can conclude that the implementation of teachers’ CPD
such as teachers' access to new ideas, teachers' state of sharing experiences, and teachers'
professional interaction opportunity were significant. However, attention given for teachers
true learning, focus on staff professional development, pursuit for improved teaching and
learning, teachers' engagement into continuous professional development, the match
between professional development provision and professional needs, conceptualization of
professional development, insensitive of staff development opportunities to individual
concerns, effort made to relate learning experiences to work place conditions, and teachers’
engagement into professional development that promotes inquiry, creativity, and innovation
are moderately practiced in the primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda. The impact of the
above focal points implementation on instruction was also found moderate.

Recommendation

On the basis of the major findings and conclusions made thereof, the researchers have
suggested the following recommendations:
- School principals and woreda supervisors could work more than ever before so that
the status of the attention given for teachers true learning, focus on staff professional
development, pursuit for improved teaching and learning, teachers' engagement into
continuous professional development, the match between professional development
provision and professional needs, conceptualization of professional development,
insensitiveness in matching staff development opportunities to individual concerns,
effort made to relate learning experiences to work place conditions, and teachers’
engagement into professional development that promotes inquiry, creativity, and
innovation could be enhanced among primary school teachers’ of the woreda.
- School principals and woreda supervisors shall create a tripartite (teachers, principals
and supervisors) and true collaborative system at the schools so that the
implementation of the above CPD focal points could bring the highest impact on the
educational practices of the primary schools of Fagita Lekoma woreda.

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Biographical notes:

Solomon Melesse completed his First Degree in Pedagogical Sciences, Master’s Degree in
Curriculum and Instruction, and his PhD in Curriculum Design and Development both from
Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He had been a high school principal for 5 years and
Education Senior Expert at Amhara Region for 4 years. Moreover, he has been teaching at
Bahir Dar University for the last 15 years.

Kassa Gulie completed his First Degree in Pedagogics, minor English, Master’s Degree in
Curriculum and Instruction both from Addis Ababa University, and now he is a PhD candidate
in C&I from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. He had been a high school principal for six years in
Afar Region (one of the nine regions in Ethiopia). He has been teaching at Bahir Dar University
for the last 15 years.

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