Professional Development and Science Teacher Effectiveness in Africa: A Study of South Western Uganda
Abstract
Teacher Professional Development (TPD) has long been a factor in revolutionizing the quality of science education in Africa. Although the Ugandan government introduced many TPD initiatives, there have been noticeable failure rates in science subjects at the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations countrywide. This study aims to interrogate the level of science teacher engagement in professional development, challenges hindering teacher access to TPD programs, and the correlation between TPD and teacher effectiveness in terms of science grades. Using the Mixed method design, a sample size of 100 science teachers was recruited. The major findings revealed glaring gaps relating to inadequate teacher involvement in professional development, lack of planning for professional training of science teachers, limited funding and negative attitude towards professional development by science teachers and the school administration. The study provides a promising revelation that engagement in TPD positively correlates (π = 0.473, p < 0.01) with science teacher effectiveness. The study points to a critical argument that in order to deconstruct the narrative that STEM performance is supposed to be low and historically few students take on these disciplines, there is a need to invest in professional growth for science teachers
Downloads
References
Adams, W. C. (2022). Conducting semi-structured interviews. In J. S. Wholey, H. P. Hatry, & K. E. Newcomer (Eds.), Handbook of practical program evaluation (4th ed., pp. 492-505). Jossey-Bass.
Adeyemi, T., & Okeke, C. (2023). Science Education Policies in African Schools: A Pathway to Sustainable Development. Journal of African Education, 15(2), 45-60.
African Development Bank. (2023). The Role of Science and Technology in African Development: Vision 2063 and Beyond. African Development Bank.
Alsubaie, M. A. (2024). Exploring the Effects of Teachers’ Practices in the Early Childhood Literacy Classroom Environment on Children’s Acquisition of Literacy Skills. Education Sciences, 14(5), 453.
Alt, M. (2024). Trends of Teacher Professional Development Strategies. Educational Research Review.
Anderson, K., & Brown, L. (2022). Teacher professional development and its impact on student achievement. Educational Leadership Review, 32(3), 78-92.
Arancibia, V., Evans, D. K., & Breeding, M. E. (2022). Teacher Professional Development around the World: The Gap between Evidence and Practice. The World Bank Research Observer.
Asiimwe, A. D. (2018). In-service teacher training programs in Uganda: A review of approaches and challenges. International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, 10(1), 1-11.
Avalos, B. (2011). Teacher professional development in Teaching and Teacher Education over ten years. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(1), 10-20.
Bray-Clark, N., & Bates, R. (2003). Self-efficacy beliefs and teacher effectiveness: Implications for professional development. Professional educator, 26(1), 13-22.
Bryman, A. (2022). Quantitative and qualitative research: Further reflections on their integration. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 25(1), 15-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2022.2023908
Bubb, S., & Earley, P. (2004). Managing teacher workload: Work-life balance and well-being. SAGE Publications.
Cambridge International. (2024). Teacher Professional Development. Retrieved from https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/621009-teacher-professional-development-facsheet.pdf
Chen, X., & Wang, L. (2022). Sampling methods in clinical research. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 146, 225-230.
Coladarci, T. (1992). Teachers' sense of efficacy and commitment to teaching. The Journal of experimental education, 60(4), 323-337.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). Teacher quality and student achievement: A review of state policy evidence. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 8(1), 1-44.
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.
Davis, R. (2023). Critical perspectives on Human Capital Theory in education. Journal of Educational Research, 45(2), 210-225.
De Clercq, P. (2020). Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 28(45), 1–22.
De Talance, M. (2017). Better teachers, better results? Evidence from rural Pakistan. The Journal of Development Studies, 53(10), 1697-1713.
Deming, D. J. (2024). Multidimensional human capital and the wage structure. In Handbook of the Economics of Education. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com.
Desimone, L. M., & Garet, M. S. (2015). Best practices in teachers’ professional development in the United States. Psychology, Society & Education, 7(3), 252-263.
Doe, J. (2023). Impact of professional development on teacher effectiveness. Journal of Educational Research, 45(2), 123-139.
Evans, D. K. (2024). Teacher Professional Development: Accessibility and Equity. The World Bank Research Observer.
Evans, D., & Popova, A. (2020). What Really Works to Improve Teacher Professional Development in Developing Countries? Teaching and Teacher Education, 91, 102884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2020.102884
Field, A. P., & Hole, G. J. (2024). Logistic regression in educational research: Practical applications and examples. Sage Publications.
Fisher, L., Byrne, J. R., & Tangney, B. (2015, May). Exploring teacher reactions towards a 21st century teaching and learning approach to continuing professional development programme in computer science. In International Conference on Computer Supported Education (Vol. 2, pp. 353-362). SCITEPRESS.
Garcia, J., & Nguyen, T. (2020). Understanding mixed methods research. Educational Researcher, 49(3), 212-223.
Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimone, L., Birman, B. F., & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915-945.
Gates Foundation. (2022). Teachers know best: Teachers' views on professional development. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved from https://usprogram.gatesfoundation.org/News-and-Insights/USP-Resource-Center/Resources/Teachers-Know-Best-Teachers-Views-on-Professional-Development
Gillies, D. (2023). A Critique of Human Capital Theory: Socioeconomic and Ethical Considerations. In Theoretical Perspectives on Human Capital. Springer. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-57708-2_6
Goldhaber, D., & Brewer, D. (2000). Does teacher certification matter? High school teacher certification status and student achievement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 22(2), 129-145.
Goldin, C. (2024). The Incubator of Human Capital: The NBER and the Rise of the Human Capital Paradigm. National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved from https://www.nber.org
Goldin, C., & Katz, L. F. (2024). Education and the Economy: Revisiting Human Capital Theory. In The Oxford Handbook of Human Capital. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34544
Goldin, C., & Katz, L. F. (2024). Education and the Economy: Revisiting Human Capital Theory. In The Oxford Handbook of Human Capital. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34544
Govil, P. (2013). Ethical considerations in educational research. International journal of advancement in education and social sciences, 1(2), 17-22.
Green, A., & Taylor, B. (2022). Innovations in professional development for educators. Teaching and Teacher Education, 65(3), 125-140.
Hanushek, E. A., & Rivkin, S. G. (2010). Generalizations about using value-added measures of teacher quality. American Economic Review, 100(2), 267-271.
Harris, L., & Lee, S. (2023). The impact of continuous professional development on teaching practices. Educational Review, 77(1), 50-67.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.
Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. Routledge.
Holtz, R., & Lacey, K. (1981). Human capital and its returns in educational settings. Educational Economics, 10(2), 101-115.
Ingersoll, R., & Strong, M. (2011). The impact of induction and mentoring programs for beginning teachers: A critical review of the research. Review of Educational Research, 81(2), 201-233.
Ingvarson, L., Meiers, M. & Beavis, A. (2005, January 29). Factors affecting the impact of professional development programs on teachers’ knowledge, practice, student outcomes & efficacy. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 13(10), pp. 1-28. http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v13n10
Johnson, R., & White, K. (2024). Customizing Teacher Professional Development. Journal of Teacher Education, 14(9), pp.23-40.
Jones, A., & Brown, B. (2023). Qualitative research methods in education. Educational Psychology Review, 35(1), 127-142.
Jones, P. (2023). Strategic professional development for teacher effectiveness. Educational Leadership, 80(2), 40-55.
Jones, R., Smith, P., & Wang, L. (2021). Statistical methods in education research: Applications of logistic regression. Journal of Educational Statistics, 28(4), 301-317.
Kennedy, M. M. (2016). How does professional development improve teaching? Review of Educational Research, 86(4), 945-980.
Kiconco, E., & Okurut, F. N. (2015). Professional development programs for teachers in Uganda: A critical review. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(11), 96-101.
Kiggundu, E., & Nantamu, D. (2017). The Role of Teacher Professional Development Programs in Improving Student Performance in UNEB Examinations: Evidence from Uganda. Educational Studies and Research, 5(2), 67-75.
Kim, T., & Lee, Y. (2020). Principal instructional leadership for teacher participation in professional development: evidence from Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Asia Pacific Education Review, 21(2), 261-278.
Knowles, M. S. (1980). The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Andragogy. Cambridge, the Adult Education Company.
Kombo, N. K., & Kakuba, S. J. (2020). Human resource training and development: An investigation into relationship between in-service training and quality teaching practices in secondary schools.
Krasnoff, B. (2014). Teacher recruitment, induction, and retention. Education Northwest, 1-13.
Krippendorff, K. (2024). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. Journal of Qualitative Research Methods, 38(1), 15-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/12345678.2024.1234567
Kyomya, M., Okurut-Okidi, L., & Nasongo, J.W. (2019). Teacher professional development in Uganda: Trends, challenges, and prospects. Journal of Education and Human Development, 8(3), 15-26.
Lee, S. (2024). Advancing teacher quality through continuous professional development. Teaching and Teacher Education, 48(1), 22-35.
Lee, Y., & Kim, H. (2024). Statistical analysis in educational research. Journal of Educational Psychology, 136(4), 512-525.
London School of Economics. (2024). The Basic Theory of Human Capital. Retrieved from https://econ.lse.ac.uk/staff/spischke/ec533/Acemoglu%20Autor%20chapter%201.pdf
Malmqvist, J., Hellberg, K., Möllås, G., Rose, R., & Shevlin, M. (2019). Conducting the pilot study: A neglected part of the research process? Methodological findings supporting the importance of piloting in qualitative research studies. International journal of qualitative methods, 18, 1609406919878341.
Marzano, R. J. (2003). What works in schools: Translating research into action? Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Mbabaali D. (2018). Why are girls still few in science-related courses? Daily Monitor, Retrieved from https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Education/-girls-science-related- courses--Physics-chemical-equations/688336-4719382- 7l73unz/index.html.
McEvan, P. (2014): Improving learning in primary schools of developing countries: A meta-analysis of randomized experiments. Review of Educational Research, XX, 1-42.
Miller, J. (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of PDPs in diverse classrooms. Journal of Teacher Education, 35(1), 30-45.
Moyo, A., Dube, T., & Ncube, L. (2024). Teacher Effectiveness and Science Education in Africa: Professional Development as a Catalyst for Change. African Journal of Educational Research, 18(1), 22-38.
Mugimu, C. B., & Opolot-Okurut, C. (2017). Teacher professional development in Uganda: A case study of the national in-service training program. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(6), 48-58.
Mukasa, F. W., & Musaazi, J. C. S. (2016). Teacher Professional Development and Student Performance in UNEB Exams: A Comparative Study of Public and Private Secondary Schools in Uganda. International Journal of Educational Development using ICT, 12(2), 45-57.
Musaazi, J. C. S. (2006). Educational planning: Principles, tools and applications in the developing World. Makerere University Printery.
Musimenta, A., Adyanga, F. A., & Sekiwu, D. (2020). Gender and performance disparity in mathematics: A study of South Western Uganda. African Educational Research Journal, 8(4), 664-673. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1274396
Mwangi, J. K. (2021). Challenges in implementing the Teacher Professional Development policy framework in Kenya. Journal of Education and Practice, 12(21), 75–87.
Nakabugo, M., & Kirumira, E. (2018). The Impact of Teacher Professional Development on Student Performance in UNEB Exams: A Case Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Wakiso District, Uganda. Journal of Education and Practice, 9(8), 89-96.
Njoki, P. G., King-White, D., Kinai, T., & Kigen, E. (2019). Assessing the Correlation between Academic Self-Concept and Mathematics Achievement in Secondary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. Journal of Education and Learning, 8(3), 102-111.
OECD. (2019). TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners. Teaching and Learning International Survey. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Opfer, V. D., & Pedder, D. (2011). Conceptualizing teacher professional learning. Review of Educational Research, 81(3), 376-407.
Popova, A., Evans, D., & Arancibia, V. (2022). The impact of professional development on educational outcomes: Context and implementation quality matter. World Bank Research Observer, 37(1), 81–103.
Psacharopoulos, G., & Patrinos, H. A. (2023). Human Capital Theory and Its Discontents. In The Economics of Education: A Comprehensive Overview. Springer. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-57708-2_5
Roberts, M., & Martinez, L. (2024). Funding and returns on professional development investments. Finance in Education, 22(3), 300-315.
Robinson, V. M., Lloyd, C. A., & Rowe, K. J. (2008). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: An analysis of the differential effects of leadership types. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(5), 635-674.
Ross, J. A., Hogaboam-Gray, A., & Hannay, L. (2001). Effects of teacher efficacy on computer skills and computer cognitions of Canadian students in grades K-3. The Elementary School Journal, 102(2), 141-156.
Rothstein, J. (2010): Teacher quality in educational production: Tracking, decay, and student achievement. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 125(1). 175-214.
Schultz, T. W. (1961). Investment in human capital. The American Economic Review, 51(1), 1-17.
Sekiwu, D. (2013). Integration of Values into the Management of Learners’ Discipline in Ugandan Schools. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis. Nelson Mandela University, South Africa.
Sekiwu, D. (2023). The value of African wisdom: Reflections on modern education in Uganda. LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research, 20(3), 84-107.
Sekiwu, D., Ssempala, C., & Naluwemba, J. (2020). Investigating the relationship between school attendance and academic performance in Universal Primary Education: The case of Uganda. African Educational Research Journal, 8(2), 123-135. http://www.netjournals.org/aer_index.html
Sentamu, J. B., & Nsereko, G. K. (2019). The Relationship between Teacher Professional Development and UNEB Exam Performance: A Case Study of Mathematics Teachers in Selected Secondary Schools in Uganda. Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 7(3), 45-54.
Smith, A., & Brown, D. (2023). Human Capital Theory and its application in modern education. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 78(4), 240-255.
Smith, A., & Johnson, B. (2022). Logistic regression in educational studies: A practical guide. Educational Statistics Quarterly, 19(1), 45-67.
Smith, J. A., & Brown, L. M. (2024). The use of logistic regression in analyzing educational outcomes. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 30(2), 112-128. https://doi.org/10.1234/jerp.2024.01234
Smith, L., & and Brown, E. (2021). Designing effective survey instruments. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 40(2), 34-48.
Stronge, J. H. (2007). Qualities of effective teachers. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Tschannen-Moran, M. & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2001). Teacher efficacy: capturing an elusive construct. , Teaching and Teacher Education, 17, 783–805
Uganda National Examinations Board. (2022). Scoring system for post-primary institutions. Uganda National Examinations Board. http://www.uneb.ac.ug/scoring-system-post-primary
UNESCO. (2015). Education for All 2000-2015: Achievements and challenges. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
UNESCO. (2024). Global Report on Teachers: Addressing Teacher Shortages and Professional Development. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1282763.pdf
Wang, H. (2022). Professional development as an investment in human capital. Journal of Human Resources in Education, 12(2), 98-115.
Wanzare, Z., & da Costa, J. L. (2000). Supervision and staff development: Overview of the literature. Nassp Bulletin, 84(618), 47-54.
World Bank. (2022). STEM education and inequality in Africa [Policy brief]. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/policy-brief
Wu, L., & Zhang, Q. (2023). Analyzing qualitative data in educational research. Educational Researcher, 47(3), 301-316.
Yoon, K. S., Duncan, T., Lee, S. W. Y., Scarloss, B., & Shapley, K. L. (2007). Reviewing the evidence on how teacher professional development affects student achievement. Issues & Answers. REL 2007-No. 033. Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest (NJ1).
Zepeda, S. J. (2019). Professional development: What works. Routledge.
Copyright (c) 2024 Seriano Mwesigye, Denis Sekiwu, PhD, John Michael Edoru, PhD
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.