Motivation to Participate in Continuous Professional Development: A Study of Basic School Teachers in the Sagnarigu Municipality
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jep.3323Keywords:
Basic School Teacher, Motivation to Participate, Continuous Professional Development, Sagnarigu MunicipalityAbstract
Purpose: This study assessed basic school teachers’ motivation to participate in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in the Sagnarigu Municipality in the Northern Region of Ghana.
Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Data was provided by 216 basic school teachers randomly drawn from selected basic schools in the Sagnarigu Municipality who responded to a semi-structured standardized questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation and the inferential statistical technique of binary logistic regression with the aid of SPSS version 25.
Findings: The study found that 83.3% of teachers engaged in CPD activities like workshops, conferences, and mentoring within formal school settings. Key motivators included acquiring current skills, deepening subject knowledge, improving job prospects, introducing new technologies, increasing salary, and influencing school policy. Less motivating factors were compulsory or optional participation and social pressure. Importantly, motivation was significantly linked to actual participation, i.e., teachers who felt more motivated were more likely to engage in CPD activities, highlighting the role of intrinsic and professional incentives in driving continuous development.
Unique contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The findings of the study highlights the fact that basic school teachers main motivation to participate in CPD is to update their current skills and pedagogical knowledge. Thus, the study recommends that stakeholders such as the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Education (MOE) should organize relevant CPD programmes targeting teachers’ personal goals and growth more frequently and make it possible for teachers to participate as they are more likely to participate in CPD activities that are directly relevant to their teaching practice.
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