Assessing peer coaching practices in improving teacher professional development: a case study of two community primary schools in Moshi district council: Kilimanjaro region
Date of Award
12-2018
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Education (MEd)
First Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Fulgence Swai Saronga
Second Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Nicholas Wachira
Department
Institute for Educational Development, East Africa
Abstract
A number of efforts have been made by the government to ensure that there are professional development (PD) initiatives to improve the way teachers teach and ultimately raise the performance standards of learners. Teacher Professional Development (TPD) is therefore conducted as a strategy to help teachers find new ways of solving challenges they face in the teaching and learning process. On the other hand, TPD is conducted while introducing new projects in education such as changes made in curriculum or implementation of new curriculum. After teachers attend these PD workshops they get back to the stations to start implementing what they have learnt. Government efforts should go beyond these and check whether teachers are implementing what they learn so that the PD workshops designed and conducted for and by teachers would be meaningful. This study assessed the peer coaching practices in improving TPD. The study applied a qualitative research approach and a case study design. The sample for the study involved ten participants; six classroom teachers who attended Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (3Rs) and new curriculum PD workshops, two heads of schools, one Ward Education Officer (WEO) and an officer from the district who were managing the same Education ward. The findings revealed that, teachers have a good grasp of the benefits of PD which enables them to design various activities in their school contexts and improve what they learn workshops. They also benefit from the practice, teaching and learning skills which shape their professional and career lives. Although teachers faced challenges in the implementation of peer coaching practices, they don’t completely inhibit them from conducting the activities and once solved, they add more value to their practices, and finally improve students learning outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Adria Calist. (2018). Assessing peer coaching practices in improving teacher professional development: a case study of two community primary schools in Moshi district council: Kilimanjaro region (Unpublished Masters Thesis). Dar es salaam: Aga Khan University