Tutors’ Involvement in Continuous Professional Development Programmes and Their Social Construction of Knowledge

Abstract

Continuous professional development enables teachers to master the art of teaching hence promoting teaching effectiveness. The demand for effective teachers has seen the formulation of several interventions to improve the teaching effectiveness of teachers in diverse countries; one of these interventions being continuous professional development training. Since teachers play a key role in the success of educational reforms, it is imperative that they are involved in the continuous professional development programmes. To what extent do teachers experience feel dedication and ownership, sharing of ideas, co-creators of knowledge, key decision makers on matters affecting their day-to-day teaching and learning activities? This study was conducted in Kamwenja and Murang’a Teachers’ Training Colleges of Central Kenya, to investigate the relationship between the nature and level of tutor involvement in Continuous Professional Development Training and tutors’ social construction of knowledge. The study employed exploratory research design within a qualitative orientation. To collect data the study used in-depth interviews for tutors, principals and key informants, while focus group discussions were also administered to tutors. The study used 38 participants; two principals, thirty tutors and six key informants from the Ministry of Education. Tutors were selected through a proportionate random sampling while the principals and key informants were purposively sampled. The study found that tutors were hardly involved in the design of Continuous Development Programmes, and felt marginalized. The study recommends that Tutors get plenty of opportunity to participate meaningfully in the design of CPD programmes, and to work with colleagues to reconstruct knowledge according to their own ways.