This study explored the work environment factors that support or constrain the application of teacher professional development initiatives in Ghanaian basic schools. Utilizing qualitative research paradigm, 15 teachers were purposively selected and interviewed from one educational district in Ghana. Findings from the study showed that headteachers support through the provision of the required teaching and learning resources, peer support through culture of shared norms, beliefs and values and the opportunity to share knowledge during school-based in-service training (INSET), interest and commitment shown by students toward learning, and availability of needed teaching and learning materials supported transfer of learning of teachers. In contrast, lack of time due to rigid and inflexible school timetable, teacher workload, and inadequate teaching and learning resources constrained effective transfer of professional development of teachers. The study concludes that educational policymakers and training practitioners need to support infrastructures that would empower headteachers to be resourceful in order to assist and provide teachers with the required teaching and learning facilities to facilitate the transfer of their learning.
While there is a plethora of research devoted to the study of formal university-based school leadership development programmes in Africa, no study to date has examined the motivational factors that influence practising teachers’ decision to enrol in such programmes. Utilizing concurrent mixed methods design, this study sought to explore the key factors that influence teachers’ decision to enrol in postgraduate degree programmes in educational leadership in Ghanaian higher education institutions. Findings from the study showed that practising teachers were principally influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic motives in pursuing the educational leadership programmes. Nonetheless, the most emphasised theme as a motivation factor was for professional growth and development. The study concludes that to really create an enabling learning environment to stimulate practicing teachers’ learning outcomes, higher education operators need to be conscious of the underlying motives influencing their decision to enrol in their programmes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.