The professional development of lecturers in a Higher Education Institution in Eswatini: A case study

Date
2022-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The quality of higher education teaching and student learning has now become a significant national and international concern. Calls for effective and quality teaching, student-centered approaches to learning in higher education, and technological advancement have intensified academics' need to improve professional competencies constantly. However, while lecturers' continuing professional development (CPD) is integral to the transformation agenda of many higher education institutions, little attention has been given to continuing the professional development of lecturers in Eswatini. Thus, this thesis explored the role of continuing professional development for lecturers at the Institute of Development and Management (IDM) in Eswatini. A case study research methodology was used to gain an in-depth understanding of CPD in this context. Qualitative data were gathered from semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Respondents and documents were purposively selected for the study. The sample included fifteen lecturers directly linked to CPD and five managerial staff members responsible for the planning and managing CPD in the institution. Three internal policy documents relating to CPD were reviewed to determine the institution's planning, managing, and executing continuing professional development levels. The interview and document data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings highlight that continuing professional development (CPD) plays a role in academics’ teaching and learning. Through professional development activities, academic staff maintain a high level of expertise and acquire new skills and knowledge that contribute to their personal growth and development, student advancement, and institutional benefits. Findings reveal that IDM supports academic professional development, and it is a priority, but it is not efficiently harnessed in the institutional structures. There is evidence of good practice; however, the fragmented institutional structures and processes to implement professional development show a lack of coordination and gaps in provision. Gaps include the lack of a CPD policy that focuses on academic, professional development the challenges of measuring CPD contribution to the individual, department, and institution. Professional development and individual performance management (particularly teaching) are not linked. In this regard, the thesis offers various strategies for improving continuing professional development. For the CPD initiatives to be beneficial to lecturers, proper systems and policies are required to address professional development systematically. A bottom-up approach to the planning and managing of CPD may address the challenge of focusing on generic CPD activities rather than teaching-related professional development for academics.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kwaliteit van hoer onderwys onderrig en studenteleer het ‘n noemenswaardige nasionale en internasionale oorweging geword. Oproepe vir effektiewe en kwaliteit onderrig, student- gesentreerde benaderings tot leer in hoer onderwys, en tegnologiese vooruitgang het die behoefte vir akademici om hul professionele kompetensies konstant te verbeter geïntensifiseer. Professionele ontwikkeling word gesien as essensieel in die verbetering van leer en onderrig van dosente in hoer onderwys. Maar, terwyl dosente se voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling (VPO) integraal is tot die transformasie agenda van baie hoer onderwys instellings, is min aandag nog gegee aan die voortsetting van die professionele ontwikkeling van dosente in Eswatini. Hierdie tesis verken daarom die rol van voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling vir dosente aan die Instituut vir Ontwikkeling en Bestuur (Institute of Development and Management, oftewel IDM) in Eswatini. ‘n Gevallestudie navorsingsmetodologie is gebruik om ‘n in-diepte begrip van VPO in die konteks te verkry. Kwalitatiewe data is ingesamel vanaf semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en dokument analise. Respondente and dokumente is doelmatig geselekteer vir die studie. Die steekproef het vyftien dosente direk verbonde aan VPO en vyf bestuurspersoneel verantwoordelik vir die beplanning en bestuur van VPO aan die instelling ingesluit. Drie interne beleidsdokumente wat verband hou met VPO is ondersoek om die instelling se beplanning, bestuur en uitvoering van voortgesette professionele ontwikkelingsvlakke te bepaal. Die onderhoud en dokument data is genaliseer met gebruik van tematiese analise. Die bevindinge lig uit dat voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling ‘n rol speel in akademici se onderrig en leer. Deur professionele ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite, handhaaf akademiese personeel ‘n hoe vlak van kundigheid en verkry nuwe vaardighede en kennis wat bydra tot hul persoonlike groei en ontwikkeling, studente se vordering, en institusionele voordele. Die bevindinge onthul dat IDM akademiese professionele ontwikkeling ondersteun en as prioriteit sien, maar dat dit nie effektief vervat word binne die institusionele strukture nie. Daar is bewyse van goeie praktyk, maar die gefragmenteerde institusionele strukture en prosesse om professionele ontwikkeling te implimenteer wys ‘n gebrek aan koordinasie en gapings in provisie. Gapings sluit in die gebrek aan ‘n VPO beleid wat fokus op akademiese professionele ontwikkeling, en die uitdagings om VPO se bydrae tot die individu, departement en instelling te meet. Daarmee saam is daar nie ‘n verbinding tussen professionele ontwikkeling en individuele prestasiebestuur nie (veral ten opsigte van onderrig). In hierdie verband bied die tesis verskeie strategiee aan vir die verbetering van voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling. Vir VPO inisiatiewe om voordelig te wees vir dosente, is daar behoorlike sisteme en beleide nodig om professionele ontwikkeling sistematies aan te spreek. ‘n Opwaartse benadering tot die beplanning en bestuur van VPO mag die uitdaging om te fokus op generiese VPO aktiwteite, eerder as onderrig verwante professionele ontwikkeling vir akademici aanspreek.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
College teachers -- In-service training -- Eswatini -- Case studies, Education, Higher -- Eswatini -- Case studies, College teachers -- Career development, Institute of Development Management (Gabarone, Botswana), Institute of Development Management of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, UCTD
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