GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Students’ outcome, is also critical in this study because it provides a measurable indicator of the effectiveness of educational programs and policies. Student outcomes can include academic achievement, motivation, engagement, and social-emotional growth. By examining the relationship between teacher professional development and student outcome, this study aims to provide insights into the ways in which teacher professional development can be leveraged to improve student outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality.

Teachers’ professional development (TPD) is considered to be an important approach for the improvement of quality of education (Coe et al., 2014) Many studies have explored what characteristics make TPD effective and concluded that TPD should focus on developing subject matter knowledge as well as pedagogical content knowledge, hold active and inquiry-based activities, span over a larger time period, and that teachers should work together with their colleague.

Assessment, wherein individuals assess another individual’s performance in either formative or summative ways (e.g. peer assessment, peer review). To obtain a comprehensive overview of outcomes of PTPD  personal training and performance development activities, this review study investigates research that has examined such activities with both pre-service and in-service teachers. As pre-service and in-service teachers arguably have different developmental needs and find themselves in different phases of the teaching career and results for both groups will be presented separately.

Background to the Study

The      background     to    the    study    is     discussed     under    on    the        historical,

conceptual, theoretical and contextual.

Historically, from  the  onset of colonization in Cameroon, the absence of educational institutions dedicated to teacher training resulted in a dearth of qualified educators. The majority of instruction was conducted in an informal manner, taking place inside the confines of one’s home, at clan assemblies, or during communal gatherings. In the traditional African culture, teachers’ professionalism was ingrained into the cultural norms and prescriptions, particularly in relation to the values that were upheld throughout that period, like respect, honesty, integrity, and trust, among others. With the arrival of the missionaries in the 1880s, the implementation of formal education began, although conducted in outdoor spaces known as verandahs. The construction of schools by missionaries prompted the need for the development of teacher training institutions, where individuals could get professional training to become teachers. These training schools provided instruction in both subject matter and pedagogical techniques. (Song ,Chai,Kim &Bea,2018)

The curriculum included the foundational subjects of reading, writing, and arithmetic, sometimes referred to as the 3Rs. Its purpose extended beyond the mere cultivation of a privileged social stratum, aiming to produce both intellectually and religiously devout individuals. The missionaries used a pupil teacher recruitment method to enlist individuals as their teaching assistants. However, only those individuals who exhibited ideal qualities for exemplary behavior within society and shown a basic understanding of the fundamental principles of reading, writing, and arithmetic were selected for recruitment. (Havelock, 1971). The missionary view of teacher professional conduct was linked to the bible and clergyman ship (Hurst, 1983). A teacher who attended church regularly, got married in church and could avoid intoxicating drinks, such teachers’ works could be appreciated. Less emphasis was put on pedagogy and content. Teacher education in pre-independence Cameroon started in 1923. First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) was essential and success in the official competitive exam was an entry requirement into the three-year Grade III certificate courses, which the first batch graduated in 1993. After three years of training, successful candidates were permitted to teach for one year before proceeding to another two-year Grade 11 training course. The Anglophones, training was offered in Nigeria as British southern Cameroon administered as an integral part of Nigeria. Development in teachers’ educational program was when the Grade 11 was instituted in Government Teachers’ Training College (GTTC) in Cameroon in 1945. Lack of resources like infrastructure, qualified teacher trainers, materials and finance, the training programs were temporarily closed down between 1947 and 1950. When training activities were resumed, all three Grade levels were offered and jointly run by the colonial government, private missionary bodies and non-Governmental Organizations. In the francophone part of Cameroon such enterprise was managed by the private agencies (Tchombe, 1997, 1998, 2000; Tchombe and Agbor 2006).

Teacher professional development has evolved over time. In the 1960s, teacher professional development was primarily focused on providing teachers with technical skills and knowledge. Joyce & Showers(1980). In the 1980s, the focus shifted to providing teachers with opportunities for collaborative learning and reflection Little(1993). In the 1990s, teacher professional development began to focus on providing teachers with opportunities for ongoing learning and growth (Darling-Hammond ,1997). Today, teachers’ professional development is recognized as a critical component of teacher quality and student success. (Hanushek,2011).

Conceptually, Professional development can be defined as a wide variety of specialized training, formal education, or advanced professional learning intended to help administrators, teachers and other educators to improve their professional knowledge,competence, skill and effectiveness.

Professional development is defined as “the growth that occurs as the teacher moves through the professional career cycle’ (Glattenhorn, 1995). Professional Development in a broad sense refers to the development of a person in his or her professional role. More specifically, “Teacher development is the professional growth a teacher achieves as a result of gaining increased experience and examining his or her teaching

systematically” (Glattenhorn, 1995).

Content knowledge is the teacher’s knowledge of the subject matter they teach. This includes knowledge of the curriculum, concepts, principles, and facts related to the subject area (Shulman ,1987). Content knowledge is essential for teachers to provide accurate and relevant instruction to their students.

Pedagogical knowledge is the teacher’s deep understanding of the processes and practices or method of teaching and learning. It includes. understanding the nature of the students, having strategies for evaluating the students, understanding the cognitive, social and developmental theories of learning and how they apply to the students in the classroom (Koehler & Mishra, 2009).

Assessment strategy is the teacher’s knowledge of how to assess student learning. This includes knowledge of various assessment techniques, such as formative and summative assessments, and how to use assessment data to inform instruction (Black & Wiliam ,1998). Assessment strategy is essential for teachers to measure student learning and to make informed decisions about instruction.

Student learning outcomes (SLOs) are the specified knowledge, skills, abilities or attitudes that students are expected to attain by the end of a learning experience or program of study. Student outcome is a critical indicator of the effectiveness of educational programs and policies.

Theoretically, several theories underpin the concept of teacher professional development. These include:

Shulman’s Theory of Teacher Knowledge (1987) provides a foundation for understanding the importance of teacher professional development in improving student outcomes. According to Shulman, teacher knowledge is composed of content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge. This study focuses on the impact of teacher professional development on student outcomes, which is closely related to Shulman’s theory.

Vygotsky’s Social Constructivist Theory (1978) also provides a framework for understanding the importance of teacher professional development in improving student outcomes. According to Vygotsky, learning is a social process that occurs through interaction with others. This study examines the impact of teacher professional development on student outcomes, which is closely related to Vygotsky’s theory.

Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (1986) provides a framework for understanding the importance of teacher professional development in improving student outcomes. According to Bandura, learning is a process of observing and imitating others. This study examines the impact of teacher professional development on student outcomes, which is closely related to Bandura’s theory.

Contextually, secondary schools are facing challenges in providing high-quality education to students. Many teachers in these schools lack access to ongoing professional development opportunities, which can hinder their ability to provide effective instruction (Buea Municipality Education Office, 2020). This study aims to investigate the impact of teacher professional development on student outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality.

Statement of the Problem

The quality of education in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality is a major concern, with many students failing to achieve their academic potential (Buea Municipality Education Office, 2020). Despite efforts to improve teacher quality, many teachers in these schools lack access to ongoing professional development opportunities, which can hinder their ability to provide effective instruction (Cameroon Ministry of Secondary Education, 2018). The Cameroon Government has emphasized the importance of teacher professional development in improving student outcomes through the Cameroon Education Sector

However, there is a lack of research on the impact of teacher professional development on student outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by

investigating the relationship between teacher professional development and student outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality.

Objectives of the Study

The general and specific objectives of this study are as follows

General Objective

The general objective of this study is to investigate the effects of teachers’ professional development on students’ learning outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality.

Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of this study include;

1. To examine the effects between teachers’ content knowledge on student’s learning outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea

Municipality.

2. To investigate the effects of teachers’ pedagogical knowledge on students’ learning outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea
3. To determine the effect of teachers’ assessment strategies on students’ learning outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality.

Research Questions

General Research Question

What is the effect of teachers’ professional development on students’ learning outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality?

Specific Research Questions

The specific research questions of this study are as follows

1.What is the effect between teachers’ content knowledge on students’ learning outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality?

2.To what extent does teachers’ pedagogical knowledge influence students’ learning outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality?

1.What is the effect of teachers’ assessment strategies on students’ learning outcomes in secondary schools in the Buea Municipality?

Research Hypotheses

The general and specific hypotheses of this study are as follows:

General Research Hypotheses

Ho: Teachers’ professional development has no significant effect on students’ learning outcome in secondary schools in Buea municipality.

Ha: Teachers’ professional development has a significant effect on students’ learning outcome in secondary schools in Buea municipality.

Specific Research Hypotheses

Ho1: Content knowledge has  no significant effects on students learning outcome in secondary schools in Buea municipality.

Ha1: Content knowledge has a significant  effect on students learning outcome in secondary schools in Buea municipality.

Ho2: Pedagogical knowledge has no significant effect on students learning outcome in secondary schools in Buea municipality.

Ha2: Pedagogical knowledge has a significant effect on students learning outcome in secondary schools in Buea municipality.

Ho3: Assessment strategy has no significant effect on students learning outcome in secondary schools in Buea municipality.

Ha3: Assessment strategy has a significant effect on students learning outcome in secondary schools in Buea municipality.