CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) FOR GRADUATE
SCIENCE TEACHERS
Learning objectives
After completion of this topic, you should be able to;
Explain what Continuing Professional Development is.
State the value of Continuing Professional Development.
Outline various avenues for Continuing Professional Development
Introduction
Teaching is the heart of the schooling system. The quality of teachers’ professional practices
is at the root of the quality of schooling. No matter how comprehensive the initial training is,
it will not adequately prepare the teacher for all the challenges. The initial professional
education of teachers is only a foundation of your professional education. So there is need for
you as a teacher to continue learning in order to acquire more knowledge, skills and
competences to enable you to cope with the ever changing responsibilities in the dynamic
environment. The development of professional practices is a continuous process the lasts for
the duration of the career of a committed teacher.
What is Continuing Professional Development?
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the learning and training one undertakes after
his/her initial professional training. It helps you as a teacher unlock barriers to learning.
Therefore CPD is not only for your own good as a teacher, but also for the greater good of
your learners.
Teachers, young and old, new and established should be given time to develop; to share and
to train in order to meet the needs of an evolving audience. This should not be left to those
joining the profession, or those ‘on a course’ or on some sort of ‘leadership pathway’.
Training and good quality development should be available to all.
Remember that you always have something new to learn, something else to share with others
or another strategy or resource to create, disseminate and evaluate. This is the true nature of
the profession disseminating, learning and reflecting. Thus we should all be given time to
learn frequently and in a robust, supportive and challenging manner that provides regular
development that leads somewhere useful for the individual.
Value of Continuing Professional Development
The quality and effectiveness of an education system depends on, among other factors, the
competencies, commitment and resourcefulness of its teachers. In view of this, the initial and
Continuing Professional Development of teachers is critical in the aspiration of enhancing the
quality of education. CPD of teachers consists of periodic, structured and relevant activities
according to needs and circumstances, designed to improve a teacher’s attributes, knowledge,
understanding and skills in order to improve his/her professional practice.
Continuing Professional Development is important for the following reasons:
1
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) FOR GRADUATE
SCIENCE TEACHERS
CPD ensures that one’s capabilities keep pace with the current standards of others in
the same field.
CPD ensures that one maintains and enhances the knowledge and skills one needs to
deliver a professional service to the end users namely customers, clients, and the
community.
CPD ensures that one’s knowledge stays relevant and up to date. An individual
becomes more aware of the changing trends and directions in his/her profession. The
pace of change is probably faster than it has ever been – and this is a feature of the
new world that we live and work in. If one should stand still, he/she will be left
behind, as the currency of one’s knowledge and skills becomes out-dated.
CPD helps an individual to continue to make a meaningful contribution to their team.
He/she becomes more effective in the workplace. This assists the individual to
advance their career and move into new positions where they can lead, manage,
influence, coach and mentor others.
CPD helps the teacher to stay interested and interesting. Experience is a great
teacher, but it does not mean that we should be stuck in doing what and how we have
done before. Focussed CPD opens up new possibilities, Knowledge and skill areas to
the teacher.
CPD can deliver a deeper understanding of what it means to be a professional, along
with a greater appreciation of the implications and impacts of your work.
CPD helps to advance the body of knowledge and technology within teacher’s
profession.
CPD can lead to increased public confidence in individual professionals and their
profession as a whole.
Good teachers learn from many sources. Well-crafted and delivered Continuing Professional
Development is important because it delivers benefits to the individual, their profession and
the public. The ultimate outcome of well-planned CPD is that it safeguards the public, the
employer, the profession and the profession’s career.
Exercise
1. Give examples of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities for each of
the following categories:
a. Formal
b. Informal
c. Non-formal
2. Outline opportunities for Continuing Professional Development for graduate teachers:
a. Inside/within the school
b. Outside the school
3. Identify a model country with a structured Continuing Professional Development for
graduate teachers and discuss it.