Continuous Professional Development Programme Needs of Secondary School Geography Teachers

Abstract

In light of the changing dynamics and developments in the education system, the professional development (PD) of teachers is seen as a crucial means to improve the competencies of teachers. There have been numerous prior studies that examined the need for teacher professional development in various educational contexts. However, research in this area is extremely scarce in Bhutan. The main aim of this study was to examine the perceptions of geography teachers in the western region of Bhutan regarding the need for professional development. The study was conducted based on the pragmatic paradigm and included an explanatory sequential mixed-method design. Considering the need of the study and the methodology designed, the study employed stratified simple random sampling for the survey and non-probability purposive sampling for Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). A total of 104 geography teachers participated in the survey, and 10 teachers participated in FGDs, which were conducted in two groups. The findings of the study revealed that most teachers could not meet the 80 hours of PD requirement. The findings also indicated that the most needed professional development areas for the teachers were subject content, instructional technology and designs, assessment and evaluation, special education, and research. It was determined that some of the participants needed professional development in the areas of teaching strategy and classroom management. The study suggests that the Ministry of Education (MoE) and other relevant stakeholders provide subject-based PD Programmes that respond to teachers’ needs.