Relevance of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for Educators
CPD consists of all learning experiences that are intended to be of direct or indirect benefit to the individual, or school which contribute to the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. These are reflective activities which improve the skills, knowledge and understanding of teachers and their effectiveness in schools. It can be argued that teacher quality is enhanced by their engagement in effective CPD activities which contribute to the standards of teaching and learning in schools. This concurs with the axiom that; no educational system can rise above the quality of its teachers, as stated in the national policy of education. The relevance of CPD in teaching highlights its functionality in its professionalization and in contributing to the needs of not just teachers but students and schools. CPD is aimed first at meeting the professional needs of teachers, enhancing their career prospects and supporting them in preparing for future challenges.
Engaging in CPD is intended to equip teachers with relevant skills for instructional delivery, update their knowledge and expose them to new methods and materials to meet the dictates of modern realities of the job. Secondly, CPD will promote the school as a learning community where learning takes place not only by the pupils but also by the teachers. The overall significance of CPD in schools is to enhance teacher effectiveness, in order to improve pupil performance and learning outcomes.
Research has shown that successful schools are those which recognise that building effective teacher to teacher and teacher to student connections and practicing good stewardship can only be achieved if teachers themselves are routinely engaged in continuous learning. It is through CPD that teachers review, renew, and extend their commitment as change agents in the moral purposes of teaching. Schools are therefore expected to engage teachers in various forms of CPD activities to improve both teacher quality and learning outcomes. Teachers are also required to take ownership of their professional development, and invest in training opportunities.
… Dr. Stella Ozigi-Adagiri.