Collaborative leadership practices of district-based education inspectors in supporting Teacher Professional Development in Lesotho
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Date
2024
Authors
‘Nei, ‘Makutloano Francina
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The increasing global competition and focus on teacher quality and job satisfaction have led to teacher professional development (TPD) being regarded as crucial. Collaborative leadership practices are essential and are aimed at enhancing learner performance. In Lesotho, the Ministry of Education and Training officials do not seem to be creating diverse collaborative activities and various professional development platforms that keep teachers abreast with technological advancements, nor are their professional activities well-coordinated. However, the literature indicates that teacher professional development is more effective when it is sustained and collaborative. This study focused on the collaborative leadership practices of the district-based education inspectors in supporting teacher professional development in Lesotho. The study used the interpretive research paradigm. The research was informed by the two theories of David Chrislip and Carl Larson’s Collaborative Leadership Theory of 1994 and Ralph Fessler’s Eight-Eight Teacher Career Cycle Model 1995. Data was generated from four district-based education inspectors, four principals, four HODs, and six teachers from each of the four schools which were selected for this study. The study was carried out using a qualitative research approach and a multiple case study research design. The data generation methods used are semi-structured face-to-face interviews, focus groups, document analysis and the collage. This study used non-probability sampling technique in selecting the participants. Data was analysed using a thematic data analysis strategy, with the transcription, coding and interpretation of data in order to get the findings. The findings in this study revealed that the teacher professional development activities that were provided to the teachers were mainly workshops which were school-initiated while others were district-office- initiated. The study found that the district-based inspectors’ collaborative leadership practices were partially effective since there were some practices which were not happening as anticipated according to the principles of collaborative leadership. Such challenges still needed to be addressed in as far as the inspectors and their collaborative leadership roles were concerned. The study further highlighted the lack of resources, work overload, fear of inspectors’ intimidating approach, lack of feedback, lack of support for private schools, lack of exposure to a variety of teacher professional development activities, no tapping of available knowledge, lack of exposure to advanced technology as some of the factors affecting the collaborative leadership practices of the district-based inspectors. Therefore, the study recommended the establishment of structures that would provide TPD district-based education inspector support made of different stakeholders.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.(Education Management and Leadership))--University of the Free State, 2024
Keywords
Collaborative leadership, Education leadership and management, Teacher Professional Development