Approaches for Sustainability of College-Based Departmentalized Continuous Professional Development Programme for the Academic Staff of Selected Volta Region Colleges of Education, Ghana

Abstract

Sustaining any good venture is as important as the beginning of it if not more important. In the case of continuous professional development of the staff of academic institutions, the positive impact could only be felt if the practice is sustained for the gains to be harvested continually. This prompted the research into approaches for sustainability of college-based departmentalized continuous professional development of the academic staff of the colleges of education in the then Volta Region of Ghana in 2017. The study was qualitative with case study approach that used open-ended questionnaire in collecting data from 12 tutors and 4 vice principals from four selected colleges in the Region. Semi structured interview guide was adopted in gathering data from the four principals of the four colleges. Thematic analysis was done after manual coding of the data was carried out. The findings have: procedural approach such as Management adopting participatory approach indecision making on instituting and managing performance on CPD programmes; Motivational approach pointed to Management creating an environment of trust and shared commitment,  setting high but achievable targets; design and delivery approach indicated neat, attention grabbing, and compelling models to be adopted; legal framework approach pointed to central staff development unit develop and monitor institutional staff development policies,  staff developing Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP), personnel signing performance contract on CPD agenda, CPD factored into promotion agenda; supervision, monitoring and evaluation approach captured frequent collaborative appraisal of staff / programme of the CPD. The study concluded that CPD programmes could only be sustained at the colleges of education in the region if multidimensional approach is adopted and therefore Management should provide collaborate and also provide annual budget allocation couple with certificating personnel who satisfy CPD mandates to makeat least 75% attendance at CPD in promotion of staff.