The Impact of Continuing Professional Development on Teaching Practices among Secondary School Teachers in the Larkana Division, Pakistan

Abstract

This study examined the influence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) on the teaching practices of secondary school teachers in the Larkana Division, Sindh, Pakistan. The primary objective was to evaluate CPD implementation and assess its effectiveness in enhancing teaching methodologies and pedagogical techniques. Employing a descriptive survey design with a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations. The sample comprised 637 secondary school students, 488 teachers, and 21 head teachers, selected through simple random sampling. Regression analysis (SPSS .26) tested hypotheses related to key variables, professional skills, and quality of education. Results indicated that CPD significantly improved professional skills (β = 0.713) and positively contributed to educational quality (β = 0.569). Findings confirm a sufficient positive correlation between CPD engagement and better teaching practices, which leads to the consequences of student learning. Research advocates for extending to continuous professional development programs to enhance the skills of teachers, encourage reflective teaching practices and pursue educational quality. Findings provide significant insights for policy makers and educational planners in preparing effective CPD framework to increase the quality of teaching in secondary schools, especially in deprived areas.