Teachers’ views and experiences on professional development activities in basic schools for students who are deaf in Ghana

Abstract

The study explored teachers’ views and experiences on professional development activities in basic schools for students who are deaf in Ghana. The study specifically looked at the available professional development activities in the schools, teachers’ views on how the available professional development activities make them effective, among others. The study utilized a convergent parallel mixed methods design with survey and case studies guiding the two aspects of the parallel convergent design. A sample of 144 teachers and 30 teachers were involved in the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the study. Questionnaire and focus group interviews were used to gather data for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the questionnaire data whereas the interview data were analyzed using the themes that emerged from the study. Findings from both questionnaire and interview data revealed that the available professional development activity for teachers was workshop. The study revealed further that mentoring existed in the schools but was done on informal basis. The study revealed that collegial development even though exists in the schools, focused on building the sign language proficiency of teachers. It emerged from the study that teachers’ professional development needs were teaching strategies and skills, subject matter knowledge, proficiency in sign language and proficiency in the use of multimedia technology. The results of the study further revealed that teachers are influenced to attend professional development activities when the topics are interesting and will enable them to be effective as teachers. The researcher recommended that organizers of professional development activities for teachers of students who are deaf in Ghana should organize more professional development activities among other recommendations.