The roles of the school principals in the professional development of teachers for 21st century Education

Abstract

In this empirical paper, we explore the school principals’ roles in developing teachers for 21st century education, particularly in integrating information and communication technology (ICT) for the enhancement of teaching and learning in schools. The Department of Education entrusted school principals with the vital role of defining the direction and growth of the schools. As a result, teachers rely extensively on school principals to give guidance and influence their professional development, particularly the development of 21st century education. The interpretive paradigm underpinned this article while semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Theories of Professional Development for Teachers are applied in this study. Professional development as continuous learning focused upon the sum total of formal and informal learning pursued and experienced by the teacher in a compelling learning environment under conditions of complexity and dynamic change. Teacher training and in-service professional development are key to effective teaching. The study sample consisted of two schools. Two participants were purposefully chosen from each school. The findings suggest that although school principals do not have an active role in developing teachers, their passive role through support, interaction, and financial support impacts how teachers respond to partaking in professional development programs.