Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Plan of Faculties and the Realization Strategies in Ahvaz Universities

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Master of Education Management of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

2 Associate Professor of Educational Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz,

3 Professor of English Language and Literature of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

Abstract

Academic studying is a significant factor in the socio-economic development of nations. Faculty members play an effective role in this process besides their initial academic and skills qualifications. The present study investigated the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) system and the implementation strategies in Ahvaz universities by adopting mixed-methods research. The statistical population of this study consisted of all the full-time faculty members of Ahvaz universities. In the quantitative phase of the study, 341 participants were selected based on Morgan table. In the qualitative part, snowball sampling was used and interviews continued until saturation was reached. A researcher-made CPD questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.89 and a semi-structured interview were employed to gather the necessary quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The results showed that, in general, 12 strategies are used for professional development of faculties in Ahvaz universities. Although strategies could facilitate the achievement of different goals in the sample universities, more emphasis seems to be placed on the development of educational and research skills. The findings also revealed the inadequacy of professional development opportunities for faculties, the complexity of faculty members’ responses to the use of professional development strategies, the positive impact of continuous professional development activities on various university processes, and the different approaches of universities to implementing the professional development strategies.

Keywords


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