Teacher professional development for educational reforms: a multiple-case study of Sabah’s secondary schools

Primus, Betty D. (2024) Teacher professional development for educational reforms: a multiple-case study of Sabah’s secondary schools. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis investigates the implementation of Malaysian government systemic education reforms in four Sabah secondary schools with special reference to teacher professional development (TPD) provided for teachers and school leaders. Evidence suggests that, as elsewhere, Malaysian and Sabah schools struggle to implement system reforms, and a key contributor is the inadequacies of TPD and leadership professional development (PD). Consequently, the aims of this study are twofold: first, to understand the perceptions and experiences of teachers and school leaders regarding their PD as a means of developing their knowledge, skills and values in enabling implementation of education system reform in Sabah secondary schools; second, to identify key aspects and considerations that are essential in planning and designing an effective TPD model for Sabah teachers and school leadership teams (SLTs) that would build capacity and enable successful implementation of educational reforms. Framed within a theoretical framework of complex adaptive system theory (CAST), the main research question asks: How, and to what extent, do TPD initiatives build capacity for Sabah teachers and school leadership teams to implement the Malaysian government’s reform agenda in their schools? Grounded in the interpretivist paradigm, this multiple-case study employed reflexive thematic analysis, modified analytic induction, and step-by-step analysis to understand TPD dynamics for educational reforms and facilitate the development of the Sabah Emergent TPD (SET) model. Data were gathered through semi-structured and focus group interviews, observations, and document analysis with 51 participants from four schools, including principals, senior assistants, middle leaders, and teachers. The study reveals inadequacies in current TPD initiatives in Sabah schools leading to dissatisfaction among participants and hindering effective reform implementation. It highlights the critical role of SLTs and the importance of fostering contextually relevant, collaborative learning experiences, emphasising the need for a more systemic approach to TPD in Sabah. A major outcome of this study is the development of the Sabah Emergence TPD (SET) model for educational reforms, featuring collaborative and adaptive TPD and the significance of external support and stakeholder synergy to enhance schools’ capacities to implement and sustain reform initiatives within diverse local cultures and contexts

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Supported by funding from the Ministry of Education, Malaysia.
• Subjects: L Education > L Education (General); L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Funder's Name: Ministry of Education, Malaysia
• Supervisor's Name: Dimmock, Professor Clive and Constantinides, Dr. Michalis
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84534
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 03 Sep 2024 11:07
• Last Modified: 03 Sep 2024 13:37
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84534
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84534