The Impact of a Tech-Supported, School-Based Teacher Continuous Professional Development Model on Learning Outcomes in Tanzania
In partnership with Aga Khan University, Aga Khan Foundation and Tanzania Institute of Education
Country: Tanzania | Topic Area: Teacher Continuous Professional Development (TCPD)
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Project summary
The study researches how effective and sustainable the government’s programme of technology-supported, decentralised, and school-based Teacher Continuous Professional Development (TCPD) is in improving teaching and learning in rural primary schools in Tanzania. The study employs a design-based implementation research (DBIR) approach in its first phase, sharing the emerging messages with government to inform refinement of the national programme. We will then conduct a difference-in-differences study in the second phase, investigating any impact of change in teacher practices on student learning outcomes. We are also conducting a new study entitled “Assessing the scale-up of a technology-supported, government-led TCPD programme in Tanzania: Considering issues of equity, agency, and adaptation“, co-funded by IDRC and FCDO. The focus is on equitable participation of different teacher groups (especially considering gender, disability, rurality and connectivity/technology access), effectiveness of the implementation as the programme expands, and schools’ and individuals’ agency to localise the programme to suit their contexts.
Research questions
- What are the benefits and shortfalls of the tech-supported, school-based TCPD model over the model without school-level technology mediation?
- How effective is the model in improving learning outcomes for learners in rural primary schools in Tanzania?
- How is the TCPD programme designed and adapted to diverse local needs, at each level of the TCPD system? How well does it support equitable participation of different teacher groups?
- What are the success factors and challenges in reaching all teachers when implementing the programme at national scale?
The voice behind the research
Tools
Discover our research instruments pack containing research tools created and used as part of this study.
The research tools have undergone extensive piloting in both workshop and school settings, and have been informed by exemplary practices such as the World Bank’s TEACH tool for classroom observation.
We are making these tools available to you, and we hope that they will prove useful.
All of our packs are available to download in English and Swahili.
Discover evidence
Study contacts
- Prof. Sara Hennessy, Principal Investigator — Contact Sara
- Dr. Taskeen Adam, Co-Investigator and Senior Research Lead — Contact Taskeen
- Saalim Koomar, Qualitative Research Lead
- Prof. Fredrick Mtenzi, Head of Research, AKU-IED, EA
- Dr. Winston Edward Massam, Assistant Professor, AKU-IED, EA
- Dr. Fika Mwakabungu, Director of Curriculum Training at the Tanzania Institute of Education, TIE
- Jonathan Hegwa Paskali, Curriculum Developer and TIE focal person
- Dr Aneth Komba, Director General of Tanzania Institute of Education
Key partner roles
- Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) — Has been strongly involved in the development of the TCPD plans and materials and also in ensuring that the study aligns with the national plans.
- Aga Khan University – Institute for Educational Development, East Africa (AKU-IED, EA) — Co-leading the research process and providing Tanzania-specific TCPD expertise and alignment with Foundations for Learning (F4L) project.
- Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) — Supporting research and alignment with Foundations 4 Learning (F4L).
- President’s Office — Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) — Main implementers of the TCPD intervention and ensuring that the study aligns with the national plans.
Partners
