Teachers’ Professional Development Training Needs for Improved Science Education Teachers in Niger State

Abstract

This paper examined the involvement of teachers’ professional development in improving science education teachers. The quality of education is central to the sustainable national development that can be attained by any country. Hence, the teachers’ professional development is critical to classroom practices in the education system. Teachers supposed to attend various professional development activities every year to improve teachers’ classroom practices such as STAN. The paper aimed at establishing teachers’ perspectives on professional development activities. The contents of the professional development activities intend to adequately address teachers’ needs for dynamics in terms of innovations for teaching-learning processes in the classroom practices. It is therefore recommended that teachers’ classroom practices be assessed by their heads of departments, vice principals/principals or subject specialists to determine how teachers’ classroom practices would be enhanced. The frequency of professional development activities for teachers should be encouraged every year in order to improve teachers’ classroom practices. Therefore, conferences, seminars and workshops can be organized by the Niger government through STAN and other relevant bodies on teachers’ professional development to improving science education teachers. The study also seeks to advice that, there should be teachers’ participation in continuing professional development activities to update teachers’ knowledge by regularly attending programmes on current research studies and innovations for effective teaching and classroom practices to improve teachers’ understanding and usage of available resources for the best classroom and learning experiences of the students, and the use of appropriate resources for teachers’ lessons.