Enhancing professional development in Ghanaian colleges of education: A critical analysis of needs assessment practices

Clement Owusu-Cole; Nasir Yaqub Entsie; Comfort Armah; Margaret Darkoa; Umar Farouk Moomin

doi:10.51867/ajernet.6.2.41

Authors

Dr. Clement Owusu-Cole Department of Education Studies, Presbyterian College of Education, Abetifi-Kwahu, Ghana https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2598-0589
Nasir Yaqub Entsie
nentsie@ucc.edu.gh
Senior Member Section, Directorate of Human Resource, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6004-4476
Comfort Armah Directorate of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9714-1664
Margaret Darkoa Human Resource Unit, Presbyterian College of Education, Abetifi-Kwahu, Ghana
Umar Farouk Moomin Protocol Section, Directorate of Public Affairs, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4440-3309

Keywords:

Education Quality, Ghanaian Colleges of Education, Needs Assessment, Organizational Factors, Personal Factors, Professional Development, Task Analysis

Abstract

The study investigated the predictors of professional development (PD) needs assessment in Ghana’s Colleges of Education (CoEs), prompted by growing concerns about the alignment between institutional development efforts and actual educator needs. Despite widespread discourse on professional development in education, few studies have systematically explored how PD needs are assessed within the unique institutional settings of Ghana’s CoEs. This study addressed that gap by examining the structural, task-specific, and individual-level factors influencing the effectiveness of needs assessments. Guided by Kaufman’s Organizational Elements Model and the Three-Level Needs Assessment Model, the research adopted a quantitative approach, employing a cross-sectional descriptive design. A sample of 610 lecturers, drawn through multistage sampling from 13 CoEs across Ghana, participated in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, piloted and refined to ensure validity and reliability. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to explore the latent dimensions shaping PD needs whereas the multiple regression analysis was performed to examine how organizational, task-related, and individual-level variables predicted PD assessment outcomes. A key finding revealed that institutional policy clarity significantly predicted the perceived relevance and utility of PD needs assessments, suggesting that structural coherence enhances the identification of educators' developmental priorities. The study concludes that effective PD planning in CoEs requires greater institutional alignment and recommends that leadership structures embed clearer frameworks to standardize and optimize needs assessment practices.

Dimensions

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