Assessing the Scale-Up of a Technology-supported, Government-led Teacher Professional Development Programme in Tanzania: Considering Issues of Equity, Agency, and Adaptation

Tanzania

Overview

Continuous Education for in-service teachers. This research focuses on teachers’ equitable participation in a government-led, decentralized national TCPD program (Mafunzo Endelevu kwa Walimu Kazini or MEWAKA). It examines the effectiveness of the implementation as the program scales, and schools’ and individuals’ agency to localize the program to suit their contexts. Specifically, the research intends to understand how successfully the initiative meets the needs of diverse teacher groups, including those with disabilities, teachers of different genders, teachers with varying levels of experience, and teachers in rural schools with varying levels of technology access. The research is collaboratively developed between EdTech Hub, the Tanzania Institute of Education, and Aga Khan University.

The mixed methods study conducted in 12 schools across four regions encompasses focus groups, individual interviews, Community of Learning observations, classroom observations, and surveys alongside a range of innovative participatory methods involving stakeholders across all levels of the education system. The research offers messages around mechanisms and opportunities for localization, participation, and sustainability – for the ongoing refinement of MEWAKA and for scaling TCPD in other contexts globally.

Lead Organization