Peer-Reviewed Article

Volume 13, Issue 1 (2024), pp. 69-89

Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education
ISSN: 2166-2681Print 2690-0408 Online | https://ojed.org/jise

Academics and their Respective Institution Practices of

Continuous Professional Development: A Case of
Hawassa University

Medhanit Adane, Amare Asgedom

Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Kassahun Weldemariam
University of Gothenburg, Sweden

ABSTRACT

This study aims to explore the practices and institutional challenges of Hawassa
University academics staff pertaining to their continuous professional
development (CPD) engagement. To this end, we employ an exploratory case
study as our research design using various sources of data. The data were
analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that there is a range of
understanding of CPD among staff and that is practiced both formally and
informally. The major challenges that hinder the practical effectiveness of CPD
include misunderstanding of its importance, the inability of the institution to
make the content of CPD relevant to academics' current needs and insufficient
financial provisions. It is recommended that institutional and systematic policy
actions for CPD management be prioritized.

Keywords: Academics, adult learning theory, continuous professional development,

higher education institutions, institutional practices of continuous professional
development

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 INTRODUCTION

According to the SWOT analysis of Hawassa University's strategic plan

(2021-2030), inadequate staff development programs, the demotivation of senior
staff to mentor new staff and the inadequate motivation of academics to publish
in reputable scientific journals are identified as prevailing weaknesses of the
university (Hawassa University, 2021). We therefore found it imperative to delve
into academics and their respective institutional practices of continuous
professional development (CPD) and challenges pertaining to academic staff
engagement with CPD at Hawassa University in Ethiopia.
As one of the first-generation public universities in Ethiopia, Hawassa
University encompasses nine colleges, three institutes, and seven campuses.
Owing to its reputation, it has recently been identified by the Ministry of
Education as one of the eight Research Universities in Ethiopia. As a result, it is
working toward becoming one of the top ten research universities in East Africa
by the 2030th (Hawassa University, 2021).
At present, Hawassa University runs different in-service CPD programs
which include the Higher Diploma Program (HDP), the English Language
Improvement Program (ELIP), and ICT. The Higher Diploma Program is aimed
at improving teachers’ skills and competencies at the currentteaching level. The
ELIP program is aimed at improving teacher ability to use the English language
as a medium of instruction while the ICT intended to improve academics’
knowledge and competency in using various technologies and digital tools for
educational purposes (Demewoz, 2016; Yelifashewa, 2013). Furthermore, at the
university, there are various sporadic in-service professional development
practices involving lectures, annual research conferences, seminars and training.
CPD is widely acknowledged as a prerequisite for both individuals' and
organizations' competitiveness (Santos et al., 2019). In particular, academics'
CPD is becoming a requirement for higher education institutions to remain
competitive. This means that the quality of higher education and, by extension,
society as a whole isin need of proper CPD for academics. Therefore, the purpose
of this study is to investigate the CPD practices of academics and their respective
institutions at Hawassa University. This appears to be due to some current issues,
such as accreditation and quality assurance, university differentiation, increased
student diversity, and technological advancement.
Furthermore, since it is one of the universities that is differentiated as a
Research University in Ethiopia, studying Hawassa University as a case study
will hopefully offer good insight and contribute to a better understanding of the
practices of CPD and related challenges. This seems to have an effect on the
CPD programs and quality enhancement at Hawassa University which help to
achieve institutional success specifically and in Ethiopian higher education
institutions at large.

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 Similarly, researchers in Ethiopia have generally indicated that there is a
largegap between what has been expected from professional development
programs and what has been observed in the processes of their practices (Bekalu,
2009; Demewoz, 2016; Yelifashewa, 2013). Furthermore, scholars have noted
that the professional development of academics is an under researched field
(Masoumi et al., 2019; Santos et al., 2019). In an effort to contribute to this
research gap, this study strives to answer the following research questions.
1. How is continuous professional development conceptualized and
practiced at Hawassa University?
2. What are the prevailing challenges hindering academic staff and their
respective institutions in maintaining quality CPD practices?

LITERATURE REVIEW
The term continuous professional development (CPD) covers all
interventions and activities aimed at improving academics' competency in their
different roles. These diverse roles include acting as scholars, advisers, designers
and evaluators of academic programs and courses; acting as academic leaders,
contributors to public services and participants in institutional decisions; and
contributing to a college’s or university’s mission accomplishment (Baker et al.,
2018; Masoumi et al., 2019; Sadovets, 2017). These various roles of academics
encompass the ideal scenario, which may not always play out in practice and,
subsequently, has implications for the types of professional development
academics are expected to be engaged in.
The effective practice of CPD benefits both academic staff and their
institution in numerous ways. It enhances the teaching and learning process by
equipping academic staff with the latest teaching methodologies, technologies,
and best practices in their field, new instructional strategies, assessment
techniques, and approaches to engage and support students effectively. As noted
by Knight (2002), providing teachers with opportunities for continuous
professional development is essential because initial teacher education programs
cannot provide them with all the competencies that are needed in the classroom,
especially procedural or how to develop skills, which primarily develop in
practical settings. In relation to the focus and goals of continuous professional
development, authors such as Borko (2004) and Desimone et al. (2002) note that
teacher professional development is an essential mechanism for enhancing
teachers’ knowledge and instructional practices.
Enhancing the capacity to adapt to the changing educational landscape is
another important aspect of CPD. Higher education is constantly evolving due to
technological advancements, changes in student demographics, and shifts in
educational policies. CPD enables academic staff to adapt to these changes,
ensuring that they remain relevant and competent in their respective fields. It
allows them to integrate new technologies, teaching methods, and research

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advancements into their teaching practices. The expectation for today’s teachers
is to embrace life-long learning to be able to constantly adapt to new situations
and respond to the changing demands of society in the classroom (Dede et al.,
2009).
CPD also paves the way for research and scholarship initiatives by
providing opportunities for academic staff to be engaged in research and
scholarship activities. It enables them to stay abreast of the latest developments
and contribute to knowledge creation in their discipline. Continuous learning and
exposure to new research methodologies and findings can enhance the quality
and impact of their scholarly work (Zeichner, 2003).
As a profession related construct, CPD also supports the professional
growth of academic staff by providing opportunities for advancement,
recognition, and career progression (Dadds, 2014). Similarly, Rimmer and Floyd
(2020) stated that participation in workshops, conferences, and seminars allows
academic staff to network, collaborate, and build relationships with colleagues
from other institutions, fostering a sense of community and professional
development.
CPD also promotes institutional excellence: through CPD, academic staff
can contribute to institutional excellence by sharing their knowledge and
experiences with colleagues. They can lead workshops, mentor new academic
staff, and participate in curriculum development initiatives. By continuously
improving their skills and knowledge, academic staff can positively impact the
overall quality of teaching, research, and institutional reputation (Jaiswal, 2017).
Academics' CPD is seen as a key factor for both enhancing and ensuring
quality in higher education (Masoumi et al., 2019; Pham, 2021). In other words,
it plays a central role in meeting accreditation and quality assurance
requirements. Many higher education institutions have accreditation and quality
assurance processes in place. These often require evidence of continuous
professional development to ensure that academic staff meets certain standards
and demonstrate ongoing professional growth. CPD helps academic staff fulfill
these requirements and maintain the institution's accreditation and reputation.
According to Naveed et al. (2009), quality in the education system
should hold all its functions, including teaching and academic programs, research
and scholarships, staffing, students, buildings, facilities, equipment, services to
the community and the academic environment. The quality of educational
services in higher education is influenced mainly by the quality of teachers
(Martin et al., 2018; Masoumi et al., 2019). Since academic staff performs the
central tasks of teaching, researching, and serving the community, the effective
practice of professional development programs is a decisive input for promoting
teachers' professional competencies and enhancing the quality of education and
training.

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 There are a variety of continuous professional development practices
across the world, including formal training courses, coaching and mentoring and
informal learning. In Ethiopia, one of the measures that has been taken by the
Ministry of Education to enhance quality in higher education institutions is the
professional development of academic staff through the Higher Diploma
Program (henceforth, HDP) (Ministry of Education [MoE], 2018). HDP was
identified following extensive studies by the Ministry of Education on the overall
education system including teacher training in 2002 (Demewoz, 2016). It is a
licensed one-year training program aimed at developing the skills and
professionalism of teacher educators including organizing and offering short-
term training on research and technology.
Currently, at Hawassa University there are different centers and
programs that are working to provide professional development opportunities to
academics. These include the Academic Development and Resources Center
(ADRC), one of the CPD centers in the university, which offers courses on
instructional skills like induction and information communication technology
(ICT). The HDP has also been established as a major CDP intended to train
instructors at the university.

Theoretical Framework
Andragogy refers to any deliberate, professionally guided activity that
seeks to effect change in adults (Knowles et al., 2005). This study uses the
andragogy in practice model as a theoretical lens for exploring the understanding,
practices and institutional challenges pertaining to academic staff engagement
with CPD at Hawassa University. This model offers an enhanced conceptual
framework to more systematically apply andragogy across multiple domains of
adult learning practice (Knowles et al., 2005). It also presents core principles of
adult learning that in turn enable those designing and conducting adult learning to
build more effective learning processes for adults.
Conventionally, the professional development of academic staff has
relied on external sources as agents of change and providers of solutions. These
sources tend to adopt a "top-down" model that takes a unified approach to work-
based learning, ignoring the expertise and specific needs workers bring to the
learning context. Terms such as "training" and "development" suggest that
workers are passive recipients of learning programs. However, recent advances in
learning theory highlight the limitations of top-down training programs in
changing practices and improving outcomes. As a result, reform agendas that
have driven change and innovation internationally have emphasized the need for
professional development based on an understanding of adult learning principles
(Hargreaves, 1994; Zuber- Skerritt et al., 2015).
A theoretically sound understanding of the core principles of adult
learning, therefore, underpins the academics and their respective institutional

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practices of successful adult learning programs, such as continuing professional
development programs for academic staff. Knowles et al. (2005) proposed core
adult learning principles based on the view that adult learners are autonomous
and responsible for making independent decisions about their own learning. The
six principles of andragogy are (1) the learner’s need to know, (2) self-concept of
the learner, (3) prior experience of the learner, (4) readiness to learn, (5)
orientation to learning, and (6) motivation to learn. For a better understanding of
the theory, the factors that might affect adult learning processes and practices are
pointed out in the schematic representation, which is depicted below in Figure 1.
Figure 1
Andragogy in practice model (Adapted from Knowles et al., 2005).

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 In addition, the six principles are listed at the center of the model. There
are also varieties of other factors that affect adult learning in any particular
situation and may cause adults to behave more or less closely to the core
principles. These include individual learners, situational differences, and the
goals and purposes of learning, shown in the two outer rings of the model by
Knowles et al. (2005). In fact, this theory is at the heart of continuous
professional development practice in which academic staff as adult learners take
control of their learning, including what, when and how in relation to their
teaching experience and their needs. As such, it is essential to recognize their
preferences in continuous professional development.

Table 1

Demographic profile of the respondents of the study

Participants Sex Year of Coded as

M F T Experience in
Hawassa
University
Academic vice 1 - 1 17 AP1
president
College dean 1 - 1 14 CD1
HDP(Higher Diploma 1 1 2 M=7 HDPC1
Program) Coordinator F = 12 HDPC2
ELIP (English 1 - 1 15 ELIPC1
Language
Improvement
Program) Coordinator
ICT (Information and 1 - 1 5 ICTC1
Communication
Technology)
Coordinator
Academic Staffs for 3 2 5 From 2 up to 17 AS1-5
interview years
Academic Staffs for 21 3 24 From 2 up to 17 FGD1-4
FGD (Focus Group years
Discussion)
Total 29 6 35

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 RESEARCH METHOD

In this study, an exploratory case study approach was employed. A case

study is chosen when the researchers wish to gain an in-depth exploration from
multiple perspectives of the complexity and uniqueness of a particular project,
policy, institution, program, or system in a real-life context (Denizen & Lincoln,
2018; Yin, 2012, 2018). Hawassa University was selected purposely as a site for
this study in anticipation of a sufficient number and appropriate participants for
the study within it. It is generally believed that the university has its own specific
cultures that are molded by the shared practices of participants. Furthermore, to
recruit participants who had the required experience; or who were known to
possess special knowledge to provide the information the research questions
sought to answer, purposive sampling was employed. The number of participants
in this research is summarized in Table 1.

Data collection and analysis

The data pertaining to the research questions and objectives were
collected from different sources using different data collection strategies. Formal
semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 interviewees (one academic
vice president, one education college dean, four CPD program coordinators and
five academic staff) who were research participants; each interview lasted 70 to
85 minutes and the interviews were audio-recorded. These interviews took place
at the university while the participants were free from normal classes and other
activities. For Focus Group Discussion (FGD) 24 academic staff (21 male and 3
female) were selected. FGDs were used to explore issues related to the thoughts,
feelings, understanding, practices and challenges of the practices of academic
staff's continuous professional development within their naturally occurring
setting. This type of data sets the context of qualitative studies. Furthermore, data
were collected from written and recorded documents that included policy
materials, university's strategic plan and reports, HDP plans and portfolios.
In this study, a top-down or deductive thematic analysis, that is driven by
the specific research question was employed (Braun & Clarke, 2006). This data
analysis technique is one of the most common approaches to qualitative data
analysis and involves identifying themes or patterns of cultural meaning; coding
and classifying data according to themes; and interpreting the resulting
thematic structures by seeking commonalties, relationships, overarching
patterns, theoretical constructs, or explanatory principles (Braun & Clarke,
2006; Bryman, 2012; Mills et al., 2010). Therefore, a deductive thematic
approach and insightful interpretations that are contextually grounded in the
understanding, practice and challenges of CPD at Hawassa University were
employed to qualitatively analyze the themes and subthemes identified from
interviews and FGD data.

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Ethical Issues
When conducting any type of study, researchers have a duty and
responsibility to act ethically in regard to matters of professional and moral
conduct as well as their participants. To ensure the successful completion of the
study's aims, various ethical norms must be followed. To ensure the success of
the study, letters of support and collaboration from Addis Ababa University were
secured. The participants were informed that the information gathered from them
would only ever be used for the study. All volunteers agreed to participate by
signing the consent letter. The participants were informed of the study's purposes
prior to data collection. Also disclosed to the participants was the fact that the
study would only use the data they submitted. Additionally, the researcher
protected participants confidentially by using a code rather than their names to
identify them.

Limitations of the study

This study employs a single case study to explore the understanding,
practice and institutional challenges pertaining to academic staff engagement in
CPD. However, the fact that multiples cases were not included may affect the
generalizability of the findings to other contexts.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

In this section, the findings and discussion of the study are presented
under the following four themes that deductively emanated from the two research
questions staff understanding, CPD practice, follow-up and evaluation and
challenges that hinder academic staff and their respective institutions in
developing the quality of CPD practices.

Understanding of academic staff on the need to participate in CPD

At Hawassa University the CPD of academics which can be considered a
mechanism for developing and perpetuating academics’ professional knowledge,
skills and attitudes is understood in different ways. In the interviews, one of the
HDP coordinators explained:
There are teachers who attend CPD programs such as HDPs in search of
only the certificate that is given upon completion of the program and that
is considered a requirement to teach in higher education; there are
teachers who understand that CPD is important only for academics who
donot have pedagogical knowledge or who did not take education
courses, and there are also teachers who understand that CPD is
important for all teachers who want to be competent and effective in their
profession (HDPC1, interview).
As reflected in the above quote, academics have a polarized understanding of the
need to participate in CPD. Even though there are academics who have the

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intended understanding of the importance of CPD, evidence from the
coordinator's statement suggests that academics are more concerned about the
requirement of CPD than program itself. Thus, the primary purpose of CPD
participation is higher education system compliance.
At Hawassa University, there is another stance that recognizes CPD as a
determinant for academics who lack pedagogical training. However, for
academics who participate in teacher training programs, such training is less
important (AS1; 2; 4, interview).
These findings revealed that CPD is perceived as if it only applies to
staff without pedagogical training. Nevertheless, the CPD of academics is
important not only for pedagogical training but also for other reasons. For
instance, it is imperative to train and enhance academics' skills and competence
in the areas pertaining to modern technologies in the courses that they teach
(Dysart & Weckerle, 2015; Yue et al., 2016).
CPD is also important as a means to keep pace with the changing role of
academics and to cope with challenges that have resulted from high competition
in attracting and retaining students; and globalization (Bacheler, 2015; Lam,
2010). In addition, it is important to develop critical thinking, subject knowledge
and skills, and achieve emotional maturity, which are necessary for academics'
qualitative professional activity (Sadovets, 2017). Furthermore, CPD is a useful
tool helping academics fulfill their expected roles in dynamic working situations
and globalization (Hasan & Parvez, 2017; Ofojebe & Chukwuma, 2015; Yaqub
et al., 2020).
Furthermore, one of the academic staff's interviewees explained that
"CPD is a means by which one academic constantly looks into his own actions
and experiences, and reflects on what needs improvement in his professional
knowledge, skills, and attitudes" (AS2, Interview). This implies that there is
academic staff who understands reflective practice as a means to be engaged in
continuous professional development. This finding is in line with that of Mathew
et al. (2017), who reported that reflective practice is the most important source of
personal professional development and improvement. This understanding is
important for guaranteeing that academics are doing their jobs accurately and,
above all, they are meeting the needs of their students.
Furthermore, other participants explained that, "CPD is important,
recognizing that pre-service trainings lack longevity, practicality, and context
specificity" (AP1, Interview; AS3, Interview). This finding is in line with that of
MacPhail et al. (2018) who claimed that teachers receive minimal preparation or
possibilities for professional development to fulfill their multiple and complex
roles. As a result, they need to acquire relevant knowledge and skills after taking
their position. Similarly, Lindvalla & Ryvea (2019) opined that the days on
which a single degree last for a full career are long gone and that this fact has

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become widely accepted and that most teachers in high-income economies
participate in some kind of CPD activities.
From analysis of document example Higher Diploma Program (2018),
CPD is understood as a means to enhance the quality of education in higher
education institutions (MoE, 2018). This finding aligns with Santos et al. (2019),
who claimed that insufficient professional development of academics creates a
considerable risk to the quality of higher education and, consequently, to society
as a whole.

CPD practices of academic staff

To be competent in their multiple roles, academics pursue different kinds
of CPD activities at Hawassa University. Participants reported formal activities
such as attending induction, HDP, training, seminars, conferences, and upgrading
programs. In addition, informally, academics learn to become better teachers and
researchers from various learning opportunities embedded in their day-to-day
work in an organizational system. These include activities such as colloquial
discussion, reading books, and using e- sources (FGD1-4).
Furthermore, the findings revealed that academics practice CPD through
reflective practice and self-reading. In relation to this, one interviewee explained
the practices as follows:
I update myself highly through reflection on action. When I complete a
semester or academic year, I carefully consider what was good and what
was not, and how I can improve my professional competency for the
future. In addition, I read different books from electronic sources to
update myself (AS1, Interview).
This implies that reflective practice is deeply interconnected with the CPD
practices of academics. This result supports the findings of Mathew et al. (2017),
who reported that reflective practice is the most important source of personal
professional development and improvement.

Institutional practice of CPD: assessing need, planning CPD, following up,

evaluating and giving feedback
Regarding the institutional practice of CPD, most of the interviewees and
FGD participants said that Hawassa University practices CPD in two ways:
updating and upgrading. Updating, through which different trainings are
provided in a continuous process in which every professional academic
participates during their career as an academic in the university. These updating
programs include induction, HDP and other training that focuses on academics'
scientific writing, research software, grant project writing etc. (AS1-5, Interview;
FGD1-4, Focus group discussion). Most of the time, these trainings are given to
enrich academics with research skills or research capacity, since one of their
expected roles is conducting research. Upgrading is the process by which

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academics can choose to participate in further study outside their regular work as
academics at appropriate times in their career, that is, to upgrade a first degree to
a master's degree or a master's degree to a PhD or a postdoctoral degree.
Regarding university CPD practices, from document analysis, the
researchers confirmed that induction, HDP, and different training are given to
academics (institutional annual reports; Academics HDP Workbook). Induction
denotes a collective of programs involving orientation, support, and guidance for
beginning academics. The HDP is a one-year professional development program
with two face-to-face two-hour sessions every week. The other is training, which
includes short-term intensive in-house training that is important for academics in
fulfilling their expected role.
In relation to institutional practices of need assessment, planning, follow-
up, evaluation, and feedback of CPD, the collected data from documents reveal
that individualized academics' needs are not assessed. The plan is expressed in
terms of the number of academics who are going to participate in induction,
HDP, or other training (University's annual plan; HDP plan). This implies that,
need assessments were not done to plan training. The first step in the professional
development process of academics as Koc et al. (2015) claim is to set goals,
which are based on subjects that are defined according to the interests and needs
of academics. Otherwise, the training may cause losses in time, resources, and
labor.
Needs assessment provides a rational approach for not only determining
areas that require development but also detecting trainees’ levels of cognitive and
emotional readiness, specifying priorities, making economical use of budgets,
efficiently using tools and equipment, and strategizing for the institution.
Detecting demand areas plays an important role in training to reach its goals and
be effective (Yaqub et al., 2020). In addition, this claim aligns with andragogy in
practice theory, which states that an adult is motivated to learn by being in
situations where she or he sees a need “why, what and how” to learn (Knowles et
al., 2005, p.4).
In addition, the focus group participants explained that, many trainings
lack robust follow-up and evaluation. After training are given, no one attempted
to evaluate their impact or to provide feedback (FGD4). This result is in line with
the findings of Earley and Porritt (2014), who reported that the evaluation of
professional development requires a focus on determining the impact of the
professional development in which teachers are engaged in. Similarly, Guskey
(2000) reported that systematic investigation of the value of CPD endeavors is
important for a number of reasons: to examine academics' perceptions of
professional development events or activities; to identify program outcomes; to
check whether a program is meeting objectives or participant needs; to replicate
and scale successful programs; and to determine and test best practices.In
addition, the evaluation of CPD plays at least two roles in the professional

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development process: (1) to promote continuous program improvement and (2) to
ensure program accountability.
In relation to the content of CPD, there are differences among colleges.
For instance, in health colleges, content wise training has been given to
academics, especially when new medication and instruments are going to be used
(AS4, Interview).On the other hand, participants from the Education College,
Natural Science College, and Social Science College explained that CPD
contents don't have discipline-specific contents (FGD1; 3). Scholars such as Berry
(2018), however, claim that quality continuous professional development should
help to build academics’ technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. To
develop expertise in a field, academics need to be provided with learning
experiences that enhance their discipline content knowledge. The andragogy
theory, which states that subject matter differences are one factor affecting adult
learning, is supported by this investigation (Knowles et al., 2005).

Challenges that hinder the quality of CPD practices among academic staff
and their respective institutions
The other theme that emerged from the research data was the challenges
hindering academics and their respective institutions from participating in and
developing high-quality CPD practices. This theme is directly related to research
question number two. These challenges have been classified as academic-related
challenges, institutional-related challenges and policy-related challenges.

Academic-related challenges
There are numerous potential challenges that hinder academics from
participating in CPD. The two HDP coordinators explained this as follows:
There is a misunderstanding about the importance of CPDs. For instance,
there are academics who participate in HDP training to have only
certificates, as it is a requirement to teach in higher education. There is a
lack of academic interest in engaging in CPD. Individual academics have
also had problems identifying and informing their gaps that can be filled
by institutionalized CPD programs (HDPC1; 2).
This finding reveals that there is a misunderstanding of the importance of CPD
and demotivation which implies the inadequacy of the support provided by
stakeholders to become aware of and motivate academics in relation to CPD. As
Haque et al. (2014) noted motivation is a method of instilling a high level of
excitement to achieve organizational goals, and this circumstance is satisfied by
meeting some individual needs. Essentially, motivation refers to fulfilling
organizational core goals by meeting the requirements or wants of individual
employees.
Additionally, the culture of academia does not encourage professional
development learning from one another. This implies that institutional culture

81
does not encourage learning from one another. Lewis et al. (2016), however,
argue that the most powerful organizational learning strategy is team learning
because of its ability to create a collaborative culture and collective responsibility
within the professional learning community.
The other challenges enumerated by participants of the FGD include lack
of materials such as an individual office, tables and chairs, and laptops and an
absence of rewards for those academics, who have practiced CPD effectively.
This result supports the findings of Ofojebe and Chukwuma (2015), who reported
many factors hindering the utilization of CPD for academic staff effectiveness in
colleges of education in Delta State. This included insufficient funds and a lack
of equipment and facilities. According to the study's findings, CPD programs
must be used effectively throughout Hawaasa University. The effective use of
CPD produces favorable outcomes for academics' competitiveness and for their
respective institutions in the present and future, and for the overall quality
improvement of the higher education system.

Institutional-related challenges
This study identified many institutional barriers to developing effective
CPD. The first persistent challenge identified by this study is the inability of
institutions to run relevant CPD programs that address the individualized needs
of academics. In relation to this, one interviewee explained:
... researcher I have 12 years of experience; for instance, trainings in
relation to research are usually started by asking "what is research" How
many years should I have been trained on this issue? Taking this type of
training is not so useful; it is waste of time sitting and listening to
something that is irrelevant for improving my status... In my view, if I
took Analysis of variance (ANOVA) last year, I should take Multivariate
Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) this year... and there should be an
organizational management that follow-up and manages these things
(AS5, Interview).
According to the quote, the content of CPD program in the Hawassa University
was not personalized to the need of individual academic. Participation in such
undifferentiated and repeated CPD content without examining improvements has
made it boring for academics. This result is in line with those of Baker et al.
(2018), Qader (2019), Yaqub et al. (2020) and Yilfashewa (2012), who reported
that there is a mismatch between academics' needs and CPD endeavors. These
challenges influence the understanding and institutional practices of CPD at
universities.
The other challenge identified by the respondent is a lack of institutional
capacity to provide discipline-specific CPD programs that focus on content
knowledge. For instance, two FGD participants from the Education College and
Natural Science College explained that trainings are not given on content

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knowledge but rather focus on pedagogical knowledge, research skills, and ICT
(FGD1). Nevertheless, scholars such as Fabriz et al. (2020) have suggested that
including subjective knowledge in professional development programs is highly
recommended to impactteaching-related self-efficacy, self-concept, and
subjective knowledge.
The inability of the university to institutionalize all CPD programs was
the other identified challenge. Only HDP and Induction are successfully
institutionalized CPD programs for academics at Hawassa University; other
trainings are sometimes given arbitrarily simply to use the allocated budget. In
addition, many training methods lack a robust evaluation component. Inother
words, after the training, no one has attempted to evaluate their impact (AS5,
Interview). This finding of this study showed the inability of the university to
institutionalize all CPD programs. This finding is in line with Dereje (2022), who
reported that the HDP is a centrally initiated and successfully institutionalized
professional development program for teachers in Ethiopian public universities.
We argue that the institutionalized system for organizing CPD and
following up on CPD endeavors at the university is not as strong. It was found
that CPD endeavors, especially training, was arbitrarily run rather than
intentional, systematic, and continuous; although the literature on professional
development in higher education emphasizes continuity, variety, and
collaboration, the existing reality was far from these (Guskey, 2000). This result
is consistent with that of Yilfashewa (2012), who reported that there is a gap
between what the literature is advocating and existing practices at Adama
University.
In addition, HDPs are given in their own rooms; this does not make any
difference from the theoretical or conceptual trainings that are given during
preservice education. The main purpose of almost all professional development
efforts is improving teacher practices to enhance students' outcomes. Therefore, it
will be best if it is placed under the umbrella the teaching classroom environment
(FGD1).

Policy-related challenges
This study identifies a number of policy-related challenges. First, is that
there is no comprehensive plan or follow-up for CPD that could enhance the
effectiveness and quality of academics' CPD activities. In relation to this, one of
the interviewees explained that "there is no established framework for academics
CPD after the completion HDP, everyone should explore his own ways of
development... even there is no system which holds academics accountable, if
they are not engaged in CPD endeavors"(AS5, Interview). This finding is
consistent with those MacPhail et al. (2018) and Masoumi et al. (2019), who
reported that there is a lack of financial, organizational, and institutional capacity

83
to plan and implement and evaluate the effectiveness of CPD in a higher
education context.
Another persistent challenge identified by this study is the low payment
or low salary of academic staff, by which academic staff cannot afford to buy
important products for themselves or their families. This leads academics to be
engaged in other income-generating activities. Most academics have more than
one job, as they are part-time lecturers. One of the FGD participants explained
the situation as follows:
In 2020, Debub Media shared the life experience of one female academic
staff member in relation to income generation as a best practice. Her
experience includes the following activities: every day, at 4p.m., she sells
chips. On weekends, she washes clothes of others by rounding home to
home, and she also works as a hair stylist to generate income. These
things injured my moral, and I feel the pain till now... In my view all
these things are not best practices, but rather a mirror that shows how
academic staff at Hawassa University or in Ethiopia is low paid and
strive to generate income to afford their basic needs. All these things
have an impact on how academics understand and practice CPD
individually or as a group institutionally (FGD1).
The quote show that external influences such as material incentives have an
impact on participation in CPD. Teaching in higher education is seen as a
profession that delivers little to financial incentives.
Similarly, the other policy-related obstacle identified by this study is the
lack of incentives for upgrading academics. The participants in FGD explained
that most academics do not want to upgrade to a PhD because the incentives
given upon the completion of the program do not inspire them to do so (FGD1).
This may explain why academics are losing interest in upgrading professional
development programs such as PhD. Rather, the statements expressed academics'
drive to seek other opportunities that offer them financial benefits to overcome
the hardships of living off of the meager wages they receive as instructors. Thus,
investing time in CPD is not as important. This finding is in line with that of
Leibowitz (2016), who proposed that extrinsic types of incentive may play an
essential role in encouraging academics to participate in professional
development opportunities.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

It is known that CPD is important for enhancing the competitiveness of

individuals and the institutions in which they work. The aim of this study is to
explore and examine the understanding and practices of academic staff's CPD
within Hawassa University in Ethiopia, as well as the challenges that hinder
academic staff and their respective institutions in developing quality CPD

84
practices. The results of the study indicate that CPD for academics is understood
and practiced in different ways. There are CPD challenges related to individual
academics, institutional practices, and policy issues.
The researchers propose the following implications for future academic
CPD actions at Hawassa University: ample awareness should be created about
the importance of CPD, and appropriate need assessment should therefore be
performed to provide information about the individual academic and collective
needs that can be addressed via CPD. In addition, nurturing a culture of CPD at
Hawassa University as a learning community could enhance its effectiveness and
quality.
The researchers also suggest that instead of haphazard trainings whose
outcomes have never been evaluated, the importance of developing a
comprehensive plan and follow-up for CPD could enhance its effectiveness and
quality.
To improve the quality and effectiveness of CPD efforts, it is suggested
that emphasis should be placed on establishing institutional and systematic policy
initiatives to plan, monitor, and evaluate CPD. Institutional managers at different
levels should be involved in and take responsibility for educational decisions
about how such initiatives could be developed, conducted, and refined. In
addition, the provision of all kinds of resources needs to be improved.
In future research, similar studies could be used with multiple cases by using
quantitative and mixed-methods research approaches. A mixed research approach
could be conducted to determine the opinions and suggestions of all concerned
stakeholders.

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Medhanit Adane PhD Candidate, Department of Curriculum and Instruction,
College of Education and Behavioral Studies, Addis Ababa University

Amare Asgedom Professor of Education, Department of Curriculum and

Instruction, College of Education and Behavioral Studies, Addis Ababa
University, currently a member of RISE Ethiopia International Research Project

Kassahun Weldemariam PhD Senior Lecturer, Department of Pedagogical,

Curricular and Professional Studies, Faculty of Education, University of
Gothenburg
Manuscript submitted: August 29, 2023
Manuscript revised: November 3, 2023
Accepted for publication: November 23, 2023

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