Do Teachers Perceive the Impact of Professional Development? Teachers' Experiences of their Professional Development Initiatives for Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools

Depending on their experiences, teachers observe the professional development initiatives they are exposed to, and what they have taken part in, indifferently in the setting of their signification. The aim of this phenomenological qualitative research was to investigate teachers' experiences of their professional development in effective teaching and learning in schools. An interview schedule was used to collect data. Ten teachers were sampled through the simple random sampling procedure to participate in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The results show that teachers are not provided with adequate time for professional development (DP) workshops and are not financially supported by both, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and their schools. Furthermore, results show that teachers are undergoing professional development initiatives in order to gain financial rewards. The survey recommends that professional development of teachers (PDT) should be associated with financial rewards such as increment in teachers' pay and promotions. It is also recommended that further research on the rationale behind teachers' further studies, as part of professional development, be undertaken.