Investigating the Impact of the Continuous Professional Development in Educational Mentoring and Coaching for STEM Teachers on Biology Teacher’s Classroom Practices in Public Schools of Kamonyi District, Rwanda

Madeleine Uwase
African Centre of Excellence for Innovative Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science (ACEITLMS)
University of Rwanda, College of Education
Email:uwasemado1@gmail.com

Abstract: Rwanda has adopted continuous professional development (CPD) in education as one of the adequate methods for improving teacher’s knowledge towards the biology teacher’s classroom practice. This study’s aim was to examine effects of CPD in educational mentoring and coaching for STEM teachers on biology teacher’s classroom practices in Kamonyi district, Rwanda. The study was mixed research and the population of this study was 184 biology teachers while the sample size was 123 biology teachers. Data were gathered using questionnaires ,observation with Excel and SPSS being used for statistical computing. Chi-square test and Pearson correlation were used. Findings showed that the impact of CPD in educational mentoring and coaching for STEM teachers on biology teacher’s classroom practices scored at 96.5%, with a good relationship between CPD program and biology teachers classroom practice (p-value = 1.23e-07).The CPD impacts were inferred as follows: improving teacher’s competence (15%),time management(14%).Barriers were revealed as: The shortage of teaching materials (60.6%), insufficient internet connection (19.7%), The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of CPD in educational mentoring and coaching for STEM teachers on biology teachers’ classroom practices in Kamonyi district. Despite some barriers that persisted, CPD activities have shown better significance towards biology teachers’ classroom practices.