Academic Staff Development Dreams and Realities: The Case of Haramaya University

Abstract

This study targeted to analyzing the existing gap between dreams about professional development programs and the implementation practices at Haramaya University. The study attempted to unveil the effect of the various professional development endeavors on instructors‟ professional competencies and the difference it brought on the processes of university training and education system as whole. A case study of qualitative and quantitative methods, a mixed method, was employed. In an attempt to attain the objectives of the study, data were collected from instructors, professional development program coordinators and academic program leaders using questionnaires, interview, and document analysis. The result indicates that instructors and academic leaders did not have orientation about professional development. Although respondents recognized the relevance of activities in the training sessions to instructors‟ classroom practices, the implementation of professional development encountered challenges in terms of resource allocation, provision of support and proper time consideration. Moreover, the role of instructors in preparation of materials and institutionalization of the professional development program was less regarded. There were no established practices to make a tracer study for making a follow-up of those participants who had involved in the professional development training. In general, it is concluded that in the present system of the professional development initiative, there is a visible gap between dreams and implementing realities.