Teacher Professional Development and Technological Proficiency of Educators: Empirical Evidence from Ethiopia Higher Education Institutions.

Abstract

Educators (Higher education teachers) play a significant role in equipping future professionals and contributing to societal progress. They are responsible for preparing competent citizens who serve various societal roles. Hence, examining educators' perceptions regarding professional development and technological proficiency is crucial. This study examines educators' perceptions of professional development and technological proficiency in Ethiopian higher education institutions, focusing on curriculum content, interdisciplinary integration, and aligning theory with practice. The impetus for this study is the growing necessity for educators to possess technological proficiency to meet global educational standards and the demand for innovative teacher education programs. It addresses Educators' perceptions of (1) Their technological proficiency, (2) The relevance and interdisciplinary integration of teacher education curricula, (3) The alignment of theoretical and practical curriculum components, and (4) The integration of technological training in teacher development programs. A structured questionnaire was utilized to collect data from instructors across various university categories. The analysis employed descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and post hoc tests. The findings indicate that educators perceive their technological proficiency as moderate (M = 3.0, SD = 0.66) and regard curriculum relevance and interdisciplinary integration as slightly above average (M = 3.1, SD = 0.64). Research universities demonstrate consistently higher scores across all variables, including technological training and curriculum alignment, than comprehensive and applied universities. Technological training integration and the alignment of theoretical and practical elements were identified as areas requiring improvement (M=2.8, SD=0.58; M=2.9, SD=0.67). Significant differences in perceptions were observed based on university type, qualifications, and experience, with research universities exhibiting the highest levels of perceived innovation and technological adoption. The study highlights gaps in technological training and curriculum alignment in Ethiopian higher education, urging strategic policies and resources to improve teacher education programs. By Emphasizing the importance of integrating theory and practice and fostering technological proficiency, the study calls for collaborative efforts to tackle the educational challenges of the 21st century.

Keywords

• teacher professional development
• competency
• higher education
• technological proficiency