The Effect of Professional Development Training on EFL Teachers’ Perception of Research Practice at Selected Schools in Arba Minch

An Expirimental Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of need-based professional development (PD) training on primary school EFL teachers’ perception of research practices in Gamo Zone, Ethiopia. Employing an experimental research design, pre-test and post-test measures were analyzed using a t-test statistical procedure. The data gathered through a questionnaire was subjected to quantitative analysis. 59, randomly selected EFL teachers filled the pre-test and post-test questionnaires. The result showed that there was a statistically significant difference before intervention (M=64.00, SD=13.612) and after intervention [M= 80.52, SD=15.512, t (51) =-6.554, p<0.05]. Based on the findings, the study concluded that need-based PD practice could have great value in improving primary school EFL teachers’ perception of research practices in Arba Minch, Ethiopia

Key terms: Perception, Research Practices, Need-based, Professional development, English language, Experimental research design