Continuous professional development and the 21st century tutors’ instructional quality: a systematic review article

Background: Nations have engaged in reforms of their education systems to keep abreast of the current trends, responding to the demands of the 21st century characterized by rapid changes resulting from innovations, technology and massive information through advanced media. The classroom instruction of Tutors should reflect pertinent21stcentury skills to keep pace with the current trends. It is widely believed that instructional quality can be improved through continuous professional development (CPD) activities, among other things. This review aimed to document the effect of (CPD) programs and activities on tutors’ instructional quality. Methods: A meta-integration review approach was used to condense studies and synthesize them. The review encompasses nineteen articles published between 2015 and 2020. A search of databases including ERIC, SAGE Google Scholar, SAGE via Hinari, Wiley and reference tracking yielded several articles which were screened; and 19 met the eligibility criteria. Results: Results from the review indicate a variety of (CPD) activities that enhance practitioners’ knowledge and improve the quality of instruction, especially in subjects of specialization. The review revealed some CPD activities that Uganda tutors do not commonly engage in such as quality teaching rounds (Gore et al, 2017) and collaborative reflections through online journals (Elhussain & Arabia 2020). Conclusion: The findings are significant for developing appropriate (CPD) programs for Ugandan Tutors. The authors recommend institutionalization of CPD programs and activities that incorporate some of the novel activities, to improve Ugandan Tutors’ instructional quality.