Title: Teachers' Professional Development as a Predictor of Psychological Empowerment in Public Secondary School Teachers in Uganda.
Authors: Associate Professor Dr. Mark Kiiza
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Pages: 242-254
Publication Date: 2026/07/28
Abstract:
Teachers' professional development has become a central strategy for enhancing educational quality and supporting the effective implementation of curriculum reforms. This study examined teachers' professional development as a predictor of psychological empowerment among public secondary school teachers in Uganda. The study was informed by Adult Learning Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and Psychological empowerment Theory, which conceptualize professional development as a transformative process that strengthens teachers' competence, autonomy, professional agency, and perceived impact. The study adopted a descriptive concurrent mixed-method that enabled collection of quantitative and qualitative data. A cross-sectional design was employed to enable comprehensive analysis of the variables under investigation. The study involved a sample of 142 teachers who were scientifically selected from five public secondary schools in western Uganda. Quantitative data were collected using the Professional Development Scale and Spreitzer's Psychological Empowerment Scale, while qualitative data were obtained through open-ended responses. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis, whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that teachers demonstrated relatively high engagement in professional development and moderate to high levels of psychological empowerment. Professional development was found to have a significant positive relationship with psychological empowerment and significantly predicted teachers' perceptions of meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. Qualitative findings further indicated that professional development enhanced teachers' confidence, instructional innovation, and professional agency, although supportive school leadership remained essential for maximizing empowerment outcomes. The study concludes that teachers' professional development should be viewed beyond skills enhancement as a strategic process for cultivating psychologically empowered teachers capable of implementing educational reforms effectively. The study recommends continuous, collaborative, and context-responsive professional development recommended approaches that strengthen both teachers' professional competence and psychological empowerment in Uganda.