Influence Of Principals’ Preparedness on Adoption of Digital Teacher Performance Appraisal Tool in Public Secondary Schools in Kiambu County

Abstract

This study assessed the influence of principals’ preparedness on adoption of Digital Teacher Performance Appraisal Tool in public secondary schools in Kiambu County. The specific objectives of the study included: To evaluate the influence of principals training; provision of ICT resources and principals perceptions towards TPAD System on the adoption of the Digital Teacher Performance Appraisal System. The study was grounded on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. The study adopted a descriptive research design using quantitative and qualitative approaches. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select a sample size of 164 principals from a target population of 278 principals in public secondary schools in Kiambu County. Purposive sampling was used to identify the TSC Sub County directors as key informants. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the principals while interview guides were conducted with TSC sub county directors. The SPSS software was used to conduct data analysis to generate descriptive statistics; correlation analysis; and regression analysis. Thematic analysis was used to identify emerging patterns and themes from the interview transcripts and presented in verbatim quotes and narrative form. Results of regression established that principal preparedness accounts for 65.9% variation in adoption of the digital teacher appraisal system. The Co-efficient of correlation established that principals training has a positive and significant effect on adoption of the TPAD System (β1= 0.720; p=0.000); ICT resources have a positive and significant effect on Adoption of the TPAD system (β2= 0.812; p=0.000); and principals perceptions have a positive and significant effect on Adoption of the TPAD system (β3= 0.690; p=0.000). Results of the Pearson’s Correlation Co-efficient established that principals preparedness increase the their readiness and willingness to adopt the TPAD system as there is a very strong positive correlation between: principals training and adoption of the TPAD system (r=0.700; p-value=0.000); ICT resources and adoption of the TPAD system (r=0.597; p-value=0.000); and principals perceptions and adoption of the TPAD system (r=0.720; p value =0.000). This study found out that 92.9% of principals in public secondary schools in Kiambu County had undergone 3 day training on the digital teacher appraisal system to familiarize with the TPAD system prior to its adoption and utilization in appraising teachers. However due to the short period of training all the critical aspects were not adequately covered. As a result only 25% school principals were able to identify all of the seven performance competence areas used to evaluate teachers and indicate the appropriate rating scale. The study also found out that principals had access to all the ICT resources required to adopt the TPAD system; principals’ perceptions towards the TPAD system influenced their preparedness in adopting TPAD system; and principals have successfully adopted the TPAD system in appraising teachers in public secondary schools in Kiambu County. However the principals’ limited knowledge and understanding on the performance competence areas and the rating scale may adversely affect their ability to produce appraisal reports that accurately reflect the teacher’s performance. Therefore this study recommends that TSC; organizes a second training that will comprehensively and extensively cover all the critical aspects required to equip the principals with skills on how to use the TPAD system; provides principals with training to enhance their level of ICT competency; provides feedback to the teachers; and provide training to teachers to enhance their skills and competence in areas identified as requiring improvement during the appraisal process.