THE EFFECT OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT ON TEACHING PROFESSIONALISM ENHANCEMENT IN STATE OF SABAH

The main purpose of this study was to identify the influence of staff development that has been implemented in schools by teaching professionalism enhancement in the education system particularly toward the elements related to the management of teaching and learning in teaching professionalism, teacher efficacy, support, and perceptions towards ethic in teaching professionalism. This survey involved a sample of 1426 people among secondary school teachers in Sabah state. Study variables were examined using descriptive and inferential statistics involving ANOVA, Pearson correlation, linear regression and multiple regression. The study has found that ethics in teaching professionalism and teaching professionalism in the management of teaching and learning has a significant relation towards teacher teaching efficacy. Meanwhile, the support of teaching professionalism has contributed approximately 19.1% towards the effort of teaching professionalism enhancement. The study also found that staff development contributes 33% towards the enhancement of teaching professionalism in secondary schools. Further analysis revealed that the components of teaching professionalism in the management of teaching and learning was the largest contributor (30.3%), followed by professional ethics of teachers (2.2%) and teacher teaching efficacy (0.5%). The three category of teaching professionalism enhancement mentioned became the contributor towards the efficacy of teacher's teaching in school (15.9%) with training category tend to be the largest contributor (12.2%). These findings also revealed that all category that is included in the enhancement of teaching professionalism such as awareness, training, implementing, upgrading, and planning had contributed a total of 37.7% to improve professionalism in the management of teaching and learning in schools with a willingness to be the main category (32.3%). Generally, staff development programs must undergo a process of continuous improvement so that the approach that's being implemented is more systematic and focused. Acording to that motion, the involvement of teachers should also be hollistic regardless of existing location and personnel grade. The restructuring of professional development programs in schools should focus on the relationship between the holistic development of schools (school-wide development) with the development of school capacity and progress in classroom. The research data obtained regarding the level of efficacy of teacher's teaching also made it possible for the policy makers, teacher's education program managers, school administrator and experienced teachers to learn and understand the pattern of differences of efficacy within the circles of secondary school teachers. In connection to that, the result of this research suggests that all parties concerned to be able to consider the broad opportunities for the new service teachers to experience a good teaching environment that can asist them in building their own positive efficacy.