Enhancing professional development in Ghanaian colleges of education: A critical analysis of needs assessment practices

The study investigated the predictors of professional development (PD) needs assessment in Ghana’s Colleges of Education (CoEs), prompted by growing concerns about the alignment between institutional development efforts and actual educator needs. Despite widespread discourse on professional development in education, few studies have systematically explored how PD needs are assessed within the unique institutional settings of Ghana’s CoEs. This study addressed that gap by examining the structural, task-specific, and individual-level factors influencing the effectiveness of needs assessments. Guided by Kaufman’s Organizational Elements Model and the Three-Level Needs Assessment Model, the research adopted a quantitative approach, employing a cross-sectional descriptive design. A sample of 610 lecturers, drawn through multistage sampling from 13 CoEs across Ghana, participated in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, piloted and refined to ensure validity and reliability. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to explore the latent dimensions shaping PD needs whereas the multiple regression analysis was performed to examine how organizational, task-related, and individual-level variables predicted PD assessment outcomes. A key finding revealed that institutional policy clarity significantly predicted the perceived relevance and utility of PD needs assessments, suggesting that structural coherence enhances the identification of educators' developmental priorities. The study concludes that effective PD planning in CoEs requires greater institutional alignment and recommends that leadership structures embed clearer frameworks to standardize and optimize needs assessment practices.