INFLUENCE OF EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING IN PUBLIC JUNIOR SCHOOLS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The study aimed to examine how Educator Professional Development (EPD) influenced the implementation of Community-Service Learning (CSL) in public Junior Schools (JS) in Nairobi City County (NCC), Kenya. The study was anchored on Vygotsky’s Socio-Constructivism theory and employed a convergent design, combining cross-sectional survey and phenomenology. From a target population of 872, stratified simple random sampling, criterion purposive sampling and census were used to obtain a sample of 64 JS educators, 22 JS Heads of Institutions (HOIs), 17 Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs) and one (1) County Director of Education (CDE). Data from JS educators were obtained using a questionnaire, while semi-structured interview guides were used to collect qualitative data from the CDEs, QASOs, and HOIs. Reliability for quantitative data was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha (target 0.70 to 0.90), while for qualitative data, credibility and dependability were ensured through peer debriefing, member checking and triangulation. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS v25, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically using Nvivo software. Findings established that structured educator professional development modalities, specifically educator workshops, academic upgrading, reflective practice, and peer mentoring, significantly influenced the effective implementation of CSL in public JS in NCC. The study concluded that educator professional development is a critical driver of CSL success, but its impact is constrained by inconsistent access, lack of standardization, and weak institutionalization. To sustain CSL outcomes, professional development must be competency-focused, context-sensitive, and embedded within systemic frameworks that formalize peer mentoring, standardize academic upgrading, and expand CSL-specific workshops. The study recommended expanding of CSL-focused workshops, standardizing academic upgrading, embedding reflective practice in professional development, and formalizing peer mentoring networks. Policy makers, curriculum developers, and QASOs were urged to integrate systemic support structures and commission further research on long-term impacts, contextual variations, feasibility of CSL as a standalone learning area and digital tools. This ensures professional development translates into sustainable CSL outcomes, strengthening educator capacity and learner civic responsibility.