Effectiveness of In-Service Teacher Training on Pedagogical Innovation in Secondary Schools in Ogun State

This study evaluates the effectiveness of in-service teacher training programmes in fostering pedagogical innovation among secondary school teachers in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. Pedagogical innovation involves the adoption of novel or significantly improved instructional approaches that enhance student learning outcomes, including collaborative learning strategies, inquiry-based teaching, differentiated instruction, and technology-enhanced lesson delivery. In-service training is the primary vehicle for introducing such innovations to the existing teacher workforce, yet evidence on its actual effectiveness in changing classroom practice in Nigerian secondary schools is limited. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, comparing pedagogical practice scores of 120 teachers who participated in a state-organised six-week in-service training programme with 120 matched teachers who did not participate, using pre-post classroom observation across 30 schools in Abeokuta, Sagamu, and Ijebu-Ode. Pedagogical innovation was assessed using a validated observation protocol measuring variety of methods, student-centred practice, formative feedback use, and differentiation. Difference-in-differences analysis was applied. Results indicate that training participation produced a statistically significant improvement in pedagogical innovation scores, with the largest gains in collaborative learning and formative assessment practices. However, 60 percent of observed innovations were not maintained six months post-training. The study concludes that in-service training effectively introduces pedagogical innovation but fails to sustain it without follow-up support. It recommends that all in-service programmes include structured classroom follow-up coaching for at least six months post-training to embed new practices in sustained teaching behaviour.

Keywords: in-service training, pedagogical innovation, teacher development, secondary school, Ogun State.