Zimbabwean Teachers' Perspectives on the History Subject Panels

The purpose of the study was to establish from the perspective of the teachers the efficacy of history subject panels as an innovation for professional development. Specifically the study focused on gaining insights into how teachers understand history subject panels and their role the effectiveness of the activities teachers engage in during their meetings and whether history subject panels are an effective vehicle for teacher-learning. The study also focused on the challenges faced by those involved in history subject panels and how history subject panels can be improved to make them effective vehicles for teacher professional development in Zimbabwe. Despite their promise the debate on the efficacy of subject panels as an innovation for improving teachers’ instructional practices and student achievement is inconclusive. This study contributes new knowledge to this debate by using history subject panels as an example.