Unveiling strategies for strengthening pedagogical development to enhance tutors’ teaching competencies in technical institutions in Tanzania: Insights from selected institutions in Dodoma Region

Abstract

This study examined strategies for strengthening pedagogical development to enhance tutors’ teaching competencies in selected technical institutions in Dodoma Region, Tanzania. The study was motivated by the recognition that technical tutors require not only occupational expertise but also effective pedagogical, interpersonal, and classroom management competencies to facilitate competency-based learning. The study was informed by Experiential Learning Theory as a theoretical lens to guide the study. A qualitative research approach was adopted, guided by a case study design to obtain an in-depth understanding of how pedagogical development strategies are implemented and experienced within institutional contexts. The study purposively selected approximately eight participants, comprising technical tutors and institutional leaders with direct experience in teaching, staff development, academic management, and quality assurance. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and documentary review where relevant institutional documents were accessible. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach, with attention to both institution-specific experiences and cross-case patterns. The findings revealed four major strategies for strengthening tutors’ pedagogical development to enhance their competencies, namely strengthening classroom management and control, developing tutors’ personal and professional character, coaching and mentoring for behavioural improvement, and practical and experiential pedagogical training. The findings critically demonstrated that pedagogical competence extends beyond knowledge of teaching methods. Effective tutors require the capacity to manage student behaviour, prevent classroom conflicts, communicate appropriately, demonstrate emotional control, and model professional conduct. Individual coaching and mentoring were particularly important because they enabled tutors to identify the underlying causes of teaching difficulties and receive personalised feedback rather than relying solely on general training programmes. Furthermore, practical and experiential exposure to other trainers and institutional environments broadened tutors’ pedagogical repertoires by exposing them to alternative approaches to lesson delivery, student engagement, and practical learning. The study concludes that tutor pedagogical development should be understood as a continuous, context-responsive and multidimensional process, rather than a one-time training activity. Technical institutions should therefore integrate classroom management, professional character development, individual coaching, mentoring, and experiential learning into systematic staff development programmes. The study recommends stronger institutional mechanisms for continuous pedagogical support, peer and professional learning, practical exposure, and personalised coaching to ensure that tutors can effectively translate pedagogical knowledge into competent teaching practice.