Determinants of instructors' attitudes toward competency-based curriculum in Tanzanian technical education and training: a correlational study

Abstract

Instructors play a crucial role in implementing a competency-based curriculum (CBC), and their attitudes are a significant factor for successful execution. However, their attitudes toward CBC in Tanzanian technical education and training (TET) institutions are unknown. Specifically, this study investigated the predictive power of institutional factors (physical resources, management ethos, professional development), CBC attributes (relative advantage, complexity, observability, and compatibility), and instructors' profiles on attitudes toward CBC in Tanzania TET institutions. A quantitative correlational research design was employed to generate data. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the study areas, TET institutions, and instructors. A total of 337 instructors from 50 TET institutions across three regions - Mwanza, Dodoma, and Arusha - participated in the study. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression. Findings revealed that institutional factors, CBC attributes, and instructors' profiles, especially age, teaching experience and CBC training, significantly predict instructors' attitudes toward the CBC. However, gender, education level, and promotion rank were not statistically significant predictors. The study recommends capacity building for instructors, establishing a collaborative network for curriculum planning between TET institutions and regulatory bodies, and effective resource allocation and infrastructure improvements. These provide the foundation for enhancing instructors' attitudes while improving CBC implementation by focusing on key principles, addressing systemic challenges, and improving educational outcomes in Tanzania's TET sector.