Reply To: General Discussion
Edrinnie Kayambazinthu
I have listened to the presentations and read the materials by our facilitators. They make a lot of sense and provide directions on teaching and learning in Higher Education Institutions(HEIs). I may not be in a position to agree or disagree with some of the issues raised, but I have appreciated Prof Villet’s unpacking of the learner-centred approach and the strategies to be used in teaching. Indeed, most of us lecturers in HEIs need refresher courses on innovations in teaching, learning and assessment. Some of the strategies, as outlined by Artagarcia Cuevas, are critical for one to use. Surely as HEIs, we can employ some of these more practical approaches to teaching. They bring out the relevant employability skills and bridge the gap between our institutions and the labour market.
Ramon, you make a compelling argument regarding modules as stand-alone entities. Yet, in some universities like mine, there is more compartmentalization and specificity in terms of discipline and faculty-specific courses that students enrolled in that program can take. Even if a student is interested in a course offered by a different faculty, there are restrictions which bar students from crossing into other faculties. However, we need more information on how to package modules into the curricula to minimise timetable clashes and manageability given time limitations. An argument often made by those who restrict students from other faculties.
The idea of general and specific courses, I cannot agree more. My general degree prepared me to broaden my thinking and be more adaptable at work than the current trend of specialised degrees, which train students in specific programs.
