Michael Mwareri Wangai
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Michael Mwareri Wangai, Nairobi, Kenya
Listening the short videos, Reading the attachments and your comments has left me reflecting deeply on the different education systems in African Countries whose curricula (Basic Education – where HEIs get their students) keep on changing in the name of Education reforms. Then i ask myself, why are there no such whole sale education/curricula reforms in mature education systems in the North? And that now brings Prof Ramon’s concerns (allow me to paraphrase; Teaching for what? and what learning? – education for what?)
In Kenya and indeed East Africa, education systems have been overhauled thrice with countless curriculum changes (in the basic education). I find such changes driven by politics rather than an empirical research informed reasons.
I hope i did not bring subjective feelings to the debated on THE NEED TO REVISE THE MAINSTREAM APPROACH TO “TEACHING-AND-LEARNING” OR “LEARNING-AND-TEACHING”I have no prescriptions for my assertions this time round
Dear PROFESSOR CUEVAS
After listening to your short informative presentation on problem solving techniques and the two projects that you are currently involved in , I find the need to bring onboard more Universities in Africa. Fresh graduates sometimes miss opportunities due to lack of industrial practice but with such projects that enrich students practical experience (even inclusion in their Curriculum Vitae such experiences) enhance their work readiness and appeal to potential employers. All study programmes should have aspects of experiencial learning where the curriculum is indicative of the requirement for students to undertake problem solving projects
Let me start with a general comment inspired by the last comment by Prof Olusola , on what can be done to make our teachers and Professors to plug into the new mode of teaching and learning.
From my experience , before COVID-19 came to disrupt our comfort zones, most teachers and more so Professors resisted any new thing in what they were used to, after all the legislative authorities give them ‘Academic Freedom’ that they may drive the teaching process the way they know best without worrying about a big brother checking what they are doing. However, during COVID-19 , the very existence of the traditional teaching methods were under great threat. University Senates had to embrace the new technology inspired methods , and the teachers had to tore the line (almost using threats and coercion from University Management). I see most very happy with the use of Synchronous and asynchronous methods.So, i propose the following;
a) Each University to administer a survey targeting the teachers and the professors because each University maybe at a different level of use of the new mode of teaching and learning
b) from the responses , we are able to design the interventional strategy
c) AAU rolls out a sensitization targeting all the UniversitiesRegards
Dr. Michael Wangai
Snr Quality Assurance Officer
University of Nairobi
