What it means to teach online during the pandemic in Africa

• In Event: Decolonizing e-learning: Time to critically examine online learning in Africa

Proposal

The environment in which learning takes place has as much impact on the learner as the content presented and approaches used. This is why learning during traumatic times is appropriately referred to as learning in the traumatic environment. The trauma-informed perspective recognizes the effects of trauma and violence on the lives of individuals (Critelli & Yalim, 2020). The trauma-informed perspective posits that “experiences of psychological trauma can impede cognitive, social, and emotional development in childhood, which can impair…academic achievement, behavior, interpersonal skills, and general success in school” (Crosby, 2015, p. 223). The literature on trauma-informed perspectives invites teachers and staff to support learners and engage in trauma-informed teaching practices to provide meaningful learning experiences (Chafouleas et al., 2016). Examples of trauma-informed teaching strategies include a) positive and restorative responses to behavior; b) policy and procedure changes; c) creating a safe and supportive learning environment; and d) building emotionally healthy environments (Thomas, Crosby, & Vanderhaar, 2019). Trauma includes interpersonal forms of violence as well as perceived threats or harm (Thomas et al., 2019).
Research on learning through traumatic times and the use of trauma-informed pedagogy are still emerging around the world especially as it relates to online education. Within The African continent, however, learning in times of emergencies and traumatic times is not new. A majority of African countries have struggled for independence; some have experienced civil wars, environmental disasters, and some have experienced disease outbreaks (e.g., Ebola). Despite all of these hardships, two things remain the same: 1) formal education continues throughout these emergencies, and 2) African learners have had to deal with trauma while in school. As such, there is perhaps no other continent that has more to share about the continuation of learning before, during, and after emergencies. In this knowledge exchange session, we endeavor to accomplish two things. First, we shall share and reflect on how education has continued in the aftermath and during various emergencies, and second, explore what trauma-informed teaching practices may mean in an online learning environment for African teachers and learners. The goal is to learn and share from Afrikan experiences.
References:
Chafouleas, S. M., Johnson, A. H., Overstreet, S., & Santos, N. M. (2016). Toward a blue- print for trauma-informed service delivery in schools. School Mental Health, 8, 144–162.

Critelli, F., & Yalim, A. C. (2020). Improving access to domestic violence services for women of immigrant and refugee status: A trauma-informed perspective. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 29(1-3), 95-113.

Crosby, S.D. (2015). An Ecological Perspective on Emerging Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices, Children & Schools, 37(4), 223–230. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdv027
Thomas, M. S., Crosby, S., & Vanderhaar, J. (2019). Trauma-informed practices in schools across two decades: An interdisciplinary review of research. Review of Research in Education, 43(1), 422-452.

Author

• Tutaleni I Asino, Oklahoma State University