Voices from the South: Classroom environment & learning outcomes-experiences from East Africa

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Voices from the South: Classroom environment & learning outcomes-experiences from East Africa

‘Teachers are teaching, but learners are not learning’. This is a phrase that has become common with most public education service providers in Africa. Notably, whereas teachers come into the classroom with academic content, the classroom environment makes it hard for learning to happen.

It is important to note that learners come into the classroom with different abilities. Learners have been subdivided into 3 types- visual learners, audio learners and kinaesthetic learners (ISBAT University, 2021). It is therefore important that as teachers prepare their lesson plans, they are cognizant of the different types of learners they have in the classroom and hence create the right environment for each one of them to learn. In effect, one can say that there is no teaching without learning.

The classroom environment can be classified into two-the physical and pedagogical. Both contribute equally to the learning abilities of the learners (Anna Kristiina Koko, 2020).
The physical environment refers to what can be seen-the physical design & lay out of the classroom, and its learning centres. Teachers need to be innovative with how the classroom is organised and laid out to allow the effective learning of the 3 types of learners in the classroom, as mentioned above.
The other aspect of the classroom environment is pedagogical. This refers to the ‘how of teaching’. How a teacher delivers content, interacts with learners, and creates an environment for peer learning amongst the learners will also contribute to the quality of learning by the pupils. It is very important that a teacher develops the appropriate pedagogy to enable effective teaching and learning for the 3 types of learners in the classroom.

The main objective of this panel therefore is to share their experiences about how our different program models across East Africa support the improvement of the teaching and learning environment to increase the achievement of learning outcomes.

The first presentation will share our experience delivering education to underprivileged pupils in Mbeya City, South-western Tanzania. Through one of our organisations, we provide inclusive education to most marginalized children as well as children with disabilities living in extreme poverty. We have developed a model of Child-to-child approach that posits that each and every child’s needs vary as per their ability hence for a teacher to facilitate quality learning and teaching, he or she has to adapt and adopt this model and resembling methodologies in teaching an inclusive classroom.

The second presentation will explore the teaching and learning environment for the visually impaired in Kenya. Through our organisation that focuses on the blind and partially sighted in Kenya, we work to promote social inclusion of persons with visual impairments through uniting, empowering and advocating for their rights. In our education advocacy work, we are working with the Ministry of Education to implement a pilot in the advancement of policies that support special needs education (SNE) for the learners with visual impairments. This is in alignment with the Marrakesh Treaty as well as the Policy on Education for Learners and Trainees with Disabilities.

In the third presentation, we will share our experience implementing an education system strengthening program in Uganda with the aim of achieving the foundations of lifelong learning. We work with and support the education system to re-ignite intrinsic motivation in every teacher and official to role model the foundations of lifelong learning for every child. The foundations of lifelong learning that are key in our programming include safety, engagement, foundations of curiosity and critical thinking, self-esteem and quality of teaching and learning. The main assumption of our programming is that once all officials (from national to school level), as well as teachers can role model these foundations of lifelong learning, then it will create a conducive learning environment that will prepare learners with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes relevant for the world after school. We will also share our longitudinal study research findings from Eastern Uganda on how the education system is taking on these foundations of lifelong learning to improve teaching and learning.

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Chair

• Mary Goretti Nakabugo, Uwezo Uganda

Individual Presentations

• Child-to-Child approach to Improving the inclusive, quality teaching & learning environment - Hildergade Abdulkader Mehrab, Child Support Tanzania

• System led approaches to Improving the teaching & learning environment - Modern Musiimenta Karema, Stir Education