“all i need is to pass my exams”: the dilemma of using a learner-centered teaching approach in...
TRANSCRIPT
“ALL I NEED IS TO PASS MY EXAMS”: THE DILEMMA OF USING A LEARNER-CENTERED
TEACHING APPROACH IN GHANAIAN UNIVERSITIES
George, K.T. Oduro, (PhD)
College of Distance Education
University of Cape Coast
and
Rosemary, S. Bosu (PhD),
Institute for Educational Planning and Administration
University of Cape Coast
KEY QUESTIONS
1. What do Ghanaian students consider as a motivator for entering the university?
2. What are students’ criteria for determining an effective lecturer?
3. What aspirations do students’ have for participating in university exams?
4. How do these aspirations affect students’ attitude towards learner –centred teaching approach
CONCEPTUAL ISSUES
Lecturer centred
Where lecturer
decisions and actions
relating to what is
learned, how something is learned and
when something is
learned.
Learner Centred
Where the learning needs of students are paramount in the teaching –
learning relationship
and the student plays a
more active role in the learning
processes.
A CASE FOR LEARNER-CENTRED
Nature of students
University students in Ghana are adults and therefore have the capacity for experiential learning
Less dependence on lecturer
Learner-centred approach promotes discussion, critical thinking, retention of knowledge, etc
Active engagement with learning processes
Providing active, collaborative and experiential learning opportunities increases student engagement with the learning processes and environment. It also moves student learning from learning to pass exams
METHODOLOGY
Descriptive Survey: Questionnaire and interviews
Sample: 180 (120 students and 60 lecturers)
FINDINGS MOTIVATING FACTORS IMPORTANCE
Factor Mean Factor Mean
More likely to obtain an job
3.00 Need for certificate 3.00
Parental preference for university degree
3.00 Had required entry grades 3.00
Desire for knowledge and self efficacy
3.00 Desire for knowledge 2.49
Had required entry grades
3.00 Parental preference for university degree 2.49
Need a university certificate
2.83 More likely to obtain an job 2.18
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING EFFECTIVE LECTURER
• Effective communication skills (Mean: 3.00)
• giving feedback on tests and assignments, listens to students’ views and ensuring students understand concepts
• Lecturer’s knowledge of subject (Mean: 3.00)
• knowledgeable of subject matter and gives relevant assignments
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING EFFECTIVE LECTURER
• Majority View: apprehension about lecturers who put much burden on students
• E.g. ‘an effective lecturer is the one whose teaching approach is simpler and involves less work’ (A student).
• Minority View: One whose teaching approach is interactive and employs technology in teaching.
• E.g. ‘he or she is one who does not monopolise the learning process but offers opportunities for students to seek and analyse things for themselves’(A student)
STUDENTS’ ASPIRATIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN UNIVERSITY
EXAMS • 83% of students: Requirement and the only criteria
for their progression.
• 18% of students: Desire exams because of the satisfaction one gets when one succeeds in examinations
• Lecturers noted that students’ aspiration to write exams was conditioned upon their having a prior knowledge of the questions that were likely to inform examinations
• E.g.
‘Examinations naturally instil fear in students. So when a lecturer continuously threaten students with failure, then obviously the motivation for writing exams will be killed in students. It is therefore important that lecturers do not scare them’ (A lecturer)
ATTITUDE TOWARDS LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING APPROACH
• Both lecturers and Students understood the concept and acknowledged the benefits associated with the approach
• Learner-centered teaching approach was not often used by lecturers
• Students were not enthusiastic about lecturers using the learner-centred approach
• Imposed on them much work which they thought affected their revision for examination
Awareness
E.G
“The learner-centred approach is very good but when we have many lecturers giving us assignments to do and we don’t have time to reflect on our notes for examinations, the approach becomes a punishment for us. We need time for our exams so although it is a good practice, it does not help us in terms of preparing for exams” (A student)
CONCLUSION
• Acquisition of academic certificate has become the driving force for students who pursue university education in Ghana
• Has implications for the management of examinations
• Over concentration on passing examinations has adverse implications for lecturers’ use of learner-centred teaching approach’
• Emphasis shifts away from focusing on learning
IMPLICATION FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE
• Universities should make learner-centred approach a policy and enforce its implementation
• Capacity of lecturers should be strengthened in Learner-centred teaching techniques
• Embark on active sensitization seminars to properly educate students
• Reward scheme that will acknowledge students who respond positively to lecturers’ use of learner-centred approach
THANK YOU