This article appraises efforts by the National University of Lesotho (NUL) to provide continuing professional development for lecturers. The findings of a previous study suggested that the majority of lecturers at this university were not trained as teachers and that this could negatively impact on their teaching. The establishment of a staff academic development center was long overdue. In April 2014, the university established the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL). Drawing on a constructivist perspective, a qualitative approach was adopted to explore the current situation. The findings indicate that efforts to roll out continuing professional development for lecturers have not borne any significant results. The problem is exacerbated by a lack of support from the university community as well as lecturers’ poor attendance at the staff academic development workshops hosted by the CTL. It is thus recommended that management put mechanisms in place to support the center and ensure compulsory staff participation. Cet article vise à évaluer les moyens mis en place par l’Université Nationale du Lesotho (National University of Lesotho ou NUL) pour offrir une formation professionnelle continue aux Maîtres de conférence. Une précédente recherche a démontré que la majorité des Maîtres de conférence de cette université ne recevait pas de formation en tant qu’enseignants, ce qui pouvait avoir un impact négatif sur leur activité d’enseignement. Il était donc grand temps de créer un centre de formation pour le personnel universitaire. En avril 2014, l’université a inauguré un Centre d’Enseignement et d’Apprentissage (Centre for Teaching and Learning ou CTL). A partir d’un point de vue constructiviste, la situation actuelle a été examinée selon une approche qualitative. Les résultats de cette recherche indiquent que les moyens mis en place pour proposer aux Maîtres de conférence une formation professionnelle continue n’ont pas été concluants. Le problème est accentué par un manque de soutien de la part de la communauté universitaire et par les absences répétées des Maîtres de conférence aux ateliers de formation organisés par le CTL pour le personnel universitaire. Il serait pertinent que la direction mette en place des mécanismes permettant de soutenir le Centre et de rendre la participation du personnel obligatoire.
This quantitative study analysed gender, age and faculty differences in the learning practices and other pertinent factors as perceived by the undergraduate students at the National University of Lesotho (NUL). The quota sampling method was used to select 312 students (n = 312) from the seven faculties. Adopting the constructivism theory of learning, a validated and reliable questionnaire was constructed for data collection through a survey. The questionnaire had thirty seven items on the four categories of learning practices: classroom practices, studying practices, assessment practices and academic integrity practices. Fifteen items focused on the pertinent personal factors and the institutional factors. All the items were measured on a five point Likert's Scale. Data was analysed through statistical tools of Independent t-test and Analysis of Variance. Students perceived all the four learning practices above the mean level. Classroom practices and studying practices were perceived to be the highest and lowest learning practices, respectively. Academic integrity practice had a gender difference in students' perception while age difference was determined in studying practices. Neither age nor gender difference was determined in students' perception towards either the personal or the institutional factors pertinent to learning. Students perceived three learning practices differently: assessment practices, studying practices and academic integrity practices. Studying practices and assessment practices were perceived the lowest by students in Science and Technology Faculty while academic integrity practices were at the lowest in the health sciences faculty. The study recommends that these faculties improve on these learning practices in order to improve learning among the undergraduates at the university.
To a certain extent, many curriculum reforms that have been introduced in Lesotho schools have been unsuccessful. Teachers’ preparedness to implement these reforms has been the major factor for the failures. Involving teacher education providers in the preparation of teacher preparedness could improve the success rate of these school reforms. Therefore, understanding how education educators prepare teachers for curriculum reforms could assist to understand why school teachers often appear to be ill-prepared for curriculum reforms. Accordingly, this paper investigated the views of six teacher educators about their role in the preparation of teachers for curriculum reforms in Lesotho schools. A questionnaire was used to collect data that were analysed thematically. The results obtained indicate that: teacher educators are involved in a limited way in Lesotho curriculum reforms; and they have limited knowledge about the current reforms. As a result, their training practices do not target to prepare teachers for the reforms introduced in schools. This explains why many studies have found teachers to be ill-prepared for any curriculum reforms in Lesotho. These findings raise awareness on the issue that teacher educators should be involved in the reforms in Lesotho. Therefore, the main recommendation of this study is to engage teacher education providers so as to make the reforms successful.
Central to education is the development and dissemination of knowledge even in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, such knowledge has to be relevant and in harmony with the context for which it is meant. The contention in this chapter is that in the age of fourth generation, Afrocentric knowledge should still form a foundation upon which African education is transformed. Innately related to Afrocentric education is the African indigenous knowledge system (AIKS), which represents the totality of all knowledge and practices used to manage the indigenous socio-economic, spiritual, and ecological facets of life. Based on a critical literature review, this chapter sought to foster diversity and inclusion by providing an Afrocentric conceptualisation of knowledge and pedagogy and finding a middle ground between indigenous and cosmopolitan pedagogies as a backdrop for curriculum transformation.
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