International Aid Agencies, Learner-centred Pedagogy and Political Democratisation: A critique

Teacher centered dominated approaches: Their implications for todays inclusive classrooms

“…If the process of teaching and learning is teacher dominated, instruction becomes boring for students resulting in their minds wondering and may miss important facts. These behavioral approaches to classroom management have been viewed as being consistent with a "traditional or transmission approach to instruction where students are not allowed to express themselves and direct their own learning (Tabulawa, 2006).…”

Student Teachers’ Attitudes and Perceptions towards Assessment during an Initial Teacher’s Education Programme in Cameroon

“…The attitudes and perceptions of student teachers' therefore suggest that assessment processes at GTTC are dominated by traditional methods such as repetition of facts and knowledge learned during training (Tabulawa 2003;Bigge & Shermis, 2004). However, as demand for quality learning outcomes are getting higher in basic education, emphasis need to be place on other factors for determining teacher quality in initial teacher education (ITE) programmes and not so much on the end results or social functions of the assessment of students teachers which is certificationperformance in end of course examination (Tchombe, 1998).…”

A Converging Pedagogy in the Developing World? Insights from Uganda and Turkey

“…Since teaching and learning are contextualized activities, there can indeed be no justification for a universal and homogenising pedagogy (Tabulawa 2003). Furthermore, positioning the notions of teacher-centred and studentcentred learning in opposition and making bipolar comparisons between them poses the risk of oversimplification (Edwards et al 2008).…”

“…Hence, if pedagogical practices are converging around the world (at least in the official curricula), it is because a certain pedagogical approach is in the interests of powerful states or international organisations (Guthrie 1990;Tabulawa 2003;Carney 2008). These perspectives emphasize imposition or coercion as educational transfer mechanisms, and highlight the role of international aid agencies (such as USAID) as major players that have contributed to the spread of constructivism by advocating it as a prescription through educational projects and consultancies they funded (Tabulawa 2003).…”

“…These perspectives emphasize imposition or coercion as educational transfer mechanisms, and highlight the role of international aid agencies (such as USAID) as major players that have contributed to the spread of constructivism by advocating it as a prescription through educational projects and consultancies they funded (Tabulawa 2003). Although aid agencies frame their interest by focusing on the assumed effectiveness of constructivism in improving learning outcomes, this perspective points to a hidden agenda which is disguised as 'better' teaching.…”