Published: 02 May 2017 Source: University Relations Office (URO)
Selected academic staff drawn from all the Colleges of the University are undergoing a five-day training in Active Teaching and Learning. The workshop on Active Teaching and Learning runs from the 27th to 31st March, 2017 and is sponsored by the Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre, Kumasi.
The tailor made training programme is collaboration between the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Maastricht School of Technology (MMS) with the overall aim of contributing to the quality of RWESCK training programmes as well as the entire university’s programmes.
Professor Mark Adom-Asamoah, Provost of the College of Engineering (CoE), in opening the workshop stated that, in order to obtain a successful transfer of knowledge or skill, there should be active teaching by the teacher which should stimulate active learning on the part of the student. He added that teacher training for higher education teaching is gradually becoming a spotlight and university teachers in some parts of the world are now being given formal training in teaching.
Professor Adom-Asamoah revealed that in Ghana and KNUST in particular, it is not yet a requirement to have formal training before one is appointed a university lecturer. Lecturers usually have had to learn on the job with formal training in higher education training. It is in this light that the CoE, through the RWESCK, intends to build the Capacity of academic staff by offering formal training in higher education to be able to improve on their delivery to students.
He continued “We maintain that learning to teach what you are required to teach is very necessary. I therefore see this training programme as a period to reflect on our teaching methods and improve on our delivery to students” he added.
He believed it is time to introduce flexibility in teaching to meet different learning styles of students.
Miriam Frijns, a Program Manager and Trainer from MMS, was hopeful that the training will expose lecturers to innovative ways of teaching and learning aside the traditional methods and to create awareness of the importance of these new skills to help beneficiaries for good outcomes. Ms. Frijns encouraged participants to take active part as both facilitators and participants will enjoy mutual benefits.
The five-day training programme promises to be enlightening and exciting with facilitators such as Dr. Rita Van Deuren and Ms. Miriam Frijns all from the MSM. Participants will be taken through active teaching and learning awareness, active teaching and learning in the curriculum and classroom. Other areas are course design in ten steps, human memory and learning styles, presentation skills for lecturing, class simulation, getting attention and feedback among others.