Dear Content Contributor,
Recently, global awareness on the establishment of Centers of Excellence in Teaching and Learning in many Universities is on the increase, even in our country, Nigeria. Faculties build up ideas, contents, materials, policies etc. However, the critical problem affecting learning is the method of delivering the teaching contents to the learners. Meanwhile, Effective teaching and learning are activities that should take place in a classroom environment. They involve both the teachers and students. Sometimes, the involvement of one does not depend on the other. Let us reflect on the principle of teaching and learning, as discussed by experts from the Carnegie Mellon University Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation Centre, where it was stated that “Teaching is a complex, multifaceted activity, often requiring instructors to juggle multiple tasks and goals simultaneously and flexibly”. The following set of principles can make teaching both more effective and more efficient; by helping us create the conditions that support student learning activity and minimizing the need for revising materials, contents and policies. While the implementation of these principles requires a commitment in terms of time and effort, it certainly pays off on the long run. Read more
The major feedback from teaching activity is learning. It has been discovered that students’ prior knowledge go a long way in helping or hindering their learning skills. In this case, we need to educate our students on the approach to take that will not hinder their learning capabilities. For effective learning, let us read through the following learning principles:
Can students’ prior knowledge help or hinder learning?
Students come into our courses with knowledge, beliefs and attitudes gained in other courses and through daily life experiences. As students bring these knowledge to bear in the classrooms, they influence how they filter and interpret what they are learning. Read more
However, Maryellen Weimer, in her published article titled, “What is Teaching Without Learning?”, raised this concern by scholars that when you take ideas to places of extremity, they become distorted. “It is not part of my job to make you learn,” Philosophy Professor, Keith M. Parsons writes in his syllabus to first-year students. “At the University, learning is your job – and yours alone. My job is to lead you to the fountain of knowledge. Whether you drink deeply or only gargle is entirely up to you”, he added. Read more
I will like to encourage all of us to read this piece carefully and let us create “a forum”, where we will be able to discuss how effectively we are going to package our teaching delivery at the collegiate level in such a way that our students (learners) will continuously learn at any given teaching engagement in accordance with best teaching and learning practices, especially now that some world-class Universities like the University of Aberdeen Scotland, United kingdom and the Marshall University, United States of America are ready to collaborate with FUNAAB, through students’ exchange programmes.
Thank you.
Dr. O. Folorunso
Director, Centre for Innovation and Strategy in Learning and Teaching
Last Updated on July 22, 2015 by admin
