Introduction
The workshop started off on the Monday 16, February 2009 with a total of 15 participants. As the day progressed, the number of participants increased to 19. The workshop took place at the vocational training centre of NPA, also commonly known as the community development center. The participants came from different vocational and technical trades which included the vocational training center, Mine action, Agricultural training center, medical training center and SPLM. This workshop lasted for five days.
Prior to the official opening, the principal of the center welcomed the participants and facilitators. He later welcomed the Project Coordinator Mr. Johan Thiis-Houge fo an introductory speech. He gave a brief introduction to the workshop and the NUCOOP project in general as well as emphasizing that the facilitators are to learn more form the participants and not a one way training.
The workshop was officially opened by Mr. Paterno Legge, the Investment and Development Advisor to the Governor of Central Equatorial state. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of Capacity building in south Sudan after a 20 years period of war and limited schools as well as formal education. He further emphasized the importance of having the interest in learning if one has to progress in his/her carrier such as assessing all aspects of one’s working life.
He mentioned the three things that one needs to develop that is; to be creative by having the room to think, commitment to one’s work and contentment with what one has.
The workshop facilitator introduced the participants to what the workshop was about which was teachers’ facilitation of student centered learning. The major of question of “how can I improve my practice?” was used throughout the whole process of the workshop.
The facilitator then asked the participants to say out the questions which were on their minds after introduction of the guiding question. The questions which were brought up by the participants included;
· How to learn in relation to my field?
· How to improve unknown area which I have not handled?
· How to cope up with the training being my first time to see and attend such a thing?
· How to learn to keep up with new generation issues?
· How to get the right material to improve my teaching profession so as to improve my students?
· How to make my students learn?
· How to learn new things on capacity building?
· How to think and get the right way of learning?
· How to get the proper way of passing knowledge to the students?
· What to do to get my students to understand me better as a teacher?
· How to maintain my ethics when teaching?
· How to be creative to make others learn?
· How to improve areas of weakness in my field?
· How to make students happy while giving my lessons?
· Will there be any improvement while delivering lessons to my students after this workshop?
· How to activate the community to join the vocational training center?
· How to have the students to be attentive during lessons?
· How do I ensure that the students retain their knowledge so they are able to apply it when needed?
· Which are the objectives of the workshop?
The facilitator mentioned that improvement of how one does his her work should be a continuous process. He also noted that there is a difference between questions about oneself and questions about others.
The questions above highlight that pedagogy of the participants involved is about facilitation of teaching and not the learning process. To some of the instructors, teacher-centered teaching and learning seemed ideal depending on the type of questions arose by them. They were more concerned about how to impart their knowledge to their learners and not how to facilitate learning.
The questions also highlight the areas where each of participants may want to improve or what they are concerned about according to my observations and reflections.
The workshop started off on the Monday 16, February 2009 with a total of 15 participants. As the day progressed, the number of participants increased to 19. The workshop took place at the vocational training centre of NPA, also commonly known as the community development center. The participants came from different vocational and technical trades which included the vocational training center, Mine action, Agricultural training center, medical training center and SPLM. This workshop lasted for five days.
Prior to the official opening, the principal of the center welcomed the participants and facilitators. He later welcomed the Project Coordinator Mr. Johan Thiis-Houge fo an introductory speech. He gave a brief introduction to the workshop and the NUCOOP project in general as well as emphasizing that the facilitators are to learn more form the participants and not a one way training.
The workshop was officially opened by Mr. Paterno Legge, the Investment and Development Advisor to the Governor of Central Equatorial state. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of Capacity building in south Sudan after a 20 years period of war and limited schools as well as formal education. He further emphasized the importance of having the interest in learning if one has to progress in his/her carrier such as assessing all aspects of one’s working life.
He mentioned the three things that one needs to develop that is; to be creative by having the room to think, commitment to one’s work and contentment with what one has.
The workshop facilitator introduced the participants to what the workshop was about which was teachers’ facilitation of student centered learning. The major of question of “how can I improve my practice?” was used throughout the whole process of the workshop.
The facilitator then asked the participants to say out the questions which were on their minds after introduction of the guiding question. The questions which were brought up by the participants included;
· How to learn in relation to my field?
· How to improve unknown area which I have not handled?
· How to cope up with the training being my first time to see and attend such a thing?
· How to learn to keep up with new generation issues?
· How to get the right material to improve my teaching profession so as to improve my students?
· How to make my students learn?
· How to learn new things on capacity building?
· How to think and get the right way of learning?
· How to get the proper way of passing knowledge to the students?
· What to do to get my students to understand me better as a teacher?
· How to maintain my ethics when teaching?
· How to be creative to make others learn?
· How to improve areas of weakness in my field?
· How to make students happy while giving my lessons?
· Will there be any improvement while delivering lessons to my students after this workshop?
· How to activate the community to join the vocational training center?
· How to have the students to be attentive during lessons?
· How do I ensure that the students retain their knowledge so they are able to apply it when needed?
· Which are the objectives of the workshop?
The facilitator mentioned that improvement of how one does his her work should be a continuous process. He also noted that there is a difference between questions about oneself and questions about others.
The questions above highlight that pedagogy of the participants involved is about facilitation of teaching and not the learning process. To some of the instructors, teacher-centered teaching and learning seemed ideal depending on the type of questions arose by them. They were more concerned about how to impart their knowledge to their learners and not how to facilitate learning.
The questions also highlight the areas where each of participants may want to improve or what they are concerned about according to my observations and reflections.
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