05 Aug 2018

Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) has been praised for introducing enquiry based learning.

In an interview recently during an enquiry based learning teachers workshop which was conducted by BIUST, Palapye sub-region education officer, Ms Onalethata Thitoyamore commended the university for introducing the method, saying it was effective in improving learning.

She also praised the university for simplifying learning for subjects such as science and mathematics.

Ms Thitoyamore emphasised the need to prepare for lessons before going to the classroom, saying it could help both teachers and learners to improve academic results.

She said most teachers struggled with the curriculum because learners were used to teacher centred methods of learning.

She added that the method depended on the information they recieved from teachers.

She said enquiry based learning would help both learners and teachers to adopt learner centred methods, as learning must not stop even if a teacher was not around.

Ms Thitoyamore said inquiry based learning encouraged learners to brainstorm and learn on their own instead of relying on teachers for information.

One participant from Serorome Primary School, Ms Dimpho Gosiame, who is a mathematics and science teacher, said since their collaboration with BIUST started in 2016, their pupils’ mathematics and science results have improved.

She said they used the method  to teach subjects across the board starting from the lowest classes. She added that they taught using experiments more than talking, and that learners were given an opportunity to do research and experiments.

She also said the method has helped improve learners’ confidence, adding that they managed to express themselves when writing their examinations.

Meanwhile, BIUST pre-university academic programmes manager, Ms Leapotswe Bantsi said the university saw it fit to organise the workshop as a way to reach out to schools.

She said through the outreach and workshops, they helped teachers to make mathematics and science learning simple, realistic, practical and natural.

Ms Bantsi said teachers were important stakeholders in transforming the economy from a resource based to knowledge based.

“As BIUST, we want teachers to change their teaching methodology thus giving children the opportunity to research and find out for themselves rather than telling them everything.”

Teachers ought to make lessons more lively, informative and realistic.” She said gone were the days when teaching was done just for learners to pass examinations. Ends