12 Apr 2017
Over 170 teachers attended Learn More events in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia last month, hosted by Cambridge International Examinations and Cambridge University Press.
The events, which gave teachers more insight into the Cambridge approach, took place at the African Leadership Academy in South Africa on 20 March, Arundel School in Zimbabwe on 22 March and Lusaka International Community School in Zambia on 24 March.
Delegates took part in workshops covering two teaching methods: ‘Active Learning and Assessment for Learning (AfL)’ led by Susie Taylor-Alston, Cambridge International Examinations trainer, and ‘Teaching with Technology’ led by Simon Lind, Professional Development & Training Manager, Cambridge University Press.
Simon concentrated on getting teachers to see and use opportunities to apply technology to further their teaching and learning objectives. He also stressed the importance of assessing the teaching and learning potential of any technology before it is purchased by the school.
'It’s not necessary to use technology for every lesson, but in the modern world you need to incorporate technology in at least some of the teaching that you do. Teachers have to evaluate the benefits of technology for teaching a subject, or aspects of the subject. The benefit of this approach is that it is not teacher or subject specific. It applies to all teachers, wherever they are, whatever the technology available and whatever subjects they are teaching,' he said.
Susie engaged the delegates in practical ways of applying Active Learning – aimed at keeping learners engaged to develop higher order thinking skills which are vital for improving student performance – and Assessment for Learning (AfL), an approach designed to assess the individual learning needs of students in the classroom.
Feedback from delegates was very positive and the Cambridge team in Sub-Saharan Africa looks forward to hosting further Learn More events for teachers in the region.