The KCA University will now train its lecturers on the university curriculum and pedagogy to ensure content is conveyed in the right way.
Pedagogy is the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept.
The lack of training for dons is seen to cause a mismatch in the content disseminated to university students.
On Thursday, KCA vice chancellor Isaiah Wakindiki launched a Centre for Teaching and Learning Excellence at the main campus.
The centre seeks to fill the gap between the content conveyed by the dons and the expertise required for the teaching profession in higher learning.
“As stated in our strategic plan, this centre will promote students, facility excellence and success,” Wakindiki said.
He said in the early learning and basic education sector, teachers are required to have undergone training, but that's not the case for universities.
Wakindiki said there is a need for enhanced training is what pushed for the implementation of CTLE which is the first one in Kenya.
“When it comes to professors no one is asked for any requirements for teaching, we are graduating from ordinary teaching to excellence,” he said.
CTLE director Simon Ngigi said professors, part-time lecturers and course instructors don't go through training on pedagogy.
Ngigi said such kind of training is essential to improve the quality of graduates produced from KCA.
“It's only in universities where there is no emphasis on training on pedagogy, here once you have your Masters or PhD it's like you automatically qualify to become a lecturer,” Ngigi said.
He asked academic staff not to feel like their qualifications are being downplayed by undergoing refresher training.
This, he said, is meant to improve their pedagogical skills in different fields in which they take part.
“Many of our professors like to be referred to as lecturers and not teachers. However, we are all teachers because we have to transform an individual from a lower state to a higher level,” he said.
Ngigi urged them to adopt the idea of refreshed training that is meant to grow their teaching capacity.
“We don't deny that you are an expert but we are working towards the transformation of that knowledge in a way that the learner can get in the best way,” Ngigi said.
Academic and Students Affairs deputy vice chancellor Joshua Bagaka said students will be the greatest beneficiaries.
Bagaka said once they leave KCA, they will be performing better than before, in their careers.
“People will want to know where our students learnt at their workplaces, not in the negative but positive way because we will have produced fully baked graduates,” Bagaka said.
Like any academic project, CTLE has four goals, a mission and a vision.
The goals are to enhance student success, support faculty success, promote academic leadership and promote CTLE growth and development.
The mission is to Nurture a Robust Culture of Pedagogical Professionalism in Higher Education and Commitment to Student Success.
The vision is to advance a KCA University culture committed to the principles of effective teaching in pursuit of transformative learning experiences and student success.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
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