The Centre for Professional Development (CepDev) of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani has held a three-day training workshop on innovative teaching and assessment practices for academic staff of the University. The workshop under the theme “Innovative Teaching and Assessment Practices in Higher Education for Teaching Staff” took place at the University auditorium from January 10 to 12, 2022 with the aim to expand the knowledge of the participants in their teaching profession to meet the modern-day demand. Seasoned Lecturers from University of Cape Coast and UENR facilitated the event.
In his address to welcome the participants, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako noted that education is essential to national development hence the University’s goal is to produce graduates who would become assets to the country. He said the training seeks to revamp the knowledge tank of teachers of the UENR with the right teaching practices to enable them inculcate on their students appropriately.
Delivering on the topic “Aligning Course Content, Teaching Strategies and Assessment in Higher”, the Director of Centre for Teacher Professional Development at the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Eric Anane explained that the mode of assessment should enable students to demonstrate a concept and void of perceptible questions. “Let your assessment reflect what you want the students to able to do, so doing you do it as you teach them.” He added.
Prof. Anane explained that the teaching outcomes on students should meet industry expectation, reflect the vision of the University and mode of teaching to give them. He called on the Lecturers to have a personal teaching philosophy that would guide them to teach their students to be influential leaders with integrity who would assume imminent responsibilities.
A Senior Lecturer and Coordinator at Centre for Teaching Support-UCC, Dr. Godwin Kwame Aboagye took participants through preparation of course outlines, test item constructions and development of marking schemes as well as rubric. He added that the ability of students to apply what has been taught to solve challenges in society would determine quality of teaching mode of the University. He indicated that Lecturers should design the approach of teaching courses to ensure problem-based pedagogy instead of learning to pass.
Dr. Aboagye led the participants to undertake practical sessions on setting questions for examinations, class assessments and content for course outlines. He encouraged lecturers not to be rigid on students assessments rather, ensure that mode of course delivery is void of ambiguity, poor semantics among others.
The Director of CepDev, Dr. Mrs. Mercy Adutwumwaa Derkyi in her remarks stated that the Centre’s mandate is to ensure that all staff in the University get the needed support in their professional development for quality performance. She appealed on the participants to make use of the new ideas gained at the workshop to make an impact on their students.
Director of CepDev, Dr. Mrs. Mercy Adutwumwaa Derkyi
