INVESTIGATING THE LEARNER-CENTRED TEACHING CLASSROOM PRACTICES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LECTURERS: A CASE OF TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES (TTCs) IN MALAWI.

Abstract

This study investigated the classroom practices of initial primary teacher training colleges (TTC) lecturers in Malawi. The purpose was to examine if the TTC lecturers’ classroom practices satisfied the curriculum demands that learner-centred teaching (LCT) be fully implemented during teaching and learning activities. To generate data, classroom observations and post-lesson interviews were conducted on 8 Science and Technology lecturers at Ophunzira Teacher Training College. In total 29 lessons were observed. The researcher adopted Timulak and Elliott (2003) interpretive research design. Data pertaining to classroom practices were analysed using Bybee’s, et al. (2006) BSCS 5Es learning model. Findings of the study reveal that regarding the classroom practices, the lecturers show consistencies in their implementation of learner-centred teaching (LCT) methods. Based on the observational data, TTC Science and Technology lecturers’ classroom practices depict LCT at surface level. However, the classroom observation as well as the post lesson interviews data reveal that the lecturers demonstrated understanding of LCT. The findings suggested that TTC Science and Technology lecturers’ knowledge and skills regarding LCT pedagogical paradigm was limited. The findings of this study have strengthened the existing literature by indicating that one hundred percent LCT has not been achieved in the TTC classrooms in Malawi.