A. Bame Nsamenang and Therese M.S. Tchombe Handbook of African Educational Theories and Practices A Generative Teacher Education Curriculum HUMAN DEVELOPMENT RESSOURCE CENTRE (H.D.R.C.) RESEARCH - SERVICE - CONSULTANCY Recognized under Law NO. 90/053 of December 19, 1990 by Prefectorial Decision NO. E29/1111/Vol.6/386/67/APP of July 12 1995 Presses universitaires d’Afrique HANDBOOK OF AFRICAN EDUCATIONAL THEORIES AND PRACTICES: A GENERATIVE TEACHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM A. Bame Nsamenang AND Therese M.S. Tchombe © 2011 by Human Development Resource Centre (HDRC) P.O. Box 270, Bamenda, North West Region (Cameroon) Tel : 00 (237) 70 87 94 94 Web : www.thehdrc.org A. Bame Nsamenang and Therese M. S. Tchombe ISBN : 978-9956-444-64-2 Editors A. Bame Nsamenang and Therese M.S. Tchombe HANDBOOK OF AFRICAN EDUCATIONAL THEORIES AND PRACTICES: A GENERATIVE TEACHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM To the African Teacher Educator and her/his Students, especially to Joseph M. Kasayira, a co-author whose death was announced as we went to press. «Politicians build edifices; teachers mould minds» Bernard N. Fonlon CONTENTS Dedication ................................................................................................... v Contents ..................................................................................................... ix About the Editors ..................................................................................... xiii Contributors ............................................................................................. xix Foreword .................................................................................................. xxiii Preface ................................................................................................... XXV Acknowedgements ................................................................................ xxvii Part I: Background ...................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Introduction: Generative pedagogy in the context of all cultures can contribute scientific knowledge of universal Value A. Bame Nsamenang and Therese M.S. Tchombe ..................................................... 5 Chapter 2: Issues in African Education Peter Baguma and Irene Aheisibwe ..........................................................................21 Part II:Africa’s Educational Foundations ................................................ 35 Chapter 3: Africa’s triple education heritages: a historical comparison Mathew B. Gwanfogbe.............................................................................................39 Chapter 4: Toward a philosophy for Africa’s education A. Bame Nsamenang ..............................................................................................55 Chapter 5: Proverbs as sources of philosophical ideas about African education Amina Abubakar Ali ............................................................................................67 Chapter 6: Ethnicity as the social foundation for education in Africa Mohamadou Sall and A. Bame Nsamenang ...........................................................77 Chapter 7: Ethics in African Education Godfrey B. Tangwa..................................................................................................91 ix Handbook of African Educational Theories and Practices: A Generative Teacher Education Curriculum Part III: African Child Development ....................................................... 107 Chapter 8: Early Childhood Development Andrew Dawes and Linda Biersteker................................................................... 111 Chapter 9: Senegal’s Modern and Traditional Curricula for Children Aged 0-3 Years Oumar Barry and Marian Zeitlin ........................................................................ 123 Chapter 10: Promoting children’s development and rights: lessons for childcare givers and teachers in Africa Roderick F. Zimba ............................................................................................... 139 Part IV:Frameworks of Learning and Intelligence ................................ 155 Chapter 11: Culture, cognition and learning Pierre R. Dasen ................................................................................................... 159 Chapter 12: Theories of Learning Therese M. S. Tchombe ........................................................................................ 175 Chapter 13: Peer group cooperation as a resource for promoting socially responsible intelligence: ku-gwirizana ndi anzache Robert Serpell....................................................................................................... 195 Chapter 14: Cultural strategies for cognitive enrichment in learning among the Bamiléké of West Region of Cameroon Therese M. S. Tchombe ........................................................................................ 205 Part V: Didactic and Participative Pedagogies ........................................ 217 Chapter 15: “Omoluwabi’s approach” to educating the African child Esther F. Akinsola .............................................................................................. 221 Chapter 16: Developmental learning in Africa’s cultural circumstances A. Bame Nsamenang ........................................................................................... 233 Chapter 17: Sibling caregiving and the teaching roles of children during the early childhood years in Kenya Maureen Mweru ................................................................................................... 245 x Contents Chapter 18: Useful Dimensions of Education in Nigerian Family Traditions Mary O. Esere, Joshua A. Omotosho and Adeyemi I. Idowu ............................... 257 Chapter 19: Psychosocial Parameters of Classroom Processes Therese S. M. Tchombe ........................................................................................ 271 Chapter 20: Teaching methods A. Bame Nsamenang ........................................................................................... 287 Part VI: Monitoring Developmental and Educational Outcomes ...........303 Chapter 21: Developmental Assessment of African Schoolchildren in Zimbabwe Magen Mhaka-Mutepfa and Joseph Mahlakane Seabi ......................................... 307 Chapter 22: Educational Assessment and Analysis in the African Cultural Context Levison Maunganidze, Joseph Mavu Kasayira, and Pilot Mudhovozi ................... 321 Chapter 23: Teaching Practice Evaluation in Cameroon Valentine Tameh .................................................................................................. 337 Part VII: Educational Needs and Services .............................................. 351 Chapter 24: Health Promotion in the African Educational Community: A Holistic Approach George E. Brannen............................................................................................... 355 Chapter 25: Inclusive Education in South Africa Nareadi Phasha and K. Ziphora Moichela ........................................................... 371 Chapter 26: Assistive techniques and technology for teachers of disabled persons Moses A. Mbangwana ......................................................................................... 385 Chapter 27: Guidance and counselling of the African schoolchild Théogène-Octave Gakuba and Christina M. Passini ............................................ 397 xi Part VIII: Context-Sensitive Educational Research ................................409 Chapter 28: The research process: How to do it guidelines Therese M.S. Tchombe and A. Bame Nsamenang............................................... 413 Chapter 29: Research and generative learning in an African classroom Paul O. Oburu ..................................................................................................... 427 Chapter 30: The “journey approach” to action research in services of education and community Dorit Roer-Strier, and Roni Strier ........................................................................ 441 Chapter 31: Writing Research Dissertations and Theses A. Bame Nsamenang and Therese M.S. Tchombe ................................................ 455 Part IX:Innovations in Curricular Reforms ............................................477 Chapter 32: Integration of local educative practices in primary education in Cameroon Lysette Ngeng, Etoua Azo’o, John Tabe-Tambe, and Grebert Hotou ................... 481 Chapter 33: Place of Agriculture in Africa’s Educational Development ...................................................................................................................... Florence W. Yuyen and A. Bame Nsamenang ...................................................... 495 Chapter 34: Community’s role/engagement in vocational competence development Emmanuel M. Fomba .......................................................................................... 517 Chapter 35: Managing Africa’s multiculturalism: Bringing the “Madiba Magic” into the African school curriculum Byron Brown and Almon Shumba ....................................................................... 531 Chapter 36: Education for all: from Jomtien to Dakar + 10: What Progress for Africa? Djénéba Traoré and George E. Fonkeng ............................................................... 549 xii ABOUT THE EDITORS A. Bame Nsamenang is associate professor of psychology and learning science at the University of Bamenda and founding