1. Home Work Support Project. Home Work Support Project. By: Isaac By: Isaac

2. COMPARISON BETWEEN LEARNING IN AFRICA AND IN AUSTRALIA. The two major approaches to teaching & their differences. Why is it different in Africa than in Australia?

3. The two major approaches to teaching & their differences. Traditional Transmission Instruction is based on a theory of learning that suggests that students will learn facts, concepts, and understandings by absorbing the content of their teacher's explanations or by reading explanations from a text and answering related questions. Constructivist-Compatible Instruction is based on a theory of learning that suggests that understanding arises only through prolonged engagement of the learner in relating new ideas and explanations to the learner's own prior beliefs.

4. Transmissionist classroomConstructivist classroom View of learning Knowledge - a fixed body of information (i.e. objective) which can be transmitted intact from teacher to student  through ‘telling’ and ‘reading’ Knowledge is subjective and individuals construct their own knowledge  through discussions with others and  reflection on prior experiences Ownership of knowledge Textbook and teacher are authoritative sources of knowledge  students agree because they respect or fear teacher  students appreciate the knowledge -owned by teacher and author of textbook Student owns knowledge. The authority for constructed knowledge resides in the ideas in argument and evidence Managing students’ learning Teacher is responsible for this:  provides information  lead students through activities Teacher and students share responsibility for initiating and guiding learning Instruction style Teacher explains, checks for understanding, and judges correctness of students’ responses Teacher facilitates discussion of ideas:  poses questions, seeks clarification,  promotes dialogue  help group to reach consensus Nature of questions asked  Conforms to what has been taught  Applications of learnt models/ideas that require step by step algorithms  Divergent and open ended  Applications to authentic issues and problems that require higher order thinking Students’ Learning preference  Students mostly alone  Memorization and Replication of teachers’/textbook ideas  Collaborate and co-construct shared/consensual understanding through sustained dialogue  Reflection – individually & reflective discussion in groups

5. A constructivist teaching approach attempts to make learning a more self-directed, personally-responsive, and socially- mediated process in which a learner's own motivation and effort are just as important, if not more central, to a student's education than the content or facts learned. This involves creating a learning environment so that students:- Identify their own issues and problems to be solved rather than having questions defined for them Decide how to explore an issue or solve a problem rather than having these procedures defined by the teacher Reflect further and makes sense of what they have experienced, and Interact with peers by presenting their solutions, describing how solutions were reached, and receiving feedback.

6. Why is it different in Africa than in Australia? The quality of education provided by the vast majority of schools in Africa is low due to the lack of resources, facilities and basic teaching materials along with an extreme shortage of trained teachers. Teachers rely mostly on a transmission based theory in Africa. 4.1.4 Use student group structures as appropriate to address teaching and learning goals

7. DIFFERING CULTURES OF LEARNING Relationships in the learning environment Relationships in the learning environment Learning styles and approaches to learning Learning styles and approaches to learning Attitudes to knowledge and learning Attitudes to knowledge and learning

8. Relationships in the learning environment Western cultures Generally, Generally, Teachers expect students to be independent, to take control of their own learning and to take responsibility for their own success. Teachers expect students to be independent, to take control of their own learning and to take responsibility for their own success. There is an expectation that students will initiate conversation. There is an expectation that students will initiate conversation. Teachers and students have an informal way of relating to each other. Teachers and students have an informal way of relating to each other. Teachers are not always automatically respected. They earn respect from students. Teachers are not always automatically respected. They earn respect from students. Students can question and challenge teachers and their classmates. Students can question and challenge teachers and their classmates.

9. Relationships in the learning environment cont. Other cultures Generally, Generally, Teachers take control of the teaching and leaning process. Teachers take control of the teaching and leaning process. Students are used to high levels of personal support and assistance from their teachers, both in class and with assignments. Students are used to high levels of personal support and assistance from their teachers, both in class and with assignments. Teachers and students have a formal way of relating to each other. Teachers and students have a formal way of relating to each other. Students show great respect for their teachers. Students show great respect for their teachers. Students do not refer to their teachers by their first name. Students do not refer to their teachers by their first name. Students do not question or challenge their teachers or their classmates. Students do not question or challenge their teachers or their classmates.

10. Learning styles and approaches to learning Western cultures Western cultures Generally, Generally, Learning is student-centred. Learning is student-centred. Students are expected to work independently on assignments. Students are expected to work independently on assignments. Students are expected to engage in critical thinking. This means that students should do more than reproduce knowledge; they should question and challenge the ideas of others and forward their own opinions and ideas. Students are expected to engage in critical thinking. This means that students should do more than reproduce knowledge; they should question and challenge the ideas of others and forward their own opinions and ideas. The role of the student is to understand, think deeply about and make sense of information. The role of the student is to understand, think deeply about and make sense of information. Teachers will not tell students the ‘correct answer’. Many different ‘answers’ might be provided by the teacher and students are expected to reach their own conclusions. Teachers will not tell students the ‘correct answer’. Many different ‘answers’ might be provided by the teacher and students are expected to reach their own conclusions. Many different forms of assessment are used. Many different forms of assessment are used. Being a successful student means being able to think critically about others’ ideas and be creative and original in constructing new ways of thinking. Being a successful student means being able to think critically about others’ ideas and be creative and original in constructing new ways of thinking. The approach to learning that is expected of Western students is often called ‘deep learning’. The approach to learning that is expected of Western students is often called ‘deep learning’.

11. Learning styles and approaches to learning cont. Other cultures Other cultures Generally, Generally, Learning is teacher-centred. Learning is teacher-centred. Students tend to rely on teachers to transmit information. Students tend to rely on teachers to transmit information. Students are used to teachers telling them the ‘correct answer’. Students are used to teachers telling them the ‘correct answer’. The role of students is to accumulate knowledge. The role of students is to accumulate knowledge. Students tend to rely on memorising information Students tend to rely on memorising information Students tend to reproduce the information and knowledge that has been passed on to them by their teachers. Students tend to reproduce the information and knowledge that has been passed on to them by their teachers. Students work collectively in study groups. Students work collectively in study groups. Students believe that they will be successful if they work hard. Students believe that they will be successful if they work hard. Exams and tests usually form a major part of the assessment. Exams and tests usually form a major part of the assessment. The result or product of learning is often considered more important than the experience of learning. The result or product of learning is often considered more important than the experience of learning.

12. Attitudes to knowledge and learning Western cultures Western cultures Generally, Generally, Ideas can be owned. This is called intellectual property. Ideas can be owned. This is called intellectual property. The ideas of others need to be acknowledged. If the source of ideas is not acknowledged it is considered a form of academic dishonesty. The ideas of others need to be acknowledged. If the source of ideas is not acknowledged it is considered a form of academic dishonesty. The primary function of learning is considered to be the extension of knowledge The primary function of learning is considered to be the extension of knowledge

13. Attitudes to knowledge and learning Cont. Other cultures Other cultures Generally, Generally, No-one can ‘own’ knowledge. Knowledge is owned collectively. No-one can ‘own’ knowledge. Knowledge is owned collectively. Students are free to reproduce, in their assignments, the ideas of their teachers and the ideas found in sacred writings without acknowledgement. Students are free to reproduce, in their assignments, the ideas of their teachers and the ideas found in sacred writings without acknowledgement. It is considered disrespectful to acknowledge the source of ideas. It is expected that teachers already know this. It is considered disrespectful to acknowledge the source of ideas. It is expected that teachers already know this. The primary function of learning is considered to be the conservation of knowledge The primary function of learning is considered to be the conservation of knowledge

14. Sudanese Profile The Civil War in Sudan has caused a numbers of Educational, social, cultural and economical problems for Sudan. Many social changes took place, not only in the southern Sudan, where the war has been fought since its inception, but also in the Sudanese Nation as a whole. The conflict in the Sudan has many historical reasons, some of which relate to the colonial era.

15. Causes of the Sudan conflict As the British administration prepared for Sudanese independence between 1931 and 1945/6, it did not have a clear plan on the future of Southern Sudan. The British believed that Southern Sudan could not exist as an independent state on the grounds of its poverty. This belief has, however, since then been proven wrong. After the 1978 discovery of oil in Bentiu in Southern Sudan, people argued that the North could not independently survive, if South Sudan were to be separated. The British proposed that South Sudan should be annexed to Northern Sudan or to another East African country, such as Kenya or Uganda.

16. Effects of the war on children in Australia Children who came to Australia between the ages 9-12 years old are disadvantaged because some of them were born in camps, some kept moving from place to place due to insecurity. In Australia, they attend intensive English program for 1 year and are put in schools according to their ages.