Creating educational foundations in developing countries: knowledge challenges for the tertiary education of secondary school teachers in Malawi

Abstract

Teacher education is an essential part of the teacher development process that deals with the art of acquiring knowledge, attitudes, and skills for the teaching profession. This paper discusses the creation of an educational foundations (EDF) knowledge base and the challenges for the tertiary education of secondary school teachers, using the University of Malawi's Faculty of Education as a case study. The University's EDF courses are broadly conceived fields of study, the content of which is drawn from various academic social science disciplines. Challenges include a heavy reliance on cross-cultural borrowing, a lack of indigenous textbooks, and inappropriate teaching and learning strategies in the delivery of course content. In order to address these issues, the authors propose the following measures: a comprehensive curriculum review, the strengthening of information technology resources, and the establishment of professional associations that can network throughout the South African Development Community and African Union regions.

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