(1539) THE TEACHER AS FACILITATOR OF LEARNING: A PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH TO GENDER AND CULTURAL FACTORS IN AFRICAN RURAL CONTEXTS, THE NIGERIAN SCHOOL CONTEXT

摘要

This paper discusses the role of a teacher as facilitator of learning and as a pedagogical approach togender and cultural factors in African rural classrooms, using the Nigerian context. The paper presentsfindings of the study that was conducted in rural secondary schools of Lagos State in Nigeria, wherelearners, teachers, and community members from different cultural backgrounds voluntarilyparticipated. Using a qualitative approach, and an interpretive paradigm, and drawing from the socioculturaltheory, we argue that the classroom pedagogies that are inclined towards the role of a teacheras facilitator of learning draw learners into the subject and keep them in classrooms in ruralmulticultural and gendered contexts. The findings of the study reveal that in multicultural societies inAfrica, different cultural groups practice numerous cultural festivals that last between two weeks and afew months, and within which cultural education occurs. The cultural education teaches young peopleskills, knowledge and values, and some of the values attached to it are that it instills entrepreneurialskills to youths, and it is thus perceived as relevant to the societal needs. On the other hand, theformal school environment is gendered, unsafe and has inadequate resources and unskilled teachersparticularly for science subjects. As such when festivals clash with formal schooling time, parents, andlearners' privilege cultural festivals and this leads to learners' prolonged absences from schools, whichat times lead to school dropouts. However, the findings also reveal that a few teachers whoconceptualise their roles as facilitators of learning, thus use learner-centred teaching strategies, andmake learners engage in activities grounded in subject content knowledge, enable learners to havesome control over their own learning and develop self-confidence and potential to be lifelong learners.This also encourages learners to attend their lessons regularly. The paper highlights challenges ofbridging the gap between the two forms of education in multicultural African contexts and suggests theway forward for curriculum and teacher development.