Pre-service teacher training: Defining the impact of inclusive approaches to enhance teaching quality

 

To teach effectively, teachers need knowledge of both the “what” – the content – and the “how” – the pedagogy – of the material they are teaching. In Nigeria, the curriculum of pre-service teacher education programs has been largely focused on knowledge of the content rather than on pedagogical knowledge, and on theory rather than practice.

The project aims to bridge gaps in pre-service teacher education in Nigeria by addressing issues like inadequate service teacher preparation, curriculum knowledge gaps and insufficient focus on pedagogical and technological skills. The project will assess the effectiveness of a four-part evidence-based model to enhance pedagogy, technology integration and curriculum efficiency in pre-service teacher education. The model includes various teaching and learning approaches, such as practicing teaching in small groups, collaborative problem-solving and using technology as a teaching aid. This project will also incorporate gender-responsive and inclusive teaching practices to address diverse learning needs.

The project will be implemented across six regions in Nigeria. It will produce a report with in-depth insights into the efficacy of the four-part evidence-based model for pre-service teacher education and strengthen the capacities of pre-service teachers by enhancing their pedagogical skills, content knowledge and technological application. The findings from the research will drive evidence-based pre-service teachers’ curriculum review benefiting institutions and teacher-training programs.

This project is funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Knowledge and Innovation Exchange, a joint endeavour between GPE and IDRC to connect expertise, innovation and knowledge to help low- and middle-income countries build stronger and more inclusive education systems and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal on education.