Experience Report: CESI Promotes Active Teaching Methods in Ghana
In this page :
- Advancing active learning through international engagement
- A cultural and educational context
- A warm and enriching experience
- A springboard for new collaborations
Lucie Martin, Head of the Pedagogical Unit for CESI’s Graduate and Specialized Master’s Programs®, recently had the opportunity to share her expertise in active learning with faculty members at Ashesi University in Ghana. This initiative, both professionally and personally enriching, was marked by in-depth exchanges and a genuine interest in innovative teaching practices.
Advancing active learning through international engagement
As part of CESI’s international mobility programs, Lucie Martin responded to an invitation from Ashesi University in Ghana to train faculty members in the fundamentals of active teaching methods and to support them in designing pedagogical projects adapted to their specific teaching contexts.
On site, she led a training session similar to those she regularly conducts for CESI, including practical workshops and modules on instructional design. The local teachers were introduced to new approaches focused on interaction, student engagement, and the development of transversal skills.
The participants were extremely receptive and showed great enthusiasm for exploring alternative pedagogical approaches to enhance their teaching practices
Lucie Martin emphasised.
A cultural and educational context
This experience allowed her to observe certain specific features of the Ghanaian educational system, notably the status of the teacher as an academic expert and lecturer in the tradition of the more classical university. In this context, active pedagogies encourage adopting a more interactive stance and promoting student support.
The structure of Ghanaian universities is also distinctive: campuses function much like self-contained villages, where students live in full immersion. This configuration facilitates the implementation of innovative teaching methods and the emergence of dynamic learning communities.
A warm and enriching experience
Ms. Martin remembers the particularly warm welcome she received during her stay. From the moment she arrived, she was supported by kind and attentive local colleagues who helped her settle in and made her integration easy. She was housed in a guesthouse on campus and benefited from a well-organized and supportive environment.
“Everything was perfectly arranged, which allowed me to focus entirely on the training sessions” she noted.
A springboard for new collaborations
At the conclusion of the training, the feedback from the participating teachers was overwhelmingly positive. A number of participants expressed their interest in continuing the collaboration with CESI, notably through participation in exchange programs or by hosting future training sessions.
This partner is a key partner as it is among the top 10 African universities (THE), and its president has received the WISE Prize, the Nobel Prize for Education.
Stefan Seiler, Director of International Development
This mission clearly exemplifies CESI’s commitment to supporting the pedagogical development of its teams and sharing its expertise beyond national borders. It also paves the way for new international partnerships that are mutually enriching for all involved partners.