Evaluating ICT for Education in Africa - Royal Holloway, University of ...

Indeed, between these two extremes lies guided discovery (Kirschner et al.2006, Shulman and Keisler 1966), the overarching term for a pedagogicalapproach that may more accurately reflect the conceptual and practical shiftrequired regarding education in Africa, recognising the need for innovation,flexibility and increased student centred learning, without promoting solelyautonomous discovery. Mayer‟s (2004) synthesis of different trialsdemonstrates that guided discovery can be more effective than purediscovery-based learning and he argues that „children seem to learn betterwhen they are active and when a teacher helps guide their activity inproductive directions‟ (Mayer 2004 p.16).The basic premise for guided discovery is that effective education isdependent upon instruction and exploration with the emphasis on eachshifting through different stages of the educational process. In developing thecapacity to think for themselves, students should engage in guided learningtasks, some of which may be repetition-based, to provide a framework forsubsequent exploratory learning. This is known as the scaffolding effect andis based on the premise that „discovery learning is successful only whenstudents have prerequisite knowledge and undergo some prior structuredexperiences‟ (Kirschner et al. 2006 p.82). Within this framework of guideddiscovery, there is potential for the appropriate use of technology to promotesignificant educational reform. Aspects of this were demonstrated in the casestudy research with the potential for life skills acquisition in Malawi and thesignificance of games for learning in Ethiopia.My research in Malawi provided examples of the potential for guideddiscovery learning through ICT with children gaining knowledge relating tolife skills. There was widespread feedback that children found theintroduction of technology helpful in keeping them focussed and learningabout culturally sensitive subjects. A teacher in Chingombe (13/11/07)explained how the content on the technology assisted them:„It is easier to explain things like sexual abuse, the real thingson the ground, through letting the children use the gadgetsrather than just the teacher talking, because sometimes that is299