Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe, all 16 Change Projects focus on curriculum transformation aimed at supporting SDG4, the new National Heritage-based Education philosophy, and the premises of Higher and Tertiary Education 5.0 which involves Teaching, Research, Community Service, Innovation and Industrialisation.
The projects also focus on the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Competence-Based-Curriculum, which is emphasized in the Zimbabwe Curriculum Framework (2015-2022).
Feedback during the Sustainability Starts with Teachers Cluster peer-review support workshops in 2020 revealed that all the participants recognize that Change Projects are dynamic and need to keep pace with the ever changing national socio-economic and political environment. The participants have recommended on-going cluster peer review support workshops as enablers to support their Change Project sustainability and contribute towards achieving the UNESCO 2030 Education Agenda.
Change Project
Stories
Turning dump material into useful audio visual aids for Primary School Education in Masvingo
Joseph Tsikira, a principal lecturer in the Early Childhood Development (ECE) Department at Masvingo Teachers' College dreamt of making personal contributions to teacher education development. Tsikira is one of the teacher trainers taking part in UNESCO’s Capacity-Building Programme for Education for Sustainable Development (CAP-ESD). The CAP-ESD programme, also called ‘Sustainability Starts...
Change Project: Incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in teaching and learning of science and technology
James Juma, Madziwa Teachers College (Primary Education focus)
The gap picked up by the CoP was that there was no policy to support Indigenous Knowledge (IK) or Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) into the science and technology syllabi. Although the inclusion of IK and ICH was clearly stated in the syllabi objectives there was no content available to meet these objectives. During the course of the change project the CoP narrowed the focus to incorporating biosphere cultural heritage into the science and technology syllabi. They decided that this would also help to transfer learning from home to school and vice versa.
The CoP achieved their objectives through a number of activities, for example, workshops for the CoP members, consultation and workshops with participating schools, and engaging community members to provide IK and ICH. The outcome was the inclusion of IK and ICH in the science and technology curriculums as well as in the geography and environmental sciences. The CoP noted the “amazing” intra-institutional co-operation on curriculum transformation. James noted that the new insights which he had gained were, “I learned that IK systems can be applied in any subject at any level. I also gained knowledge on the way to change our education system both in methods and content.” The CoP also practiced participatory teaching methodologies; and were challenged to keep an open mind about IK and ICH to support curriculum transformation. The Reframing Value of this change project was described as, “Taking on teaching pedagogies and assessment criterion that focus on the development of sustainability competencies rather than solely focussing on the acquisition of content.”
Change Project: Heritage-based pedagogy and instructional material production
The gap identified by the CoP was that ESD and toy production is not well embedded in teacher education curriculum policy and course outlines. The change project focussed on instructional media and technology, and toy production focussing on use of locally obtained waste materials that can be upcycled for making developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant learning materials and toys for ECD learners. The CoP also considered how ECD learners themselves could be involved at the production stage. The change project was driven by valuing the centrality of play in ECD and the appeal of culturally relevant play materials. It was noted that commercial instructional media and technology and toys are prohibitively expensive.
The outcome of the change project was that all 13 teacher educators and first year student teachers in the ECD Department were engaged in the production of instructional media and technology and toys using locally available waste and turned ‘trash to treasure’. Methods which were used by the groups were life stories and games, utilisation of the e-learning library and internet, ethnographic studies on childhood toys, practical toy making workshops, and testing of the toys in the classroom. The assessment of the ECD student teachers was developed to the Significant Learning Assessment Framework. When considering Applied Value, Joseph made the comment,
I am excited I managed to involve fellow teacher educators including the college leadership in innovative ways of handling waste and equipping future teachers with the skills to make their own teaching material from stuff that is normally thrown away.
The Reframing Value of this project is that a new assessment framework for primary school student teachers was introduced which includes innovation and environmental sensitivity in developing teacher support material and the general integration of environmental concerns in teaching practices.
Change Project: The role of waste management in creating sustainable communities
The ESD gap identified by the CoP was that there was a lack of ESD policy instruments for enforcing the proper disposal of waste; and that environmental awareness concepts were not included in the curriculum. The CoP consisted of lecturers, student teachers, school community members and other stakeholders. The CoP’s response to this gap was to a) review teacher competences; b) to improve waste management in the surrounding environment of the institution; c) to review the assessment processes to include peer assessments and co-assessment by community members.
In working out the change project, the CoP found that the most useful elements of the SST programme were the Action Learning Booklets and fieldtrips to other sites. Lwazi Sibanda reported on ideas which she gained from the change project, and that she would put into practice in the future by describing a few factors,
Working in collaboration with others (and) incorporation of ESD concepts in the curriculum (and that) transformative learning and pedagogy methodologies in teaching are participatory methods and that (this) methodology should be transformative in nature. This means I need to incorporate these into my teaching. It has made a lot of difference in that now I know the importance of transformative learning.
The potential value (learning capital) which grew amongst the CoP members was an open-mindedness to learn from traditional community practices to enrich and transform the curriculums. Further, they also managed to influence the leadership of the university towards more innovative ways of handling waste. It is noteworthy that this change project dovetailed with another change project (cf. Z4a) also conducted at the National University of Science and Technology which focused on curriculum revitalisation. This complementarity amplified the impact of both projects. Both projects were led by Lwazi Sibanda. The reframing value of both projects was embracing “teaching pedagogies and assessment criteria that focus on the development of sustainability competencies rather than solely focusing on the acquisition of content knowledge.”
Change Project: Hydroponics System: Designing a cost-efficient hydroponics system that can be easily set up and managed by groups of students and families
The gap identified by the CoP was a ‘practice’ gap rather than a ‘policy’ gap, i.e., that the practices of the university were not aligned with the institutions vision, mission and core values; and that there was no integration with other ministries. The change project focussed on hydroponics and aquaponics as a solution to the soil pollution and land degradation. This topic was used to inculcate 21st Century skills and incorporate transformative learning pedagogies. The CoP identified and mobilised relevant Indigenous Knowledge systems to encourage community engagement and to invoke different ways of doing things.
The CoP used a number of participatory methods in their change project, for example, group work, a project approach, fieldwork and activities designed to generate enculturation. One of the participants described the most valuable aspects of the SST programme as, “Understanding the programme of ESD; collaboration with sister countries, there was brilliant cross-pollination of ideas; IK systems helped me to contextualise my change project; presenters were very articulate.” And new insights gained from the change project were explained as “Aligning my change project to the ministry’s and the institution’s policies, values, mission and vision. Use of IK systems helped me to penetrate and scale up the change project to the community so that they own it.”Also reported by a CoP member was learning to continuously monitor and evaluate their own way of working. One of the Immediate Values derived from the change project was collaboration in curriculum transformation. The change project was successful when one considers the Reframing Value as the achievement of situating the change project in the university’s five-year strategic plan as a sign of integrating the ESD principles in the strategic plan.
Change Project: Engineering for Sustainable Development
The CoP identified that there was policy gap as the engineering curriculum is silent on ESD. To address this gap the CoP to initiate a project to involve students in real time leak detection as there was a loss of purified water due to inadequate competences to repair the damage to infrastructure. The change project began with a small area and focussed on particular systems and pipes. The CoP arranged lectures, experiments, fieldwork and research to achieve the project.
In addition to the leak initiative, the CoP set up a departmental community of practice that integrated ESD principles into course outlines as well as coursework and exam assessments. They also organised staff development workshops to enlighten colleagues from other departments and sister organisations on integrating ESD in the TVET curriculum. This process engendered a sense of companionship on the journey moving from ESD being ‘Engineering Unusual’ to ESD in Engineering becoming mainstream. An element of the Realised Value of this change project is that the students’ engineering projects are more focussed on addressing the SDGs 2030. The Reframing Value is that there has been a reconsideration of what is taught and assessed in engineering including designing and implementing strategies to integrate sustainability in engineering courses as well as assessing sustainability knowledge
Change Project: Scaling ESD into the Theory of Education Curriculum
Munorweyi Matamba, Mutare Teachers College (Secondary Education focus)
The CoP identified a ESD policy gap at the institution because ESD was not integrated into the teacher educator curriculum. The CoP tackled this by identifying where ESD could be incorporated into the curriculum in different subjects; and to prioritise four 21st Century skills. This was an institution-wide collaboration, which also included the surrounding community, and linked a number of educational frameworks which were in operation at the institution.
The CoP reviewed the Mutare Teacher’s College strategic plan, the syllabi, the education 5.0 plans and the competence-based curriculum in MoPSE. With these frameworks in one hand and the SDG Target 4 and 4.7 in the other hand, the CoP used systems thinking and T-learning principles to enable this integration and incorporate ESD into the development of content, teaching methodology and assessment. One of the most valuable aspects of the change project was the incorporation of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and Indigenous Knowledge (IK) which bust the myth that there is no science in IK; and ICH and IK both helped to teach abstract concepts. One of the immediate and enduring benefits of the change project was the collaboration amongst departments at the institution and the interpersonal skills which were developed to achieve a productive outcome. The CoP found the Action Learning Books of the SST Course most helpful as they worked through the different phases of the change project. In reflection on the effectiveness of the change project Munorweyi Matamba stated, “The college now has transformative ESD inclusive course outlines; and assessment guidelines are a work in progress.” And at a personal level, “I now engage in interactive teaching and learning with large classes of more than 500-learners which I used to think was impossible.
Change Project: Production of indigenous language booklets
The gap identified by the CoP was that teacher educator policy does not provide sufficient guidance concerning equipping student teachers with the pedagogical skills required to teach the practices and principles of sustainability. To redress this gap the CoP initiated an early literacy and community development project to produce indigenous language readers for learners at the Early Childhood Development (ECD) level. This change project included an outreach programme which included all primary and high teacher educators, the college administration, local schools and surrounding communities.
As the change project progressed, the CoP included a focus on transformative pedagogy and Indigenous Knowledge (IK). They followed an ethics of care approach. Research and analysis was done on relevant Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and IK to determine which stories could be used in the indigenous language readers. In addition to stories, games, poems and rhymes were used to enrich the curriculum/s. The CoP gained new insights into the importance of caring for the environment, understanding how to test and conserve water, and the preservation of one’s own culture. The most helpful SST materials for the CoP were the Learning Action Booklets and the e-library. Patricia Moyo says that the difference the SST Course made to her own practice was realising the benefit of ESD for early childhood development. The immediate value of the change project was to create a collaborative space for the institution, the community and surrounding schools to work together on curriculum transformation. Participants also reflected on their own practices for life-long learning which included embracing ICTs and e-learning and adopting critical thinking skills and creativity as well as problem-solving techniques. Perhaps the most telling benefit of this change project was the reported increase in sense self-worthiness amongst the CoP and the dawning awareness of their own increasing pedagogical abilities.
Change Project: Curriculum Innovation: Integrating ESD into the industrial attachment programme
The CoP observed that there was firstly, no policy to integrate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) practices into the curriculum; and secondly, that student teachers suffered for lack of funds. Belvedere Technical Teachers College has a mandate to ensure that graduates leave the college able to themselves. Beekeeping was chosen as the focus of the change project to build student capacity in beekeeping and honey production, and this was seen was a means of increasing student capabilities in sustainable consumption and production, health and well-being, and decent work. The focus of the change project remained the same through the project.
The outcome of the change project was that a departmental CoP was set up to work on curriculum innovation i.e., to integrate ESD into the Industrial Attachment Programme. The transformed curriculum was going through the approval process by the Department of Teacher Education at the time of reporting; and a new Industrial Attachment tool for assessment had been developed. A participant reported that the most valuable aspect of the programme was the in-person workshop and commented that “All the presentations and excursions were new and a rare lifetime experience, therefore I will cherish the workshop very much.”The Immediate Value of the change project was the invigoration of the departmental collaboration in curriculum transformation. And further, the Potential Value (human capital) was the new insights on the importance of the SDGs in Technical Vocational Education and Training as well as realising that one’s actions should bring about sustainable changes in one’s community.”
Change Project: Enhancing ESD in TVET through the use of ICTs in formative assessment
A CoP was formed of lecturers, trainee teachers, mentors and school learners. The opportunity identified by this group was to increase the use of ICTs in teaching, learning and assessment to promote ESD. ICT literacy, and the use thereof, was hampered by socio-economic factors such as inadequate resources due to hyper-inflation, the fuel crises, inequalities, and a lack of access to teaching media. The CoP took a learner-centred approach to this project; and they also included a focus on 21st century skills, for example, creativity, technological literacy, innovation using ICT linked to ESD issues.
The CoP organised staff development workshops to build e-learning, m-learning and e-assessments capacities. This was done by using demonstrations, research and ICT tools. The aim of the workshops was to encourage the college community to embrace the use ICTs in teaching and learning as a move towards sustainability. The learning process highlighted how ICT could reduce the high costs of running continuous assessment on Open Distance Learning for student teachers whilst on teaching practice; and how using ICTs could reduce “mountains of paper” generated by student assignments; and to encourage a move away from traditional methods of teaching and assessment towards a more transformative approach.
One of the insights gained by the participants was how useful the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge can be to explain conceptual ideas to student teachers. The CoP found that the most useful materials provided by the SST course were the e-library flash stick with ESD content and the Action Learning Booklets. Richard Nyka explained the difference which the SST Programme had made to his own practice as, “The Programme equipped me to go and effectively capacitate fellow workers on ESD practices; and (I) was equipped with the skills and knowledge to implement a change project.”The CoP noted that an Immediate Value gained was the rejuvenation of departmental collaboration in curriculum transformation. They further noted that for Potential Value (social capital) that teacher educators, students and administration staff demonstrated an increased capacity to use ICT in every facet of education, and this in turn, raised awareness of the contribution of ICTs to sustainability.
Change Project: Integrating 21st Century Competences in Teacher Education Curriculum through Recycling, Re-using and Reducing Waste (3Rs)
The CoP identified the lack of ESD policy at local and national levels as the gap which they wished to address through their change project. They went about this by using the activities of recycling, re-using and reducing waste to integrate 21st century skills into teaching and learning, for example, critical thinking skills, creativity, skills of innovation and systems thinking. The outcome of this project was that sustainability practices were enshrined in all aspects of college life. Staff and students alike embarked on various activities like clean-up campaigns, horticulture, production of learning materials and community engagement projects. Pedagogical practices at Marymount Teachers College became more participatory and people developed an interest in using local resources to solve problems.
The CoP took a pluralist approach to the methods which they chose to undertake their change project and these included audits, collaborative learning, research, focus group discussions, field trips, hands on action learning, dramatization, poetry and the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge. They identified both the Learning Action Books and the materials provided on a flash stick as the most useful resources of SST. The CoP went through a few iterations of their change project before finalising their project; and they note that identifying areas of concern at the institution was a new collective skill which they gained through this process. One of the potential value (personal assets/human capital) was described by a member of the CoP,
As a teacher educator I am now empowered to train a relevant teacher (to gain) the 21st century competences. My teaching methods have now changed, no more spoon feeding learners but (rather) provoking their minds to think. I now place more value on collaborative activities to achieve the best (outcome).
The Reframing Value of this change project was the adoption of the first in-collage methodology for Monitoring and Evaluating the progress towards ESD by each department which was conducted in January 2020. In addition to this, the CoP facilitated the allocation of budget line especially for ESD.
Change Project: Integration of ESD into teaching practice assessment instruments
The CoP observed that there was a policy gap because ESD was not explicit in the institutional policies nor in the curricula. This resulted in a lack of rootedness in the environment and local community concerns, and the underutilisation of locally available resources. To address this challenge, the change project was geared towards the integration of ESD into Student Teacher Assessment instruments. One of the ways that this was done was to make use of the Handprint Learning Approaches as they point towards care for others, oneself and the environment.
One of the outcomes was that new partnerships were formed amongst the Quality Assurance Directorate, the Deans, Faculty Chairpersons, Programme Co-ordinators and lecturers which centred around various ESD change projects. Further the CoP itself developed closer professional relationships as they realised that to included ESD into teaching and learning required a concerted and collective effort.
The institution now has a policy framework to guide departments to integrate of ESD in their modules. The SST materials which were found to be the most useful were the T-Learning principles and practices as well as exposure to the heritage artefacts from the museum and the music library. The latter helped the CoP members to realise that there was a great deal of cultural heritage material which can be used in the classroom. The Reframing Value of this change project was that ESD was included in curriculum documents, for example, course outlines and policies. Some departments have adopted a new assessment strategy which includes the assessment of the students’ innovation, environmental sensitivity and general integration of ESD into teaching practices.
Change Project: Production of teaching and learning materials using locally available materials
The CoP used their change project to address the absence in the Seke Teachers’ College policies of Early Childhood Education (ECD) and ESD. The objective of the change project was to introduce an ECD Centre at the college to prepare student teachers better. In order not to make the change project too big and unmanageable, the CoP focussed on equipping students with the knowledge and skill to produce culturally appropriate learning materials. As the project progressed parents joined the staff, first-year students and academic board on the CoP. Initially the CoP developed a strategic plan for the development of the ECD Centre which was linked to the curriculum.
The Immediate Value of this project was the institutional co-operation on innovative ways to deal with waste and equipping students with the skills, values and attitudes to make their own teaching materials. Insights acquired by the participants included firstly, gaining new knowledge on ESD and transformative learning; secondly, appreciating the power of collaboration; and thirdly, experiencing first-hand the benefits which arise from field work. The most useful materials of SST were the Action Learning Books; and the in-person field trips in Makhanda which included testing water quality, the visit to St Andrews School and learning to make paper. When asked ‘What ideas had been gained for the job?’, a CoP participant said, “I got that in every lesson I should know how pupils are going to benefit.”The Reframing Value of this change project lay in the successful inclusion of ESD in curriculum documents such as course outlines and schemes of work. A new framework for assessing primary school teacher trainees was introduced and included assessing innovation and environmental sensitivity in developing teaching support material and the general integration of ESD in the student teachers pedagogical practices.
Change Project: Teaching and learning for incarcerated children
The policy gap which the CoP identified was the lack of integration of ESD into Early Childhood Development (ECD). Challenges facing early learners were acknowledged and are inter alia, the water crises, cash and fuel shortages, high crime and child abuse rates, and shortages of medicines. The CoP originally decided to extend the innovation hub at the university to include an ECD centre, however, as the change project progressed the CoP honed their focus to ECD for children incarcerated with their mothers. They also decided to restrict the CoP to only the Faculty of Education, students, childcare workers, school administrators and a few parents.
The project involved three institutions namely, University of Zimbabwe, Morgenster Teachers’ College and the Zimbabwean Prison Services which collaborated on curriculum innovation and ECD delivery. Through the change project a professional and social network developed between the education department, the prison officials and incarcerated mothers which benefitted the holistic development of the children.
BEd. Students produced teaching and learning materials, for example, workbooks; and the Morgenster Teachers’ College established an ECD Centre at Mutimurefu Prison. The CoP ensured that the change project was sustainable by obtaining agreements from the University of Zimbabwe and Morgenster Teachers’ College to send student teachers to the ECD Centre at Mutimurefu Prison annually who will be overseen by teacher educators from these institutions. The SST materials which were most helpful were the Action Learning Booklets 1-5 and the ‘resourceful presentations from the presenters’. Alice commented towards the end of the change project, “Please continue to give us exposure, more information on ESD, more interaction with college at different workstations etc. I appreciate the training; I will never be the same Teacher Educator. Thank-you UNESCO!”
Change Project: Utilisation of the biosphere reserves and Indigenous Knowledge Systems in science teaching and learning
The CoP set out to develop a living laboratory project in a local biosphere reserve with a focus on science teaching to help those learners who were struggling with science. They planned to incorporate biocultural heritage of the local biosphere and to include elements of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). These plans included developing innovative, practical teaching tools by using the biosphere to teach science concepts. The CoP observed that the government policies support the development of 21st century skills, however, neither the national nor institutional policies were explicit about the inclusion of ESD.
The outcome of the change project was in 2019 over 100 student teachers were taught how to use the new course outlines which incorporated ESD content and how to take a transformative learning and teaching approach when they embarked upon their practical teaching in 2020. Crispen made sure that the science teaching was firmly grounded in nature and incorporated many forms of IK and ICH. The Realised value of this change project is that curriculum development now puts the emphasis on transformative pedagogies, the utilisation of storytelling, the natural environment and IK. These lived experiences are key for leveraging the student teachers’ knowledge of science concepts. The Reframing Value was realised in the adoption of the Assessment of Significant Learning Framework which has tools to assess student competence on innovation, community engagement and the inclusion of ESD principles.
Change Project: Intangible Cultural Heritage: Maths and science booklet
The gap which the CoP identified was that there was a lack of learning materials that are culturally based and inclusive for ECD learners. They wished to emphasise the value of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) to promote environmental care. To take this change project to scale the CoP decided to embark on producing a book series written collaboratively by Teacher Educators ECD Teachers and ECD student teachers.
Brainstorming sessions were held with CoP members and student teachers. The latter were given assignments to collect ICH from their local communities – they recorded videos and took photos. The ICH emphasis was on sustainable human and other than human issues.
These activities promoted collaboration, immediate problem solving and information sharing. One CoP member remarked that, “It was so insightful to learn that experiments like water testing can be done with learners as young as ECD learners.” The outcome of the change project was that a whole institution approach was taken to the orientation of ESD teaching and learning. This was done by ensuring alignment from the institutional curriculum to the school-based curriculum to the training of the student teachers. Fortunate commented, “I learned that it is high time that we give student teachers practical assignments that involve them in environmental issues as opposed to regurgitating theories.” The Immediate Value of the change project was faculty wide collaboration in producing teaching and learning resources for ECD teachers based on ICH; and the Reframing Value was that the faculty adopted a new framework for assessing ECD teacher trainees that include innovation, community engagement and the inclusion of ICH.
Change Project: Early ESD Literacy Development
In this project a Community of Practice was formed and discussions held. The CoP agreed upon a topic which was: Early ESD literacy development. This CoP prioritised Early Childhood Development as a foundational building block for ESD.
Change Project: Towards a green campus: litter management and disposal
Ndhlula would like to improve litter management in his context. The probem is that there is too much litter on camps and an uncoordinated litter disposal system. Ndhlula will look into environmental management agency policies and the presidential clean-up campaign initiative. Thereafter, he will carry out a needs analysis, and undertake desktop research to identify critical issues and knowledge needed for SD.
Ndhlula would like to use participatory methods, groupwork and lectures as methods in his Change Project. Assessment will take place via monthly reviews, campus visits and observations using an environmental checklist and interviews with students. Eventually, Ndhula would like to see vertical scaling of the project, adding more refuse sites, and implementing the idea in other campuses.
“Being involved in the STT programme has made me realise that I need to teach for a difference, that is teach practical and real issues not only in education, but in sustainability as well.”
Change Project: Revitalisation of curriculum
Lwazi Sibanda, National University of Science and Technology
A CoP was established of student educators and students. The lack of representation of ESD in the curriculum was the gap which the CoP identified. They shared ESD principles and 21st century challenges, which included localised environmental concerns, with fellow educators and students. The CoP then guided discussions at a departmental level on the ESD skills and competences which the student teachers ought to acquire so that they could include ESD in their future classrooms. The CoP designed an ‘issues-based’ curriculum framework to support curriculum transformation at the institution.
An immediate value from the change project was the intra-college partnership which evolved around curriculum (re)development. A shared understand was established of the environmental challenges facing the college and the 21st century competencies required by student teachers. Additional fellow teacher educators and student teachers were enlisted to re-focus curriculum development practices towards solving the sustainability challenges facing the National University of Science and Technology. One participant observed, “An issue-based curriculum development framework is making all of us in the department reflect continuously on our curriculum practices”. The reframing value of the change project lay in redesigning a framework for assessing students. At the time of reporting the revision of the assessment strategy was underway and was moving assessment practices beyond the acquisition of concepts to include innovation, community engagement and environmental sensitivity.
Change Project: Anchoring science teaching and learning on nature and indigenous knowledge
Great Zimbabwe University
In this project a Community of Practice was formed and discussions held. The CoP agreed upon a topic which was: Anchoring science teaching and learning on nature and indigenous knowledge. This CoP prioritised Indigenous Knowledge and immersive experiences in nature as a foundational building block for ESD. Initially the CoP explored greening the campus and improving waste management.