Chapters authored
Perspective Chapter: New Active Learning Models in Africa
This desk review draws from the active learning literature to establish that the Culturo- Techno-Contextual Approach is a new active learning model of African origin that holds the key to students understanding of concepts within the continent. The chapter argues that the tripod of culture, technology, and context form the basis of the CTCA and are all triggered by engaging peers, community, teachers, and other active learning partners to ensure students understand concepts. Anchored on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, we argue that the five-step teaching processes used in the CTCA further involve students engaging with their communities, peers, friends and relations, technology, and others to enhance their understanding of concepts. We conclude that the CTCA is an active learning model that enhances students understanding of concepts in schools. We further propose the Collectivism, Culture & Context Framework (3C Framework) as one that can further enhance active learning and students’ understanding of concepts.
Part of the book: Active Learning
Assessing Leadership Styles in Student Unions: A Quantitative Survey in Ghana
In Ghana, student unionism has become integral to the leadership culture. Over time, this has witnessed successive national leaders emerging from the wings of student governance. Our study investigates the preferred leadership styles of students in Ghana. The study adopted a quantitative methodology. The population for the study consists of member-students of the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Professional Studies-Accra. The sample comprised students offering various courses from levels 100–400. Ninety-five (95) students were selected using a simple random sampling technique for the study. Anchored on the contingency leadership theory, we found that students preferred to be led through a democratic leadership style (M = 3.52, SD = 0.45) than laissez-faire (M = 3.51, SD = 0.42) and autocratic styles (M = 2.3, SD = 0.72). We also found that senior students prefer autocratic leadership styles. We conclude that students’ preference for a democratic leadership style stems from the need to create a participatory environment. This gives followers a sense of ownership of the decision-making process. We also conclude that as students’ academic responsibilities increase, they may prefer autocratic leadership styles as it ensures that their needs are met quickly.
Part of the book: Leadership for Sustainable and Educational Advancement