Ex-VC Advocates Pedagogic Approach to Learning in Higher Institutions

Bassey Inyang in Calabar

A university don and former vice-chancellor of the Cross River State University of Technology, now University of Cross River State, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, has advocated a pedagogic approach to learning in Nigeria’s higher institutions.

Enoh, a professor of Philosophy of Education, said this while delivering the seventh Postgraduate School lecture of the University of Calabar.

“There must be found the productive and creative union of town and gown in teaching by focusing on the active and current,” he stated. “The adoption of a pedagogic approach which involves active learner participation and the emergence of research activities from the womb of ongoing teaching.”

He faulted the rigid and externally imposed curriculum made worse by an ivory tower mentality, opposing the formal method of instruction aggravated by the banking learning ideology, which is reinforced by “preparationist” and dependency frame of mind.

The university don also denounced the demand for correspondence in research and research for its own sake, unconnected to what is taught or current in society.

Enoh stressed that it was only through good teaching that university curricula could be brought down from the ivory tower status and reconnected to society.

He suggested that the university system provide effective means of continuous training in pedagogical skills for all university teachers in the same manner as conference attendance.

He, therefore, suggested that funding for research activities on pedagogical skills should be provided, especially with the establishment of a National Academic Staff College of Nigeria (NASCON).