Principles of Moral and Religious Education in Namibia

Essay on teaching methods in moral and religious education in Namibia
First and foremost, this paper serves as an essay on teaching methods in moral and religious education in Namibia. There are different types of teaching methods used all around the world and in Namibia as well and these are teacher-centered approach and learner-centered approach. In this paper we will discuss how both methods are used, their advantages and disadvantages, and to make it a point, these methods are not only used in schools but they can also be used in tertiary institutions.
Teacher-centered approach is a form of a teaching method that is mostly used in higher institutions like in high school and university and it is sometimes referred to as direct-approach. Teacher-centered approach allows the teacher to teach or offer lectures and presentations while learners are listening, after the lectures they are given work to do and in other words teachers teach and learners listen. In this approach there is less interaction between teachers and learners, unless otherwise, both parties can only be involved in an open discussion once in a while. An advantage about this approach is that it gives a chance to learners to search for more information on a particular subject on external sources like the internet and libraries, and also from fellow classmates. Through this process their intellectual knowledge is improved and in some cases they can get to socialize. Teacher-centered approach also has a disadvantage because the lack of interaction between learners and teachers may lead some slow and shy learners to hardly cope in class because they won’t have enough courage to reach out to others and ask about the things they don’t understand.
Learner-centered approach is a teaching method that is widely used in Namibian schools and it involves lecture discussions which causes interaction between learners and teachers. Learner-centered approach leads to learners being actively involved and they form a kind of independent planning and this is promoted by group discussions with the guidance of the teacher. Moreover, when learners are involved in these group discussions, teachers should not dominate students but they should be part of the group and they should act as facilitators. This gives an advantage to slow and shy learners because it encourages them to give their own ideas, express themselves with confidence and also learn from their peers. Through this process also, students can develop an understanding of their own social situation and human behavior/acts, they don’t only gain intellectual knowledge from their classmates but they also learn and discover good moral values. Different skills can be developed through this kind of teaching approach such as teamwork skills, time management, effective communication and conflict resolution.
In conclusion, when considering their approach to instruction, teachers are always looking for the method that is most beneficial for all of their students and this case it is the learner-centered approach due to the facts given. Teachers want their students to enjoy the learning process, and they want the classroom to be orderly and controlled.

UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA

LIZEL MUTELO 201207003 MORAL AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN NAMIBIA ASSIGNMENT 1