Working with teachers and students at secondary school level to enhance better learning of agriculture through project based learning approach: an action research at Nabiswa Secondary school, Uganda

Abstract

This Study is an Action research approach on Project based learning as a development project at Nabiswa secondary school in Uganda, with fellow teachers and students of Agriculture. It was aimed at improving my practice of facilitating the teaching/learning process in Agriculture, empowering the students with knowledge and skills, as well as learning about project based learning by doing it. The participants created a project based learning environment with lots of Agricultural tasks performed by the students in groups under the facilitation of the teachers. With the use of various methods, I collected the data for interpretation. Learning in project based approach majorly happens through the mistakes made by the learners in the process of doing tasks. The sharing of the experiences in a reflective way contributes to better learning. Students develop reasoning & problem solving abilities besides team work, leadership and communication skills. Both the teachers and the students took part in the evaluation process, which focused on student’s ability to apply information, the observation of the quality of the work done by the students and the quality of the project reports presented by the learners in dialogue meetings. The innovation yielded positively, and it’s important that the activities that the students engage on are relevant, meaningful and built from student’s prior knowledge. Quality education can be achieved if the needs of the students and the society are put at the centre of the learning process