The East Africa School of Library and Information Science (EASLIS) last week (18^th – 19^th June, 2024) held a two day Library & Information Science (LIS), and Records and Archives Management (RAM) Teaching Professionals Pedagogical Re-Orientation Workshop.

The event held at Makerere University College of Computing and Information Sciences (Mak COCIS), Block B attracted a number of teaching staff at various ranks from Ugandan universities, and the region at large.

In his opening Remarks, the Principal-CoCIS; Prof. Tony Oyana thanked the leadership of EASLIS for holding such an important workshop aimed at improving teaching and learning. He emphasized the importance of pedagogical orientation for teaching staff noting that good subject matter knowledge and good research does not directly translate into good teaching.

He also highlighted a number of other important aspects that contribute to effective learning, including the need to create conducive learning environments, emotional intelligence through the ability to understand and relate to the learners and called for the need to deal away with challenge of superiority attitudes manifested in the by some African scholars that sometimes impedes free interaction with learners thereby affecting effective teaching.

He noted that everybody has a propensity to learn, but that people learn at different paces hence the need to give attention to every learner. He also emphasized the need for teaching staff to appreciate cultural diversity in learning environments.

The Dean-EASLIS, Dr. Sarah Kaddu giving an overview of workshop noted that the workshop aimed at achieving the following objectives;

1. Improved teacher-student support, relations and classroom management
2. Better alignment of course goals, instructional strategies, objectives
3. Improved lecture planning, content delivery and course evaluation
4. Enhanced knowledge and skills in content sourcing and preparation
5. Partnership brokerage and networking among LIS/RAM professionals in Uganda and in the region.

The participatory workshop was facilitated by Dr. Josephine Najjemba, Dr. Rebecca Nambi, and Dr. Kajumbula; a team of experienced staff in pedagogy training from Makerere University College of Education and External Studies, School of Education.

The workshop presentations focused on the following areas:

1. Education Foundations – Teaching Philosophies
2. Education Foundations – Learning Theories
3. Pedagogical Models: Teacher Centered vs. Learner Centered Strategies
4. Teacher and Learners Roles in the Learner-Centered Pedagogy (LCP)
5. Leadership in pedagogical practice
6. Assessment: Principles of Assessment, and
7. Technology enhanced learning

The workshop concluded with a plenary session, and award of certificates to the participants.