The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako, has urged the teaching staff to use modern and practical methods to improve teaching and learning and foster stronger teacher student relationships.
This, he said, would not only improve the learning experience and performance of the students, but also enhance generally the academic results of the institution.
Prof. Asare-Bediako gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the end of a three-day training workshop for the teaching staff of UENR in Sunyani.
It was organised by the Centre for Professional Development-UENR, with support of the University’s Academic Affairs and Quality Assurance and Planning Offices.
It had the theme: “Innovative Teaching and Assessment Practices in Higher Education for Teaching Staff.”
Prof. Asare-Bediako said for the institution’s key mandate, which is teaching, research and extension to be achieved, there was the need to equip lecturers with modern trends of teaching skills.
“This training formed part of the modern ways of teaching on how to assess students, so that the ideas imparted will help to determine the quality of products that comes out of the university because we desire to churn out quality graduates who will contribute meaningfully to the development agenda of the country,” the VC explained.
He emphasised the best approach was to enhance the teaching and assessment skills of the staff so that they could contribute to achieving the mission and vision of the institution.
“Every teacher needs a skill without which assessing a student becomes difficult because lack of teaching skills has caused the loss of great potentials in our society since they were discouraged through unprofessional comments made by unskilled teachers,” he indicated.
“Gone were the days when teachers said all manner of words to discourage students, now the modern trends of teaching ensures that the teacher brings the best out of the student,” Prof. Asare-Bediako added.
Hence, the need for every lecturer to have some requisite knowledge on teaching and assessment to improve teaching and learning, he stated.