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The five videos that you watched at the end of session 2 gave you some idea of
(a) what is known about a topic, and
I teach Agroclimatology course to students studying for Diploma in Education for secondary level who specialize in Agriculture. Climate change is tackled holistically from causes, effects to mitigation and adaption strategies that can be employed. Climate change issues are also integrated into other causes such as Natural Resource Management, Agricultural Development and Policy. Introduction to Agriculture for Diploma Agriculture for Primary level also has something on climate change even though it quite small.
(b) what is not yet known about a topic (in this case, climate change in Southern Africa).
Students find it difficult to comprehend that climate change is and ongoing event that cannot be pinned down to a single heavy rainfall nor one event of snowfall. The aspect of ecosystems approach is also very new and time does not allow it to be practiced in ways that can leave tangible results.
The cause that deals with climate change in depth does not have enough credit hours to carry out enough practical work on mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change. Yet, these are tackled on other causes.
Agriculture Primary level students fail to be equipped with knowledge and skills to fully comprehend how it came about that climate has changed to this degree and how we can now live with it while we try to cub its effects in the lives of people.
Use these videos to review what is currently included in your TE/TVET subject curricula on climate change in southern Africa, what is missing, and how you can review your curriculum to improve it.
Lesotho College of Education gives each department autonomy in designing curricula. Thus, it is not easy to agree to include certain cross-cutting issues of general concern different curricular across the Institution. As such, there is no interdisciplinary integration of learning in our students. It would be interesting and more meaningful to hold a workshop where all teacher educators are made aware of such issues and their importance to modern day citizen in order for these cross-cutting issues to be included across the curriculum for all students.
Improving curriculum is very critical and needs to be done as a whole institution agenda in order reinforce teaching and learning.
I would like to see more practical oriented courses particularly when dealing with climate change mitigation and adaptation.