Revolutionising Education: Cavendish University Uganda Leads Initiative to Tackle Large Class Challenges

A groundbreaking training initiative, spearheaded by Cavendish University Uganda and funded by The Education Collaborative, recently brought together educators from across Africa to address the pressing challenges of teaching large classes in public universities. Held at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya on April 2nd and 3rd, the training focused on innovative pedagogies designed to improve learning outcomes and revolutionise the classroom experience. Participating Institutions included; Cavendish University Uganda, Makerere University (Uganda), University of Embu (Kenya), University of Ghana, d-School Afrika, University of Cape Town (South Africa) and Rongo University (Kenya).

Day 1: Design Thinking for Education

The first day kicked off with opening remarks from the Project Lead, Dr. Olive Sabiiti- Vice Chancellor, Cavendish University Uganda (CUU). Dr. Sabiiti emphasized the project’s mission to revolutionise teaching in large classes and co-design effective pedagogies with faculty members. She highlighted that The Education Collaborative is sponsoring the project.

Ms. Rose Dodd, Executive Director of The Education Collaborative, urged participants to observe closely and model effective approaches for managing large classes, emphasizing the importance of sharing successful strategies across the continent.

Facilitators from d-School Afrika led an engaging session on Design Thinking. Participants were introduced to d-school Afrika, the first design thinking school in Africa, and explored the six-step Design Thinking process: Understand, Observe, Frame, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. The session emphasized creative problem-solving and hands-on activities to foster creative confidence.

Key Takeaways from Day 1:

• Understanding and implementing the Design Thinking process to address classroom challenges.
• Creating challenge statements that improve human experiences within specific contexts.
• Developing training manuals and resources to support faculty in implementing innovative pedagogies.

Day 2: Innovative Pedagogies and Assessment

Day 2 featured practical sessions led by faculty from Makerere University, University of Embu, and Rongo University. These universities, recognized for their scale and diversity, shared best practices for enhancing pedagogy and student engagement in large class environments.

Participants explored the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning, including adaptive learning systems, AI tutors, and automated grading. They also engaged in activities to share and learn diverse student engagement strategies applicable to both face-to-face and online environments.

Key Outcomes from Day 2:

• Encouraging active learning strategies such as chunking, problem-solving, and flipped learning.
• Promoting problem-based learning by integrating real-world scenarios.
• Implementing interactive learning techniques to address the challenges posed by large student populations.

Day 3: Curriculum, Instructional Design & E-Tivities

Day 3 focused on intentional curriculum and instructional design for skill-oriented and inclusive learning in large class settings. Facilitators from Makerere University, University of Embu and Rongo University led sessions on aligning pedagogy with 21st-century skills and leveraging e-learning tools.

Participants engaged in hands-on activities to redesign courses, develop instructional blueprints, and create interactive e-tivities to support blended and online learning.

Key Outcomes from Day 3:

• Designing curricula around Critical Thinking (CT), Entrepreneurship (E), and Soft Skills (SK).
• Applying the ADDIE model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) and Detailed Design Document (DDD) for inclusive course planning.
• Creating e-tivities to foster peer interaction, digital engagement, and aligned assessments.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The training concluded with a joint commitment by participating universities to implement and scale effective pedagogies for large classes.  Faculty members will apply design thinking frameworks and challenge-based learning approaches to redesign classroom strategies. Institutions will collaborate to share successful practices and foster collective learning. This initiative promises to transform the educational landscape, making large classes more engaging, effective, and student-centered.