Page 89 - EDUCON 2022 Book of Abstracts

4. Marshall J.M., “It opened my mind”: Namibia teacher
professional development Via EdCamp
Background: In May of 2022, Windhoek International School hosted
a one-day EdCamp for approximately 70 Namibian teachers from
seven different schools, both urban and rural, across Namibia.
EdCamp is one part of three parts “Cluster Initiative” which also
includes an exchange program between teachers and an ongoing
Facebook group to facilitate networking and sharing ideas. The
initiative and its activities, such as providing white boards to teachers,
was sponsored by the Australian High Commission in South Africa
under its Direct Aid Program. The goal of the EdCamp project is “to
empower Namibian public school educators to enhance their teaching
practice using student-centered and inquiry-based learning strategies.”
Aim: The purpose of this research was to collect data from EdCamp
participants about their self-reported competence in five of their
student-centered and inquiry-based teaching strategies, as well as
challenges they face and future topics, they would like to be supported
by EdCamp. Data was also provided to EdCamp planners in order to
meet the needs of participants and to Australian-AID as an informal
evaluation of the initiative.
Methodology: Data collection occurred primarily through a Qualtrics
survey distribution via email and Facebook to all EdCamp participants
two weeks before EdCamp and four weeks after EdCamp.
Approximately 50% of participants completed the pre-Camp survey
and 54% completed the post-Camp survey. Since one purpose of the
research was to help EdCamp planners meet the needs of participants,
responses were not anonymous so that planners could follow up as
needed. We note the limitation that only about half of the participants
responded, and that the two groups, pre- and post-survey, were not the
same participants each time.

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