Jim Ackers

Bio: Jim Ackers is an academic researcher from UNICEF. The author has contributed to research in topics: Teacher education & Primary education. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 4 publications receiving 252 citations.

Classroom Interaction in Kenyan Primary Schools.

Abstract: This article reports on a study of classroom interaction in Kenyan primary schools carried out as part of a national baseline study for the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development in 1998. The baseline was designed to provide a comprehensive picture of the quality of primary education so as to allow the Kenyan Government to prioritise expenditure on resources to improve education in the republic and to assess the impact of any interventions. Video recordings of 102 lessons in English, mathematics and science were analysed using systematic observation, discourse analysis and a time-line analysis. The findings revealed the domination of transmissional forms of teaching, thereby providing little opportunity for pupils to question or explore ideas to help regulate their own thinking. The wider implications of the findings for improving the quality of classroom interaction in Kenyan primary schools are considered together with the training needs of teachers.

Developing a systemic approach to teacher education in sub-Saharan Africa: emerging lessons from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

Abstract: While many countries in Eastern and Southern Africa are on track for meeting the Education for All targets, there is a growing recognition of the need to improve the quality of basic education and that a focus on pedagogy and its training implications needs to be at the heart of this commitment. By drawing on three East African countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, which are at different stages of development with regard to the reforming of teacher education, this paper explores the challenges and the lessons learned from each of the countries with regard to the development and strengthening of pre- and in-service training. The tension between quality, breadth and cost-effectiveness is explored together with a broader discussion of key principles to be taken into account when enhancing teacher education in the region as a whole.

Dropping out from school: a cross country review of literature

Abstract: This paper provides an in-depth review and analysis of literature on dropping out from school, and focuses on children who have gained access, but fail to complete a basic education cycle. The main discussion is around why and how children drop out from school. Here drop out is not presented as a distinct event, but rather a process where a range of supply-demand factors interact to influence schooling access. The paper looks at literature in relation to household, community and social contexts of dropping out, as well as school supply and practices. It also explores what research is saying around pre-cursors to dropping out and factors which may influence retention. Finally, the study identifies gaps in research around dropping out and how CREATE research could address some of these.

Border Crossings: Towards a comparative pedagogy

Abstract: This article uses the Comparative Education millennium special issue and the author's recently published five-nation comparative study of primary education to argue the case for a new comparative pedagogy. Pedagogy is defined as both the act of teaching and the discourse in which it is embedded. The comparative analysis of pedagogy requires that we have a viable framework for the empirical study of classroom transactions and that we locate these transactions historically and culturally at the levels of classroom, school and system. The postulated analytical framework maps the key elements in the act of teaching and links them with the processes of curriculum transformation from state to classroom. Comparative pedagogy reveals, alongside each country's unique mix of values, ideas and practices, powerful continuities in these which transcend time and space. In so doing, it helps us to pinpoint those universals in teaching and learning to which, in any context, we need most closely to attend if we are to improve the quality of education.

Pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices and teacher education in developing countries. Education rigorous literature review.

Abstract: This rigorous literature review, focused on pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices and teacher education in developing countries. It aimed to: - review existing evidence on the review topic to inform programme design and policy making undertaken by the DFID, other agencies and researchers - identify critical evidence gaps to guide the development of future research programmes

The discourse of classroom interaction in Kenyan primary schools

Abstract: This paper addresses the role of classroom discourse in supporting children’s learning in Kenyan primary schools. The discourse strategies of 27 teachers teaching English, mathematics and science across the primary phase were intensively studied using discourse analysis and semi‐structured interviews. A survey questionnaire (n = 359) was also used to explore teacher perceptions of classroom discourse practices. The findings revealed the dominance of teacher‐led recitation in which rote and repetition dominated the classroom discourse with little attention being paid to securing pupil understanding. The wider implications of the findings for improving the quality of classroom discourse in Kenyan primary schools are considered together with the need for further research into how the wider social order is influencing discourse practices in Kenyan primary schools.

'Interactive Whole Class Teaching' in the National Literacy Strategy

Abstract: Building on evidence from an earlier small-scale study of the discourse of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) in England, the findings of a more extensive investigation (n=70) into interactive and discourse styles of a nationally representative sample of primary teachers are presented. Using a computerised observation schedule and discourse analysis system, the paper explores the impact of the official endorsement of 'interactive whole class teaching' in the teaching of the NLS to see whether it is promoting higher levels of interaction and cognitive engagement by pupils. The findings support our earlier study and suggest that the NLS is encouraging teachers to use more directive forms of teaching with little opportunities for pupils to explore and elaborate on their ideas. The implications of the findings are considered in the light of their impact on classroom pedagogy and the professional development of teachers who are charged with implementing the national policy-led initiatives like the NLS.