Active-Learning Teacher Training in Rural Tanzanian Secondary Schools

Though Tanzania has made significant progress toward increasing enrollment in secondary schools, the quality of learning is often quite low. In 2015, only 68% of students passed the secondary school national exam (Certificate in Secondary Education Examination). Tanzanian teachers primarily use a teacher-centered style of instruction, lecturing on content and utilizing rote learning. However, student-centered pedagogy that emphasizes inquiry-based learning and participation has been promoted by the Tanzanian Ministry of Education, and is associated with improved academic performance. Project Zawadi, a Tanzanian education NGO, specializes in training teachers on student-centered pedagogy and active-learning techniques. In this pilot evaluation study, the researchers will test the adaptation of the teacher training program to Tanzanian secondary schools and assess the effects of the training on important process outcomes for teachers and students. The pilot will lead to a longer-term RCT evaluating the impact of the training on student learning and non-cognitive skills.