PROFESSOR ONWUALU HARPS ON THE UTILIZATION OF PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH ON PROJECT BASED LEARNING

The Acting President of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, Professor Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, FAS has enjoined  the faculty and students of the university to imbibe pedagogical approach on Project Based Learning (PBL).

Professor Onwualu made this statement at a Pedagogy workshop and presentation of the National Universities Commission (NUC) New Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) organized by the Directorate of Academic Planning of the university held at the AUST campus recently.

Dr. Shola Odusanya, visiting faculty at the Materials Science and Engineering department who represented the AUST Acting President charged participants to identify and examine new teaching philosophies and values that can help faculty members improve their performance and inadvertently change the way in which they view their roles as educators.

According to him “  One of the AUST’s initiatives is to foster excellence in teaching by offering faculty development workshops and seminars focused on improving the teaching and learning process by having a cursory look at the effective design and implementation of the university teaching philosophy, which is centered  on project based learning in any classroom environment.

In his opening remarks, the AUST’s Acting Director of Academic Planning, Dr. Abdulhakeem Bello said in addition to the pedagogical approach to learning, the workshop intends unmasking the National Universities Commission (NUC)’s  new Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards

(CCMAS) for the Nigerian University System to reflect the 21 st Century classroom, digital skills,

new disciplines and programs in preparing students for the fourth industrial revolution as well present the revised Academic Brief of AUST.

In attendance at the epoch-making workshop were Dr. Shola Odusanya, visiting Faculty, Materials Science and Engineering Department; Dr. Abdulhakeem Bello, Acting Director of Academic Planning; Dr. Vitalis Anye, Acting Head of Department, Materials Science and Engineering; Dr. Leo Morgan, Lecturer, Petroleum Engineering and Energy Resources department; Dr. Muhammed A, Dr. David Afolayan; Dr. Emeka Uwanaka, Dr. Odet Anye and a host of other online participants.