7 - The British Model, ‘Africanization’ of the Curriculum and Other Issues: The Influence of Professor D. W. Ewer (1913-2009) on University Teaching in Ghana and on Biological Education in Africa
Corresponding Author(s) : Richard Alan Baker
Revue de l’enseignement supérieur en Afrique,
Vol. 11 No 1-2 (2013): Revue de l’enseignement supérieur en Afrique
Résumé
Dennis William Ewer était professeur de zoologie durant les années où l’enseignement supérieur était à l’état embryonnaire au Ghana et a servi comme universitaire de haut rang dans trois universités africaines. Au Ghana, il a apporté une contribution exceptionnelle au domaine de l’enseignement de la biologie et de la biologie tropicale. Ce récit historique de la tentative d’un homme pour améliorer l’enseignement de la biologie aux étudiants africains est remarquable pour diverses raisons. Il y a été pour beaucoup dans le changement apporté au contenu et à la façon dont la biologie est enseignée aux niveaux secondaire et supérieur. Soucieux d’un changement radical et de briser le moule de la tradition d’Oxbridge, il a travaillé sans relâche pour venir à bout du système britannique d’enseignement de la biologie et pour modifier les supports de cours et en améliorer la pertinence dans un contexte africain. Pour lui, il était inapproprié de transposer le modèle britannique en Afrique. Il a souligné la nécessité et l’importance de la formation des techniciens et a prôné la priorité de l’enseignement sur la recherche. En termes de programme, l’écologie devrait, à son avis, être le principal thème intégrateur en Afrique avec un accent particulier sur la biologie appliquée contrairement à l’enseignement des sciences pures dans les pays développés. Ewer a également été une force motrice qui a impulsé le changement au niveau de l’enseignement secondaire, en aidant à améliorer le programme de biologie, l’édition des manuels scolaires, et en fournissant des guides de l’enseignant. Il était critique à l’égard de la façon dont la biologie était enseignée dans les établissements scolaires, car cette approche ne formait que des étudiants passifs ayant de mauvaises habitudes de travail ; de ce fait, il croyait qu’il était nécessaire d’inciter les élèves intellectuellement, tant dans les établissements secondaires qu’universitaires. Cela l’a amené à réclamer l’adoption de nouvelles approches dans l’enseignement secondaire et supérieur.
Mots-clés
Télécharger la référence bibliographique
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)BibTeX
- Ashby, E., 1964, African Universities and Western Tradition, The Godkin lectures at Harvard University 1964, 1–113, Oxford University Press, London.
- Baker, R.A., 2003, Samuel John Kenneth Baker 1907–1992, Geographers Biobibliographical Studies. 22, 1–11. Continuum, London and New York. http://web.univ-pau.fr/RECHERCHE/UGIHG/03_Actualites/docs_actualites/ GBS_Text.pdf
- Bassindale, R., 1961, On the Marine Fauna of Ghana, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 137(4): 481-510.
- Ewer, D.W., 1968, Science Education in the Universities, Ghana Journal of Science 8(3/4): 83-86.
- Ewer, D.W., 1969, A-level Biology in West Africa: A New Syllabus, Journal of Biological Education, 3: 271-282.
- Ewer, D.W., 1970, Zoology: Should it Exist? Inaugural lecture delivered on 6th November 1969 at the University of Ghana, Ghana Universities Press, Accra.
- Ewer, D.W., 1974, ‘Length, Breadth and Depth: Reflections on the “Ecological Approach”’, Journal of Biological Education 8(3): 145-152.
- Ewer, D.W., 1980, ‘Letters to the Editor – Relevant Ecology’, Journal of Biological Education 14:191-192.
- Ewer, D.W., 1982, ‘The Development of Higher Education in Africa during the Period of Decolonisation.
- A Study of the Expansion of University Education in Selected African Countries’, University of Oxford Development Records Project. MSS. Afr.s. 1825, Unpublished, See Note 1.
- Ewer, D.W., n.d., ‘Journey’s End – Ghana – Legon and Accra’, The University of Ghana.
- Typewritten notes in clip files, Unpublished.
- Ewer, D.W. and J.B., Hall (eds), 1972, Ecological Biology: for A-level and Intermediate Students in Africa 1: Organisms and their Environments, Longman, London.
- Ewer, D.W. and J.B., Hall (eds), 1978, Ecological Biology 2. The Inter-relations of organisms, Longman, London.
- Ewer, D.W. and J.B., Hall, 1980, Ecological Biology: Practical book 2, Longman, London.
- Ewer, D.W. and J.B., Hall, 1981, Ecological Biology: Teacher’s Guide 2, Longman, London.
- Ewer, D.W., J.B., Hall and G.C., Clark (eds), 1978, Ecological Biology for A-level and Intermediate students in Africa. Longman, London.
- Ewer, D.W., J.B., Hall and J.A., Mitchelmore, 1975a, Ecological Biology: Practical book 1, Longman, London.
- Ewer, D.W., J.B., Hall and J.A., Mitchelmore, 1975b, Ecological Biology: Teachers Guide 1. Longman, London.
- Green, T.L., 1962, ‘Some Important Aspects of Science Teaching at African Universities’, in The Teaching of Sciences in African Universities, Report of the Seminar on the Teaching of Basic Sciences in African Universities, Rabat December 1962:37-46, UNESCO, Paris.
- http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0005/ 000539/053950eo.pdf
- Habte, A. & T., Wagaw, 1993, in A.A. Mazrui and C. Wondji (eds) General History of Africa 8, Africa since 1935: Chapter 22: 699, Heinemann Educational, Oxford.
- Hodgson, A.N., 2009, ‘Biographical Memoir Professor Emeritus Denis William Ewer MBE FRSSAf 1913-2009’, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 64(1): 84-85.
- Hodgson, A.N. and A.J.F.K., Craig, 2005, ‘A Century of Zoology and Entomology at Rhodes University, 1905 to 2005’, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 60(1): 1-18.
- Huxley, J., 1936, Africa View, Chatto & Windus, London.
- Jago, N., 1982, ‘The Development of Higher Education in Africa during the Period of Decolonisation.
- A Study of the Expansion of University Education in Selected African Countries’, University of Oxford Development Records Project. MSS. Afr.s. 1825, Unpublished, See Note 1.
- Peel, J.D.Y., 1984, Social and Cultural Change in M Crowder (ed.) The Cambridge History of Africa 8, from c.1940–c.1975: Chapter 4: 179, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
- Purchon, R.D., 1968, The Biology of the Mollusca, Pergamon Press, London.
- Thomas, J.D., 1962, ‘University of Ghana. Department of Zoology, Retrospect and Prospect’, Departmental brochure, Unpublished, University of Ghana.
- Williams, C.K., 1962, Achimota: The Early Years 1924-1948, Longman, Accra.
Les références
Ashby, E., 1964, African Universities and Western Tradition, The Godkin lectures at Harvard University 1964, 1–113, Oxford University Press, London.
Baker, R.A., 2003, Samuel John Kenneth Baker 1907–1992, Geographers Biobibliographical Studies. 22, 1–11. Continuum, London and New York. http://web.univ-pau.fr/RECHERCHE/UGIHG/03_Actualites/docs_actualites/ GBS_Text.pdf
Bassindale, R., 1961, On the Marine Fauna of Ghana, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 137(4): 481-510.
Ewer, D.W., 1968, Science Education in the Universities, Ghana Journal of Science 8(3/4): 83-86.
Ewer, D.W., 1969, A-level Biology in West Africa: A New Syllabus, Journal of Biological Education, 3: 271-282.
Ewer, D.W., 1970, Zoology: Should it Exist? Inaugural lecture delivered on 6th November 1969 at the University of Ghana, Ghana Universities Press, Accra.
Ewer, D.W., 1974, ‘Length, Breadth and Depth: Reflections on the “Ecological Approach”’, Journal of Biological Education 8(3): 145-152.
Ewer, D.W., 1980, ‘Letters to the Editor – Relevant Ecology’, Journal of Biological Education 14:191-192.
Ewer, D.W., 1982, ‘The Development of Higher Education in Africa during the Period of Decolonisation.
A Study of the Expansion of University Education in Selected African Countries’, University of Oxford Development Records Project. MSS. Afr.s. 1825, Unpublished, See Note 1.
Ewer, D.W., n.d., ‘Journey’s End – Ghana – Legon and Accra’, The University of Ghana.
Typewritten notes in clip files, Unpublished.
Ewer, D.W. and J.B., Hall (eds), 1972, Ecological Biology: for A-level and Intermediate Students in Africa 1: Organisms and their Environments, Longman, London.
Ewer, D.W. and J.B., Hall (eds), 1978, Ecological Biology 2. The Inter-relations of organisms, Longman, London.
Ewer, D.W. and J.B., Hall, 1980, Ecological Biology: Practical book 2, Longman, London.
Ewer, D.W. and J.B., Hall, 1981, Ecological Biology: Teacher’s Guide 2, Longman, London.
Ewer, D.W., J.B., Hall and G.C., Clark (eds), 1978, Ecological Biology for A-level and Intermediate students in Africa. Longman, London.
Ewer, D.W., J.B., Hall and J.A., Mitchelmore, 1975a, Ecological Biology: Practical book 1, Longman, London.
Ewer, D.W., J.B., Hall and J.A., Mitchelmore, 1975b, Ecological Biology: Teachers Guide 1. Longman, London.
Green, T.L., 1962, ‘Some Important Aspects of Science Teaching at African Universities’, in The Teaching of Sciences in African Universities, Report of the Seminar on the Teaching of Basic Sciences in African Universities, Rabat December 1962:37-46, UNESCO, Paris.
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0005/ 000539/053950eo.pdf
Habte, A. & T., Wagaw, 1993, in A.A. Mazrui and C. Wondji (eds) General History of Africa 8, Africa since 1935: Chapter 22: 699, Heinemann Educational, Oxford.
Hodgson, A.N., 2009, ‘Biographical Memoir Professor Emeritus Denis William Ewer MBE FRSSAf 1913-2009’, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 64(1): 84-85.
Hodgson, A.N. and A.J.F.K., Craig, 2005, ‘A Century of Zoology and Entomology at Rhodes University, 1905 to 2005’, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 60(1): 1-18.
Huxley, J., 1936, Africa View, Chatto & Windus, London.
Jago, N., 1982, ‘The Development of Higher Education in Africa during the Period of Decolonisation.
A Study of the Expansion of University Education in Selected African Countries’, University of Oxford Development Records Project. MSS. Afr.s. 1825, Unpublished, See Note 1.
Peel, J.D.Y., 1984, Social and Cultural Change in M Crowder (ed.) The Cambridge History of Africa 8, from c.1940–c.1975: Chapter 4: 179, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Purchon, R.D., 1968, The Biology of the Mollusca, Pergamon Press, London.
Thomas, J.D., 1962, ‘University of Ghana. Department of Zoology, Retrospect and Prospect’, Departmental brochure, Unpublished, University of Ghana.
Williams, C.K., 1962, Achimota: The Early Years 1924-1948, Longman, Accra.