Resource 1b: Introduction to Progressive Pedagogies
From “Chalk & Talk” to Progressive Teaching with ICT
Helping Tanzanian teachers move from telling to engaging
Many classrooms rely on didactic teaching: the teacher talks and learners copy notes. This helps with exams but not with real-life problem solving. Progressive pedagogy puts learners at the centre. Students ask questions, investigate, create, collaborate, and apply knowledge to their lives and communities. ICT (phones, simple apps, internet) makes this shift easier—even with limited devices.
What changes in a progressive classroom?
| Traditional (Didactic) | Progressive (Student-centred) |
|---|---|
| Teacher explains, students copy | Students investigate, discuss, create |
| One right answer | Focus on thinking, process, evidence |
| Individual, silent work | Collaboration and peer feedback |
| Theory only | Real-life application (school/community) |
How ICT enables progressive learning (even with one phone per group)
- Collaboration: Groups co-create in Google Docs or on a Padlet board.
- Inquiry & real-world links: Quick searches for local examples, short YouTube clips, community data.
- Creativity: Products like posters or slides using Canva (or phone gallery + simple text).
- Active checks for understanding: Kahoot or Mentimeter polls for instant feedback.
Fast start: 3 lesson patterns you can try this week
- Inquiry mini-project (40–60 min): 5-min teacher intro → groups use one phone to find two local examples → add to Padlet/slide → 1-min share-out per group → quick poll on best ideas.
- Collaborative product (30–45 min): Groups draft a one-page poster (Canva/Slides/paper photo) answering: What is the problem? What evidence? What solution for our school?
- Active check (10–15 min): Run a 3-question Mentimeter/Kahoot to spot misconceptions; ask groups to justify their choice to a partner group.
Tool → Pedagogy quick map
| ICT Tool | Best for |
|---|---|
| Google Docs / Slides | Group co-creation and quick presentations |
| Padlet | Whole-class idea wall; collecting local examples |
| Canva or phone camera | Posters, infographics, short explain-videos |
| Kahoot / Mentimeter | Instant checks for understanding and discussion prompts |
Equity tips for low-resource classes
- One device per group is enough—rotate roles (leader, researcher, recorder, presenter).
- Set a time cap for searches; focus on local, Swahili-friendly resources where possible.
- Allow offline capture (photos, voice notes) and upload later when data is available.
- Assess the product and process (collaboration, reasoning), not just the final answer.
Take-away
ICT is not the goal—better learning is the goal. With simple tools and clear tasks, we can move from lecturing to student-centred, collaborative, project/problem-based learning that prepares young people for life and work in Tanzania.
Quick reflection (for the quiz): Which one change could you try next week to move from “talk” to “task” using one device per group?