Communications Classes at UCBC: Doing Education Differently

Last month communications students studying multimedia at UCBC had a unique opportunity. It was unique for university students of DRC, that is. Visiting teacher and photojournalist Anne Medley taught the class, Multimedia and Photojournalism.  Over the course of three weeks, students learned how to photograph, conduct interviews, write and edit a script, and tell a story from their community. The students worked in teams of 3 to develop a proposal and put it into action. One group of students told the story of Beni’s only woman taxi/moto driver. Another group of students produced a piece on an ironworker. The metal workers who forge charcoal braziers and pans—the local cooking appliances—were subjects of other stories. There was a piece on the pushcart drivers.

Students interview pushcart drivers

So, why was this unique? Because education in DRC universities is completely didactic and theoretical. Students listen to their teachers read lectures, and copy those lectures verbatim. Students memorize the notes then quote directly back to the teacher on an exam. The first opportunity students have to practice what they learn or to see theory in action is if they have an internship experience at the end of their studies. 

Anne shares student work as Honoré translates

Academic Dean Honoré Bunduki Kwany reminded the UCBC communications students how fortunate they were to have had this “hands-on” learning experience during chapel on Monday, June 4. Later that afternoon when I asked Honoré about his comments to the students, he confirmed, “Yes, journalism students in other universities never have a chance to photograph or develop pieces like this.” And then he told a story that one of UCBC’s communications teachers had shared.

Kaza, the teacher, was a communications student in one of DRC’s larger, national universities. His multimedia professor instructed the students how to film. He picked up a piece of notebook paper and formed a paper cylinder with it. Holding the cylinder to his eye, as if it were a telephoto lens, the professor explained, “When you use a camera, you hold it carefully up to your eye and look through it like this.” The professor slowly turned his head, scanning an imaginary scene before him.  He continued, “You have to move slowly while your camera is running. You don’t want to move too fast.”

“And this is not unusual!” Honoré lamented. “What our students have here, at UCBC, to use cameras, to use recording equipment, to work on computers, is unique to DRC." 

Students share their experiences

Yes, we're doing things differently here at UCBC, not just in communications, but in applied sciences, theology, and economics. As I write, for example, students in Wilfred Mushagalusa's Applied Informations class are creating databases. Students from DRC Realities worked with local community agencies last week to directly engage with their work. Yesterday, faculty, staff, and students planted trees on the UCBC campus. All of these experiences for learning, service, and work are unique in DRC's educational landscape. But they are distinctives that don't just make UCBC stand apart. They are distinctives that are cultivating the kind of ethical leadership and creative problem-solving that my Congolese sisters and brothers remind me is critical to DRC's present and future.

A Congo reality: Education corrupted and enslaved

"I am building a house."

"I need new shoes."

"My family is traveling."

These are the kind of announcements that Congo's university professors make at the beginning of their classes. It would be one thing if such announcements were efforts to build relationships with students through the sharing of appropriate, personal information. These announcements, instead, are indicators of the kind of payment teachers expect from their students--that they DO expect payment.

Education in Congo has been corrupted and remains enslaved to power and the elite. This was a consistent message that I heard from the faculty, staff, and students of UCBC. David Kasali speaks of science (by which he means academic learning and knowledge) and the academy as "under lock and key." Be clear, we are not talking about the rich knowledge of society, family, and culture--that knowledge shared over the cooking fire, in the care of family and community elders. We're talking about the learning and knowledge within the academy, within the professions, within the structures of school and academia. The knowledge that could transform, but that maintains the status quo in a short-sighted effort to protect personal power. And these are the attitudes, contexts, and actions that UCBC is committed to transforming.

So, you  may wonder, "What does a corrupt system of education look like? What does it mean?" The Congolese faculty at UCBC--all of whom have managed to survive that system and are dedicated to a radically different approach and understanding of knowledge--shared their assessment and experiences during one of our faculty development sessions.

"Teachers hope to see students fail." In the Congolese education system, one's salary depends upon maintaining an imbalance between those who know and those who don't, between teacher and student, between personal power and community powerlessness. The more students per teacher, the more salary the teacher can excise, through basic fees and various bribes and "corruption fees." Because university professors are eager to keep their ranks small, they thwart rather than encourage graduate students working for their doctorates by delaying reading papers or exams and demanding fees for their services. Across the university system, and presumably in the secondary system, if you want to be assured to pass, then expect to pay in money or services. If you want your exam read, then pay. Female students are pressured to pay with their bodies. Want to make a point to your students about who is (or isn't) in control? Toss the papers across the desk and declare, "I will read the ones that land on the desks, and ignore the ones that fall on the floor." Yes, that is a true story.

"Students have expectations to fail, so they give less effort." A teacher that wants to see a student fail will look to trip and confuse students won't be concerned whether students understand the material or care to help students develop competence, let alone excellence. A student that knows her or his chances of passing, let alone excelling (which, most likely, is not a shared goal or expectation) are limited will do only what is necessary to pass. They pay the bribes. They learn to copy and cheat. The goal is to pass the class, not to learn. In general, then, once students are accepted into university, their motivation flags. And, of course, the teachers and their methods do nothing to change that.

"Students do not pay attention to their own skills." This translates in a couple of ways. For one thing, university students choose to study in particular "faculties" (what the U.S. systems calls, "departments" or "majors") based on available jobs or on what is available to study at that university. A students' imagination about her or his future is shuttered to possibilities. This is compounded by the fact that secondary schools in Congo tend to focus on particular faculties. This school may focus on applied sciences. Another on history and geography. You go to the school closest to where you live, not to the school that meets your interest areas or abilities. So from secondary school on, Congolese students are "tracked," not according to ability or interest, but according to availability.

A first-hand experience: During my first week at UCBC, a preparatory student, Prince, wanted to talk with me about his "psychological problem." Prince explained that he was having trouble in his studies. That he could read and read, study and study, but not learn the material. Then he said something that clued me in. "I don't have this trouble with my maths or physics."

Prince was noticeably relieved when I explained that we all have certain subjects we find easier or harder than others. That we have different strengths. That our talents and brains and abilities are different. What a surprise to me (and to him) that here, as a beginning college student, was the first time anyone had explained this concept of different abilities to him.

So, by their own assessment or through the system, students are pushed to study what is personally expeditious. They do not know how to choose their faculty/major based on their own aptitude or interest. In fact, they do not even know where their aptitudes lie.

"There is a lack of culture of reading and research in the education system." In very practical terms, there are no books. There are no libraries. What books exist are in the hands of the professors. And guess how eager they are to share? The UCBC Congolese teachers said on several occasions, "In secondary school you copy your teacher's notes from the blackboard. In university you take dictation. Teachers lecture from their syllabus, and you copy everything down. That's what you study," In fact, syllabus in Congo is the class content. Of course, if you have money, you can buy the syllabus (which saves your pencils and your writing hand, and buys another bag of cement for the teacher's new house). And of course, assessing students' learning is all about seeing if they can recite back all that the teacher has said.

"Students lack belief in what is learned. There is no transformation in their thinking." Hmmm...that's not a hard one to understand, is it? In my words, "Students don't trust their teachers or their education." And in David Kasali's words, "Science is locked away." And if there is no transformation in thinking, then where is the understanding? Where is the imagination?

Ah...there is so much more to share. But let me close with two things.

1. A corrupted and enslaved education system contributes to "the permanent economic crisis." It also contributes to the systemic corruption that enslaves the country. We Americans who listened to this conversation of the UCBC Congolese faculty were incredulous as they names these challenges. "How can it be so?" It was Bora, one of the UCBC communications professors, who said, "This is a whole system. This thinking affects everything in this country."

2. This is precisely why the work of CI-UCBC is so vital. CI-UCBC is about transforming its students, transforming their thinking by teaching and living and building relationships in a radically different way, so that they can lead in the transformation of their country. David Kasali teaches a course to preparatory students called, "DRC Realities." One of his goals in the course is, he says, "To make students angry." The course is about helping students understand the history of their country and also opening up their eyes to the reality that as individuals they have responsibility. As Congolese, they cannot continue to see and live as victims of their history--a very long history of abuse and corruption. That change depends on them. But, as he said to me just last week, "You can only change what you understand."

Humility is a good teacher

Today was day 1 of professional development/retreat day for UCBC faculty. I have spent the last week and a half planning, reading, talking to students and teachers, re-planning, agonizing, reviewing, revising. Work that used to be second nature to me--facilitating staff development--has been sitting on the shelf for the past several years. In addition, I didn't come here with PD books, resources, readings, or handouts.

Thankfully, this group of 15 was most kind, flexible, and gracious. I'm afraid that I stretched and twisted them far more than is pedagogically appropriate and healthy. But they hung in.

This is the first time I've led professional development in a cross-cultural setting. The mention of a "fishbowl" exercise, was met with laughter from the Americans and quizzical looks from the Congolese. Pets in Congo? And have you every tried to explain why and how someone would keep pet fish in a glass bowl of water? It is an absurd concept!

We did have an "animal" experience today, though. Two goats wandered into the building and bleated and baahed their way through the hallway until someone herded them back outside.

Amazing that even though I thought I understood the context, the experiences, the background, I still missed the mark in some places. Thank goodness for tomorrow and the possibility of redemption.

Although the young men who set up the room today were unsettled when I asked them to change the room set-up, they did oblige kindly. They had arranged the tables in a square--the typical board/meeting room arrangement. I wanted 4 tables in a herringbone pattern, so folks could work around the table, yet see the board. Unable to explain with gestures, I drew out the room arrangement.

We did play a game today. Wasn't sure how it would be received. But "bumpity-bump-bump-bump" was met with great laughter. Ndonga, who teaches the history of African philosophy, among other courses, said that the game helped us to "Not just be teachers."

Am exhausted but fueled with enough adrenaline to figure out plan for tomorrow.

"Give back to me my beautiful words"

There are many things about UCBC that are amazing, audacious, bold, and necessary. Aside from being bilingual, the university is committed to a manner of teaching that is radically different from the traditional Congolese system. The university is promoting learning that is collaborative, that promotes thinking, problem-solving, and discourse. What UCBC is doing is what my American friends would say is just plain good teaching and learning--engaging students with their learning, helping them to think, problem-solve, take ownership for their learning so they recognize their self-efficacy. This methodology, this philosophy of education is in stark contrast to the Congolese education system. It is a radically new approach for the students at UCBC and for many of their teachers, who themselves have come up through the traditional system.

My teachers here at UCBC (faculty, staff, students at UCBC) repeatedly remind me that the Congolese system of education is based on a Belgium system that was instituted during colonial times. It is a system that maintains a power structure where teacher is the ultimate authority and the learner is merely a recipient of knowledge. The teacher is the expert, the all-knowing. The teacher's responsibility is to give out information. The student's responsibility is to take down, memorize, and give back on an exam. The method is lecture and repeat back. Not even lecture, digest, think about, then respond.

In order to pass exams, students must memorize, and in some cases, repeat the actual words in their exams. Honore (apologies: there is an aigu/accent mark over the e in Honore's name. Can't figure out how to do that in this blog), the Academic Dean at UCBC tells a story that captures it all. He remembers a geography professor who, at the time of the exam, instructed the students, "Now give back to me my beautiful words."

Honore's experience is not an isolated, extreme event.

There are many ramifications--a topic for another entry. But here is just one: University graduates face significant challenges in their quest to continue their education as masters or doctoral students. It may take as much as 10 years or more for someone to attain a doctorate. This is not because their is a extensive preparation period, but because professors of that rank are reluctant to allow others to join them. They stall the process, delay reading theses, and generally thwart anyone working to attain that degree.

But back to UCBC and undergraduates. Students come to UCBC from a primary and secondary background that supports the receive/return approach to learning. They have been taught to memorize and repeat. They have not learned how to dialogue, how to have their own opinions and support them. They have not learned how to analyze, synthesize, explore. By their own acknowledgement, they do not know how to problem-solve. Many have told me that they have grown up and been taught in such a way as to believe that they canNOT do anything to make changes in their community.

UCBC is committed to teaching in a way that completely transforms students--how they think about themselves, their country, and their responsibility. The university is committed to developing and nurturing strong, ethical leaders who are transformed, so that they can, in turn, "transform their communities and the nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo." UCBC is committed to teaching in such a way to develop students' thinking skills, analytical skills, problem-solving skills. Students understand not only that this is different, but that this is necessary. Adelphine, a G1 (Year 1) student, recently said, "Congolese people do not know how to solve their national problems. We must learn how to solve our own problems. This is why I am at UCBC."

This nation has huge challenges. But this nation is exceedingly rich in resources of all types: human, cultural, mineral, water, timber, wildlife. It has deep and wide wealth and great opportunity.

Students also recognize that their country groans under the burden of corruption and that leadership in Congo, historically, is about power and personal gain. But what UCBC students proclaim consistently in every conversation (no exaggeration) is a desire to make changes. They desire to change, no transform, systems, ways of doing business, ways of living, ways of doing politics. Even more significant is their deep commitment to do so for the good of their country and their people. Their focus is on others, on the common good of Congo. In all my conversations to date, I have not heard students talk about "making money," "owning a house," "having a big car." They consistently talk about transforming their communities and their country. They recognize the need and are recognizing, through their education here, that they can do something.

Audacious? Bold? Visionary? Yes. But changes only occur when people are willing to be bold and live into a vision of something better.

PS:Want to be part of this transformation? Check out Kipepeo Partners.

Thoughts on "The Future of Teaching"

One of the messages in my inbox this morning came from the Center for Teaching Quality (CTQ). The item announced the inauguration of TeacherSolutions 2030--an initiative to explore and help shape teaching as a "student-centered profession." There were references and links to the most recent blog posts at the Future of Teaching blog. Two that caught my eye were "Do You See What I See?" and "Medicine and Education."

"Do You See What I See?" reminds us that we must continue to fight for equity in education--equity in all aspects and across all borders. That took me to the question: What if in our attention to public education in the U.S. we also paid attention to, advocated for, and worked to ensure educational access for girls and women in cultures that consider females as property only; OR comprehensive primary education for ALL children across this globe--goal #2 of the MDGs? The current U.S. administration reminds us to think about and act on behalf of the common good. And isn't the common good wider than U.S. borders?

"Medicine and Education" picks up on the theme of advocating for what's right. All of us, not just educators, must be vigilant to speak out for quality, for education and for allocating ever-diminishing resources (and they've been diminishing since the beginning of time, haven't they??) for education. I, of course, jump to the larger discussion, and think, "Yes, and again...let's look beyond our borders. Let's look to the common good and strive to meet the needs of all who are denied voice and power. A lofty and unrealistic goal? Yes. But I suspect that the early advocates for civil rights in the U.S., the visionaries who imagined democracy in India, and William Wilberforce and William Lloyd Garrison were criticized for their lofty visions and unreachable goals.