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| I wore a tie for this one. |
I just gave a lecture to the faculty of Muteesa I Royal University (where I've been teaching) about new methods of instruction. I tried to include what BYU-Idaho has been doing re: changing the way "professors" teach. MRU is owned by the kingdom of Buganda, which by definition tries to conserve its culture. This position is somewhat at odds with the rapid changes taking place here as Africa enters the global economy where values are being crowded out in the name of economic growth, modern jobs, technology, etc. So, I had to walk a bit of a tightrope so as not to offend the kingdom, while at the same time informing the faculty to step up their curriculum a notch or two if they have any hope at staying/becoming competitive.
The Minister of Education was present for the central government (not the kingdom). He asked me to present to his administrators the next day. I don't think he'll like what I have to say about foreign aid for schools being diverted to Swiss bank accounts. Maybe I'll just show a video instead.
Oh, and by the way, I nearly had a mutiny in class yesterday when I announced the due date for the major project (a case study of problems and solutions in Uganda.....). One student said "It's too much." I responded that this is the type and amount of study we do in America, and much more! I wonder what the quality of the work will be.
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