Teachers’ role and learners’ responsibility in teaching and learning science and elementary technology in Rwanda

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to reveal teachers’ role in teaching and learners’ responsibility in learning Science and Elementary Technology in Rwanda. The source of information is the classroom observation (Upper Primary) from 6 schools purposively selected in Kayonza District. The Flanders Interaction Analysis Categories System analysis research tools revealed that: The instructors’ role in the learning was found, information giver. Teachers had low facilitation to learning and were deciding alone on the content to be taught; concerning the learners’ responsibility and their encouragement for learning, it was found that the results are far from the expectations related to a learner-centred situation: low pupils’ participation, lacking initiatives from pupils and teachers not motivating/encouraging them. The learners were found passive in the classroom interaction, and only responding to teachers’ questions. From the above findings, we affirm that the “teacher-centred approach” dominates in the science classrooms in Rwanda.