The Collapetitive Way

The only way our education system can remain relevant in an increasingly interconnected world is by connecting the learners in a collaborative learning environment and encouraging them to share their competencies. The efficacy and efficiency of this collaboration must be determined using predetermined criteria and milestones.

The core function of a school environment is to facilitate learning. This is the reason why class rooms are built, equipped, learning aids supplied and facilitators of the learning process (teachers) hired for the exercise. Despite all these, there still exists the challenge of under-performance, which perplex the key stakeholders in the education sector.

To help in addressing the challenges of poor academic performance and indiscipline cases in schools, Collanet Africa has developed the Colla-petitive Learning pedagogy, which can be applied at all academic levels, the curriculum in use notwithstanding. Colla-petitive is a portmanteau of collaboration and competition as it involves intra-group collaboration and inter-group competition. The pedagogy has tools for monitoring both academic and discipline performance among the learners, which are recorded in a feedback form that is used for monitoring and evaluation purposes. The feedback forms can be accessed by all the stakeholders, including the learner whose welfare is at great stake.

On Academics, Discipline and Integrity

The Colla-petitive Way addresses both academic performance as well as discipline and integrity among the learners. It involves different stages that begin with a baseline survey to identify and document the main challenge and its root causes. The documented report is then shared with the key stakeholders in the education sector/management team. After the session with the management team, Colla-petitive strategy is then scaled either up or down to address the identified challenges.

Here is how the entire process spans out:

Stage 1: Baseline Survey

The survey is carried out by Collanet Africa Team to determine the performance status of a learning institution in terms of academics and discipline. From the survey findings, we are able to establish the challenges of an institution.

A detailed report is then done and presented to the management team. After discussion, our team and the management team agree and document the way forward on how to implement, evaluate and control performance improvement strategies.

Stage 2: Orienting the Teaching Staff

The teaching staff are then trained on how to implement the performance improvement strategies in a teaching lesson, how to evaluate learners effectively, how to assign and mark learners’ assignments and how to motivate learners after exams. The objectives of performance improvement strategies to teachers are the following:

1. To cover syllabus objectives (approved by the National Curriculum Development Institute and the National Examination Council) faster, effectively and efficiently.
2. To actively involve every learner in class and ensure they are alert throughout the lesson. 
3. To develop a culture of teamwork and concern for others.
4. To improve students discipline and sense of responsibility.
5. To drastically reduce marking workload especially for assignments, C.A.T.S. and R.A.T.S.
6. To reduce teacher dependency syndrome.
7. To effectively revise for exams.

After teachers’ training is over, several demonstrations are done using lessons of different classes. Several demonstrations may be carried out depending on the number of teachers and students in a class. Different classes or streams are not combined for a demonstration since doing so will give the wrong perspective to audience.

The classes and streams are organized by the class teachers to fit with the strategy. Team leaders elected by the members (learners) as described in the Collapetitive Guide Book.

When we conduct performance improvement strategies to learners, we aim to achieve the following objectives:

1. To develop positive attitude towards a subject/teacher within a day.
2. To develop self-drive among all students.
3. To improve performance of students especially weak students in class.
4. To enhance creativity and critical thinking in all students in class.
5. To eliminate absenteeism of learners.
6. To create a learning ambience to everyone.
7. To improve integrity among young learners
8. To inculcate the spirit of mindfulness and care for one another among the learners.

A summative talk to management, teachers and learners is done detailing the objectives of the strategies and expectations. Learners are expected to set targets and their ideas and suggestion be put into consideration.

Stage 3: Implementation of the Strategy

The teachers are then given the green light to implement strategies in their classes for a period of three to five days. Evaluation and feedback from teachers are analyzed and improvements made according to the specific needs of the class as necessary.

Subject contests are introduced or reintroduced to the school in a different form or format, motivation to the winners and penalties or punishments to the losers formulated and stipulated by learners with the guidance of the class/stream teachers.

Demonstrations are then conducted in classes and teachers are left to implement for a period of two weeks. During these demonstrations, the students are shown how to set cats or exams, invigilate themselves and mark for themselves fairly and honestly. Rules and regulations are stipulated by the students and motivation/ recognition/ reward scheme agree upon.

At this stage the teachers and learners are trained on revision and exam analysis strategies for different subjects. This stage is implemented depending on the areas of weakness of a particular school, class or stream. 

Every subject is modulated for implementation and monitoring.

Stage 4: Parent Engagement

Collanet Africa values the involvement of parents in the education of their children. The parents are trained and advised by our facilitators on strategies to apply that will motivate their children at school and home environment. For immersive engagement, parents are organized by the class teachers with the assistance of the parent representative. Social platform is created for members to monitor the progress of their children.  

Objectives of parent engagement

1. To develop a sense of belonging and support for one another.
2. To promptly pay or clear school fees.
3. To bring up a disciplined child. The strategy allows the young parents learn from other elderly parents on right ways of bringing up children.

Young people are the stock of the future society. There is a strong need to train them to be responsible citizens who care for each other and their environment. Collapetitive Strategy helps build cohesive teams and prepare a future-ready generation of young learners.

A child’s character is shaped by his/her peers to a great extent. It is important to maximize their learning potential at the school-going age by exposing them to positive peer influence. It takes the synergistic inputs from all of us. Potential benefits to the society is immense, some of which we have highlighted below:

1. To promote positive and critical thinking that will help fight corruption effectively and efficiently.
2. To promote mindfulness and care for each other, hence collective responsibility.
3. To improve learning and reduce drop out rates in schools.
4. To improve literacy levels for economic development.
5. To train up a generation of thinkers and entrepreneurs who will offer solutions to the unemployment and leadership crises.
6. To improve integrity in all spheres of life.