{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/81764"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/81764","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"An Exploration of the Perceptions and Attitudes of Senegalese Professors Toward Learner-Centered Instructional Strategies in Agriculture Courses","abstract":"Like many African nations, Senegalese education emphasizes teaching approaches characterized by lecture-driven courses and information memorization.The objective of the study was to assess the needs for employing learner-centered practices and challenges professors' faced in terms of current teaching and learning methods at five Senegalese higher-education institutions. An explanatory mixed method study was designed to assess professors' teaching strategies, attitudes toward learner-centered methods, social climate at the institutions, perceived confidence in effectively incorporating these methods, as well as the challenges faced in current teaching and learning approaches. Results showed professors had positive attitudes towards learner-centered methods and thought they were effective teaching techniques. Professors also indicated that they felt little to no pressure from their peers or institutions in employing other methods and some felt confident enough to use learner-centered strategies properly. Data also revealed that the culture of instruction and the constraints in teaching were the primary obstacles preventing professors from effectively incorporating the methods in their classrooms. The study's findings indicated that: 1) addressing the normative beliefs and social norms toward learner-centered methods requires an understanding of the cultural context of Senegalese instruction and 2) professional trainings can make a marked difference in how professors think about teaching practice, as well as increase self-efficacy that can influence their behavior toward more learner-centered strategies.","abstract_html":"Like many African nations, Senegalese education emphasizes teaching approaches characterized by lecture-driven courses and information memorization.The objective of the study was to assess the needs for employing learner-centered practices and challenges professors' faced in terms of current teaching and learning methods at five Senegalese higher-education institutions. An explanatory mixed method study was designed to assess professors' teaching strategies, attitudes toward learner-centered methods, social climate at the institutions, perceived confidence in effectively incorporating these methods, as well as the challenges faced in current teaching and learning approaches. Results showed professors had positive attitudes towards learner-centered methods and thought they were effective teaching techniques. Professors also indicated that they felt little to no pressure from their peers or institutions in employing other methods and some felt confident enough to use learner-centered strategies properly. Data also revealed that the culture of instruction and the constraints in teaching were the primary obstacles preventing professors from effectively incorporating the methods in their classrooms. The study's findings indicated that: 1) addressing the normative beliefs and social norms toward learner-centered methods requires an understanding of the cultural context of Senegalese instruction and 2) professional trainings can make a marked difference in how professors think about teaching practice, as well as increase self-efficacy that can influence their behavior toward more learner-centered strategies.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Gichane, Wangui C."],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences","degree_department":"Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Abaye, Azenegashe Ozzie"],"committee_members":["Anderson, James C.","Archibald, Thomas G."],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-07-22","date_published":"2016-07-22","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:29Z","subjects":["Higher-education","Agriculture","Senegal"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:8331"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:8331","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/81764","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Abaye, Azenegashe Ozzie"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Anderson, James C.","Archibald, Thomas G."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Gichane, Wangui C."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2018-01-14T07:00:27Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-01-14T07:00:27Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2016-07-22"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Higher-education","Agriculture","Senegal"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:8331"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/81764"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Like many African nations, Senegalese education emphasizes teaching approaches characterized by lecture-driven courses and information memorization.The objective of the study was to assess the needs for employing learner-centered practices and challenges professors' faced in terms of current teaching and learning methods at five Senegalese higher-education institutions. An explanatory mixed method study was designed to assess professors' teaching strategies, attitudes toward learner-centered methods, social climate at the institutions, perceived confidence in effectively incorporating these methods, as well as the challenges faced in current teaching and learning approaches. Results showed professors had positive attitudes towards learner-centered methods and thought they were effective teaching techniques. Professors also indicated that they felt little to no pressure from their peers or institutions in employing other methods and some felt confident enough to use learner-centered strategies properly. Data also revealed that the culture of instruction and the constraints in teaching were the primary obstacles preventing professors from effectively incorporating the methods in their classrooms. The study's findings indicated that: 1) addressing the normative beliefs and social norms toward learner-centered methods requires an understanding of the cultural context of Senegalese instruction and 2) professional trainings can make a marked difference in how professors think about teaching practice, as well as increase self-efficacy that can influence their behavior toward more learner-centered strategies."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Exploration of the Perceptions and Attitudes of Senegalese Professors Toward Learner-Centered Instructional Strategies in Agriculture Courses"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Abaye, Azenegashe Ozzie"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Anderson, James C.","Archibald, Thomas G."],"dc:contributor.department":["Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences"],"dc:creator":["Gichane, Wangui C."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2018-01-14T07:00:27Z"],"dc:date.available":["2018-01-14T07:00:27Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2016-07-22"],"dc:description.abstract":["Like many African nations, Senegalese education emphasizes teaching approaches characterized by lecture-driven courses and information memorization.The objective of the study was to assess the needs for employing learner-centered practices and challenges professors' faced in terms of current teaching and learning methods at five Senegalese higher-education institutions. 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