From little acorns great oak trees can grow!
Well, here we are another year on, and the Cameroon Teacher Research Group continues to go from strength to strength.
For those of you who are hearing about this wonderful group for the first time – here’s a quick potted history of how it all began.
Ready, Steady Go!
The group was founded by Dr Eric Ekembe - lecturer in Applied Linguistics at the Yaoundé Teacher Training College – back in May of 2022. He’s been a trainer and practitioner for the past eleven years and is passionate about empowering teachers at all stages of their teaching career. He’s particularly interested in ‘helping to improve pedagogical practices based on empirical understanding of local constraints’ and supporting teachers new to action research.
During the first year of Eric’s initiative, 30+ teachers from Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Mali began their research journeys under his guiding hand. They began by analysing their teaching and learning context and then went on to achieve the following outcomes:
Prepared an online poster presentation to describe their teaching context.
Delivered a poster presentation to the group during an online session.
Identified a problem / challenge.
Created research questions – What do you want to find out?
Refined their research questions – made sure they were achievable.
Explored different research tools e.g., questionnaire, interviews, focus groups …
Chose and created their research tool/s - gave a rationale for their choice.
Created online blogs to record and reflect on their research journey.
Carried out research.
Collated their research findings.
Whilst a few teachers dropped along the wayside, a substantial core turned up to virtual mentoring sessions, webinars and conferences, engaged on the WhatsApp group, planned, reflected and planned again. Kudos to them and their determination, resilience, and never-ending enthusiasm!
May 2023 saw the start of year two, and the exploration of teaching and learning strategies – informed by the results of their research - plus so much more.
CARS to success!
OK – so let’s unpack what I mean by CARS to success. Over the remaining months of 2023, the group came together and COLLABORATED wherever and whenever they could. For example: members with IT know-how helped other members get to grips with WhatsApp, PowerPoint, screensharing, Google Docs and other necessary IT skills. They took it in turns to take on group leadership roles and supported each other during the tough times. Teachers created systematic ACTION plans based on their research findings and actively engaged in opportunities to present at conferences and webinars – including the CAMELTA conference in November 2023. They embraced REFLECTIVE practice and looked back on each stage of their research journey – acknowledging successes and lessons learned along the way. And finally, teachers reached out to SHARE their experience with others and highlight the empowering role of Action Research as part of self-directed professional development.
And talking of reflection and sharing: Here are some heartwarming thoughts from 11 of our dedicated teachers as they look back over the last year.
Engaging into teacher research has opened my mind on a variety of classroom-related issues and has changed my perspective from problem-oriented to solution-oriented. Now, any difficulty I may face in my classroom, i perceive it as a new challenge and an opportunity to innovate in that area so as to provide the best learning experience to my students. (Sandra Tuekam)
The CAMELTA teacher research group has enlightened me on several classroom challenges as well as possible solutions. Also, It has helped me to implement the learner centered approach. I understood that it isn’t just enough to teach but it goes a long way to understand and tackle students problems. This goes a long way in providing solutions to both the proficient and less proficient learners for an interactive classroom. (Nunyonga Lilian Epse Atingwa)
As a part of the CAMELTA Research Group I learned many things in the year 2023. I learned how to identify a classroom problem and above all how to bring a solution to it. Also, I learned how to get the learners to fully be a part of this process. (Dr Nicole Menoh)
When I first heard about the term ‘teacher research’ I was a little bit reluctant to take the plunge because I could not believe how a time-consuming profession like teaching could accommodate with this activity. But after making a step into it, I realised that it was the opportunity for me to grow professionally. Nowadays, thanks to it, I can address all my classroom challenges. (Nelson Kamkuimo)
Being part of this research group last year has allowed me to contribute to English language teaching and learning in a meaningful way. Through my language model, I have been able to assist and support learners in my community, providing personalized and interactive language experiences. It's rewarding to help individuals improve their English skills and foster a love for language. (Mispa Mua)
The year 2023 was a remarkable and fruitful one to my teaching career, as a member of the CAMELTA RESEARCH group. I came to realise that the teaching / learning process is basically learners centered. Thanks to the various experiences shared during our webinar sessions, I acquired some digital skills from Dr. Eric EKEMBE and other colleagues. (Meli Huguette Nadine Epse Tanjigang)
Being part of the CAMELTA Research Group was the best thing that happened to me in 2023. I acquired knowledge in conducting classroom research, presenting and moderating online discussions. I acquired blogging skills which have helped me to share my research and other interesting classroom activities to a wider audience. (Mayonghe Melanie Kesiki)
During the teacher research process in 2023, I learned that classroom challenges are the same in different contexts. Changes come just at the level of tackling them and my students’ perspective also count in this process. This program reminded me that I’m not alone in my difficulties. (Iwuyum Mercy Mah)
As member of CAMELTA Research Group, I gained a lot of experience on how to resolve my immediate classroom challenges through Action Research. It opened my mind to the importance of integrating learners’ opinion in the teaching learning process and to the need for sharing finding with others. (Ita Frinwie Tamenang Épse Ndifon)
Despite my 15 years of experience as teacher of English as foreign language (EFL), I have participated in the classroom research activities in 2023 which empowered my skilfulness and allowed me to know how to overcome classroom challenges during class activities. So, I have been able to contribute positively to my learners’ language skills through interactive and vivid classes. So, I have learnt that I as an in-service teacher, I am an on-going learner-researcher my good and adequate professionalism as teacher of EFL. (Faustino Kaharamba)
I never thought I could make it!!! Engaging in Teacher Research last year totally changed me to the best. Thanks to CAMELTA Research Group, I came to understand the difficulties I had in teaching. The mentoring of Dr Eric coupled with the experiences of other teachers (round the world) shared made me to enrich my teaching practice with newer strategies and to acquire more skills related to webinars, online presentations and blogging. (Ngo Ngué Élodie Gaëlle)
So, what’s around the corner in 2024?
Dr Eric is busy talking with the group and planning for 2024:
I'll be sending you our plan of action for 2024 for you all to review by next Sunday. I'm happy to accept suggestions from you. e.g. what you think we should do better; what you think we should do differently; what you think we should add to our activities.
We have a meeting scheduled with the editor of a research journal to talk about publishing some of the teachers’ research journeys. Very exciting! Plans are afoot for other teachers to present their research at the EVO conference in March – great sharing opportunity! And Eric is working on expanding the research group via satellite networks in neighbouring countries. All being well, Faustino will lead the way with the first satellite in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Wow! Now that really is taking things forward.
They say that from little acorns great oak trees grow and there’s no doubt that the Cameroon Teacher Research Group is living proof.
A big thank you to Eric and the group for letting me be part of their journey and very much looking forward to the next chapter. And another big thank you to TransformELT for enabling me to support Eric’s transformative initiative.