Arusha, Tanzania, Members of the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) team participating in the BSU4 Project recently travelled to MS Training Centre for Development Cooperation (MS TCDC) in Arusha for a training focused on Research-Based Teaching (RBT) and Online Blended Learning (OBL).
The training brought together SUZA team members and our North partner, Henrik from the University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark), providing an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration and share experiences on improving teaching and learning in higher education.
The main purpose of the training was to support the preparation and integration of RBT and OBL approaches into university courses. The sessions focused on how research can be better integrated into teaching and how courses can be designed around clear, measurable, and meaningful learning outcomes.
One of the key areas discussed during the training was how to create stronger connections between learning outcomes, course content, teaching and learning activities, research activities, and assessment. This approach encourages students to move beyond simply receiving information and gives them opportunities to investigate, analyse, solve problems, apply knowledge, and develop new ideas.
The participants also explored Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, which provided a useful framework for developing learning outcomes at different levels of cognitive development — from remembering and understanding to applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating.
A particularly valuable part of the training was the practical work. Rather than focusing only on theory, participants worked with their own course outlines and began reviewing how RBT and OBL could be incorporated into their existing courses. This allowed the team to identify areas for improvement and consider how learning activities and assessments could better support the intended outcomes.
The training also provided an opportunity for meaningful interaction between colleagues from SUZA and UCPH. The exchange of experiences and ideas highlighted the value of the South-North partnership within the BSU4 Project and the importance of working together to strengthen higher education.
For the SUZA team, the training was more than an academic exercise. It was an opportunity to reflect on current teaching practices and consider practical ways of creating more research-oriented, student-centred, and outcome-focused learning experiences.
As the team returns to SUZA, the next step is to build on the knowledge gained at MS TCDC and continue reviewing and improving courses in line with Research-Based Teaching and Online-Blended Learning principles.
The experience in Arusha marked another important step in the BSU4 journey learning together, sharing experiences, and turning new ideas into practice.