The timeliness for the deployment of Interpersonal Communication Pedagogical Dimension as a time-tested resort for the achievement of all-inclusive advancement between teachers and learners as well as amongst peoples and nations has been eloquently advocated. Prof. Felicia Onyemowo Agbo, a Professor of Science Education (Biology) Department of Science Education, University of Jos, Nigeria, mashalled this position at her Inaugural Lecture which took place in the Multipurpose Hall of the University, Tuesday 28 March 2023.
Prof. Felicia Onyemowo Agbo, Professor of Science Education (Biology) Department of Science Education, University of Jos.
Her lecture which was titled: PEDAGOGICAL DIMENSIONS: BREAKING THE BARRIERS TO SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION brought to the forefront, the indisputable relevance of applying Interpersonal Communication principle as not only a blessing to the Pedagogical Dimension needs of Educationists across the world but also a bold front leap at tackling national and international existential problems in key areas like health, Climate Change and security amongst others. On the terrain of public interests, the Professor who is presently the Unit Head of Biology Education of the University pointed out the fact that successful collaborative policy formulation and implementation between peoples and nations during pandemics and security upheavals are the hallmarks of effective Interpersonal Communication application. Citing instances like the infamous times of Ebola and Corona Virus outbreaks, the Professor with nine years of Professorial ranking in the bag posited that avoidable numbers of lives were lost to those pandemics largely due to the lack of widely embraced Interpersonal Communication practices through the internet system among Nigerians and other Africans.
The Professor on the Stage delivering the Inaugural Lecture
Advancing unto to the core issues of her Inaugural Lecture, Professor Agbo who is of Idoma extraction with an enviable list of professional group leadership history and chieftaincy awards, established the fact that the study of Science is pivotal to all nations’ economic and socio-political development and that draw-backs in the areas of impacting Scientific knowledge on citizens deserve full-fledged corrections. That collective correction project was the core issue of the lecture which was anchored on the theories of Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development, Vygotsky’s Social Development and Benjamin Bloom’s Hierarchy of Educational Objectives. The combination of these theories and other gamut of diverse educational policy facts and figures were crafted together by the Professor to keep members of the select public, the full academia and technocrats of the University led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Tanko Yahaya on the edges of their seats in admiration and applause for almost all of the two hours the lecture took place,
Ad’ Idoma Plateau, Chief Barr. Leonard Adejor at the event.
As envisaged at the end of the brain-storming exercise, Professor Agbo made a number of germane recommendations aimed at achieving most of all the objectives she advocated for in her lecture. They include:
- Strong international collaboration and cooperation in order to tackle educational problems and challenges globally
- Inclusive science classrooms to make impacts on people’s lives through effective delivery of Science materials and the promotion of life-long learning inside and outside the classroom.
- Address poverty, ignorance, unemployment and conflicts by equipping individuals with knowledge that make them useful in their communities.
- Science teaching should not be restricted to those in the class alone but also to benefit those practice science in the rural villages.
- There should be interaction between science and society to ensure that knowledge is exchanged for the good of rural dwellers.
- Teaches and lecturers should practicalize Vygotsky’, Piaget and Blloom’s theories the more for the good of students.
- Communication in science classroom should assume teacher-student-teacher or student – students relay system to enhance better grasping by learners
These recommendations deserve urgent governmental attention, according to those who spoke to Wind Sound Africa after the event and requested for anonymity. They were of the strong opinion that Inaugural lectures such as the one that was delivered by Professor Agbo should assume the status of working policy documents for the federal and state governments.
Ad’Idoma and other Idomas who attended the event
The Vice Chancellor who earlier welcomed representatives of all the diverse segments of the publics and the Ivory Towers to the lecture said as Professor Agbo had proved her mettles in all aspects of her obligations to the University and learners over time, he was confident the Inaugural Lecture, a debt every Scholar owes his or her peers, would unveil the germ with which the Professor is made to the world, He also used the opportunity the event presented to debunk the news recently circulated through segments of the social media and some under informed members of the public which alleged that he played roles incomparable with his name, reputation and laws of the nation during the recently conducted gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections. He said he did not play the alleged roles as the electoral guidelines never allotted such roles to the table on which he sat to serve during the election. He confirmed his God granted state of well-being, contrary to the miss-information pushed forward by his adversaries to the contrary. He, on behalf of the University Senate and Council presented to Professor Agbo the plaque conferring the deserved honor on her amidst jubilations and encomiums from onlookers
Achenche Club members at the event.
A cross section of attendants at the event.
Dignitaries who graced the event apart from the University’s Academia and Management Technocrats included the Ad’Idoma on the Plateau, Chief Barr Leonard Adejor, his counterpart from Tiv nation, representatives of Professional Associations, National and Plateau State presidents of S S Peter & Paul, Idoma Catholic Community, officials and members of Idoma Community Development Association, Ochetoha K’Idoma, Achenche Club, and many others too numerous to mention here.
