Tom Vandenbosch | VVOB - Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (original) (raw)
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Papers by Tom Vandenbosch
EU Development Policy and Poverty Reduction, 2016
International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development, 2011
The Farmers of the Future (FoF) initiative implemented a programme of integrating natural resourc... more The Farmers of the Future (FoF) initiative implemented a programme of integrating natural resources management in the basic education curriculum. The purpose of the study was to document activities and determine the effects of FoF programme on primary school learners’ perceptions towards natural resources management by comparing learners involved in the FoF programme and those not involved. Further, comparison of perceptions by gender among learners involved in the FoF was done. The study employed an ex-post-facto design. The location of the study was the western region of Kenya. The sample was composed of 120 learners and 6 teachers, making a total of 126 respondents. This was in accordance with recommendations by Kathuri and Pals (1993). The data were collected using questionnaires and analysed using t-test at alpha = 0.05. The instruments were validated by two experts in the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension at Egerton University and one expert from ICRAF. Reli...
Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are es... more Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are especially valuable for planning and decision-making in complex and uncertain circumstances. This paper presents how Scenarios and Visioning are useful tools for environmental education, in particularly for changing environments (social and biophysical). We first outline the Scenarios methodology. We then present lessons learnt from applying Scenarios to environmental education with children and youth in Peru. We conclude with an analysis of the benefits and challenges of using scenarios for environmental education to accomplish environmental awareness objectives.
1 ATELIER INTERNATIONAL «Crises alimentaires: la formation des ruraux en question» Rome – Siège d... more 1 ATELIER INTERNATIONAL «Crises alimentaires: la formation des ruraux en question» Rome – Siège de la FAO- 4 et 5 juin 2009
Abstract- One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course... more Abstract- One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activities are generally ‘one-size-fits-all ’ and hence not able to respond to the unique needs, motivation and interests of all learners. Learning environments will have to become more and more learner-centered and personalized in order to overcome this challenge. meLearning approaches have shown some promising results in this area. meLearning refers to personalized or individualized learning environments in mLearning and eLearning where learners ’ profiles, preferences, learning
... SRC Science Resource Centre (Ghana) SSA Sub-Saharan Africa SVT Life and Earth Sciences (Scien... more ... SRC Science Resource Centre (Ghana) SSA Sub-Saharan Africa SVT Life and Earth Sciences (Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre, Burkina Faso) ToR Terms of Reference TVE Technical and Vocational Education TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training ...
This work has been made possible thanks to the financial support of the European Community’s Pove... more This work has been made possible thanks to the financial support of the European Community’s Poverty Reduction Effectiveness Programme (EC-PREP) funded by the
International Journal of Agricultural Management & Development, Feb 1, 2011
I ntegrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has receive... more I ntegrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has received a lot of talk without adequate practical activities. The Farmers of the Future Programme under the World Agroforestry Centre, formally the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), initiated a practical approach to integration of natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. This paper provides information on significant findings of a study that was carried out to determine the potential of FoF in integrating natural resources management into the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. A comparison between secondary school students who are involved in FoF programme and those not involved was done to determine their perceptions towards natural resources management. Further, comparison of perceptions by gender among learners who are involved in the FoF initiative was done. The study employed an ex-post-facto design in data collection using questionnaires. Questionnaires and were analysed using t-test at alpha = 0.05. The findings indicated that the FoF programme had a significant influence on learners' perceptions towards natural resources management. It was therefore concluded that FoF programme enhanced positive perceptions towards natural resources management among learners. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that the FoF programme be expanded to cover more schools.
Childhood Education, 2018
Communities and governments can learn from each other to provide access to education and meet the... more Communities and governments can learn from each other to provide access to education and meet the learning needs of their most vulnerable children. Education Diplomacy can be used to prioritize education challenges, build mutual understanding, and shape consensus toward solutions that are supported by empowered parents/guardians, teachers, school leaders, civil society, and local and central governments committed to inclusive learning for all children.
One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activitie... more One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activities are generally ‘one-size-fits-all’ and hence not able to respond to the unique needs, motivation and interests of all learners. Learning environments will have to become more and more learner-centered and personalized in order to overcome this challenge. meLearning approaches have shown some promising results in this area. meLearning refers to personalized or individualized learning environments in mLearning and eLearning where learners’ profiles, preferences, learning styles and optimal learning paths are continuously being monitored and evaluated with the aim of making the learning experience more effective and efficient to the learner. This paper describes a desk review which explored the potential and opportunities of recommendation and personalization algorithms for improving meLearning environments. An ever-increasing number of e-commerce websites and personalized search engines a...
International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development, 2011
Integrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has received... more Integrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has received a lot of talk without adequate practical activities. The Farmers of the Future Programme under the World Agroforestry Centre, formally the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), initiated a practical approach to integration of natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. This paper provides information on significant findings of a study that was carried out to determine the potential of FoF in integrating natural resources management into the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. A comparison between secondary school students who are involved in FoF programme and those not involved was done to determine their perceptions towards natural resources management. Further, comparison of perceptions by gender among learners who are involved in the FoF initiative was done. The study employed an ex-post-facto design in data collection using questi...
Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are es... more Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are especially valuable for planning and decision-making in complex and uncertain circumstances. This paper presents how Scenarios and Visioning are useful tools for environmental education, in particularly for changing environments (social and biophysical). We first outline the Scenarios methodology. We then present lessons learnt from applying Scenarios to environmental education with children and youth in Peru. We conclude with an analysis of the benefits and challenges of using scenarios for environmental education to accomplish environmental awareness objectives.
Background and Objectives of the Research Food insecurity and under-education are still common in... more Background and Objectives of the Research Food insecurity and under-education are still common in many developing countries. The challenges are enormous, especially in rural areas where food insecurity, poverty and educational deprivation often create a vicious circle. Climbing out of this ‘poverty trap’ can not be achieved by addressing one sector alone. It is therefore essential to explore feasible measures in which these interrelated issues can be tackled together, focusing on interventions which have the greatest effect on poverty reduction. Basic education initiatives in rural areas which have used agricultural or environmental experience as a means of making teaching and learning more relevant and the potential impact of this kind of approach on food security and sustainable rural development were studied. This was done through a global literature review, looking at different policies, initiatives and analyses complemented with field work in Kenya, Zimbabwe and Mali. Potential...
The role of relevant basic education in achieving food security and sustainable rural development... more The role of relevant basic education in achieving food security and sustainable rural development DISCLAIMER This research project is one of 23 projects funded by EC-PREP, a programme of research sponsored by the UK Department for International Development. All EC-PREP research studies relate to one or more of the six focal areas of EC's development policy in the context of their link to poverty eradication. EC-PREP produces findings and policy recommendations which aim to contribute to improving the effectiveness of the EC's development assistance. For more information about EC-PREP and any of the other research studies produced under the programme, please visit the website www.ec-prep.org.
One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activitie... more One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activities are generally 'one-size-fits-all' and hence not able to respond to the unique needs, motivation and interests of all learners. Learning environments will have to become more and more learner-centered and personalized in order to overcome this challenge. meLearning approaches have shown some promising results in this area. meLearning refers to personalized or individualized learning environments in mLearning and eLearning where learners' profiles, preferences, learning styles and optimal learning paths are continuously being monitored and evaluated with the aim of making the learning experience more effective and efficient to the learner. This paper describes a desk review which explored the potential and opportunities of recommendation and personalization algorithms for improving meLearning environments. An ever-increasing number of e-commerce websites and personalized search engines are using advanced algorithms to individualize their search results or online stores for each user or customer. A wide variety of algorithms and technologies is now availableincluding traditional collaborative filtering, cluster models, item-to-item collaborative filtering, people-to-people correlation, and aggregated rating. Though not always well documented or shared, these algorithms are already providing very effective forms of targeted marketing by creating personalized search and shopping experiences for each customer. On the other hand, the algorithms have not been fully exploited yet for improving meLearning environments. Against this background, this paper provides some innovative ideas for new applications of recommender and personalization systems in meLearning. This is expected to lead to useful suggestions and practical recommendations for the further advancement, implementation and up-scaling of effective meLearning systems.
4th World Environmental Education Congress, Jul 1, 2007
Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are es... more Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are especially valuable for planning and decision-making in complex and uncertain circumstances. This paper presents how Scenarios and Visioning are useful tools for environmental education, in particularly for changing environments (social and biophysical). We first outline the Scenarios methodology. We then present lessons learnt from applying Scenarios to environmental education with children and youth in Peru. We ...
EU Development Policy and Poverty Reduction, 2016
International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development, 2011
The Farmers of the Future (FoF) initiative implemented a programme of integrating natural resourc... more The Farmers of the Future (FoF) initiative implemented a programme of integrating natural resources management in the basic education curriculum. The purpose of the study was to document activities and determine the effects of FoF programme on primary school learners’ perceptions towards natural resources management by comparing learners involved in the FoF programme and those not involved. Further, comparison of perceptions by gender among learners involved in the FoF was done. The study employed an ex-post-facto design. The location of the study was the western region of Kenya. The sample was composed of 120 learners and 6 teachers, making a total of 126 respondents. This was in accordance with recommendations by Kathuri and Pals (1993). The data were collected using questionnaires and analysed using t-test at alpha = 0.05. The instruments were validated by two experts in the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension at Egerton University and one expert from ICRAF. Reli...
Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are es... more Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are especially valuable for planning and decision-making in complex and uncertain circumstances. This paper presents how Scenarios and Visioning are useful tools for environmental education, in particularly for changing environments (social and biophysical). We first outline the Scenarios methodology. We then present lessons learnt from applying Scenarios to environmental education with children and youth in Peru. We conclude with an analysis of the benefits and challenges of using scenarios for environmental education to accomplish environmental awareness objectives.
1 ATELIER INTERNATIONAL «Crises alimentaires: la formation des ruraux en question» Rome – Siège d... more 1 ATELIER INTERNATIONAL «Crises alimentaires: la formation des ruraux en question» Rome – Siège de la FAO- 4 et 5 juin 2009
Abstract- One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course... more Abstract- One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activities are generally ‘one-size-fits-all ’ and hence not able to respond to the unique needs, motivation and interests of all learners. Learning environments will have to become more and more learner-centered and personalized in order to overcome this challenge. meLearning approaches have shown some promising results in this area. meLearning refers to personalized or individualized learning environments in mLearning and eLearning where learners ’ profiles, preferences, learning
... SRC Science Resource Centre (Ghana) SSA Sub-Saharan Africa SVT Life and Earth Sciences (Scien... more ... SRC Science Resource Centre (Ghana) SSA Sub-Saharan Africa SVT Life and Earth Sciences (Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre, Burkina Faso) ToR Terms of Reference TVE Technical and Vocational Education TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training ...
This work has been made possible thanks to the financial support of the European Community’s Pove... more This work has been made possible thanks to the financial support of the European Community’s Poverty Reduction Effectiveness Programme (EC-PREP) funded by the
International Journal of Agricultural Management & Development, Feb 1, 2011
I ntegrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has receive... more I ntegrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has received a lot of talk without adequate practical activities. The Farmers of the Future Programme under the World Agroforestry Centre, formally the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), initiated a practical approach to integration of natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. This paper provides information on significant findings of a study that was carried out to determine the potential of FoF in integrating natural resources management into the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. A comparison between secondary school students who are involved in FoF programme and those not involved was done to determine their perceptions towards natural resources management. Further, comparison of perceptions by gender among learners who are involved in the FoF initiative was done. The study employed an ex-post-facto design in data collection using questionnaires. Questionnaires and were analysed using t-test at alpha = 0.05. The findings indicated that the FoF programme had a significant influence on learners' perceptions towards natural resources management. It was therefore concluded that FoF programme enhanced positive perceptions towards natural resources management among learners. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that the FoF programme be expanded to cover more schools.
Childhood Education, 2018
Communities and governments can learn from each other to provide access to education and meet the... more Communities and governments can learn from each other to provide access to education and meet the learning needs of their most vulnerable children. Education Diplomacy can be used to prioritize education challenges, build mutual understanding, and shape consensus toward solutions that are supported by empowered parents/guardians, teachers, school leaders, civil society, and local and central governments committed to inclusive learning for all children.
One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activitie... more One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activities are generally ‘one-size-fits-all’ and hence not able to respond to the unique needs, motivation and interests of all learners. Learning environments will have to become more and more learner-centered and personalized in order to overcome this challenge. meLearning approaches have shown some promising results in this area. meLearning refers to personalized or individualized learning environments in mLearning and eLearning where learners’ profiles, preferences, learning styles and optimal learning paths are continuously being monitored and evaluated with the aim of making the learning experience more effective and efficient to the learner. This paper describes a desk review which explored the potential and opportunities of recommendation and personalization algorithms for improving meLearning environments. An ever-increasing number of e-commerce websites and personalized search engines a...
International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development, 2011
Integrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has received... more Integrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has received a lot of talk without adequate practical activities. The Farmers of the Future Programme under the World Agroforestry Centre, formally the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), initiated a practical approach to integration of natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. This paper provides information on significant findings of a study that was carried out to determine the potential of FoF in integrating natural resources management into the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. A comparison between secondary school students who are involved in FoF programme and those not involved was done to determine their perceptions towards natural resources management. Further, comparison of perceptions by gender among learners who are involved in the FoF initiative was done. The study employed an ex-post-facto design in data collection using questi...
Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are es... more Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are especially valuable for planning and decision-making in complex and uncertain circumstances. This paper presents how Scenarios and Visioning are useful tools for environmental education, in particularly for changing environments (social and biophysical). We first outline the Scenarios methodology. We then present lessons learnt from applying Scenarios to environmental education with children and youth in Peru. We conclude with an analysis of the benefits and challenges of using scenarios for environmental education to accomplish environmental awareness objectives.
Background and Objectives of the Research Food insecurity and under-education are still common in... more Background and Objectives of the Research Food insecurity and under-education are still common in many developing countries. The challenges are enormous, especially in rural areas where food insecurity, poverty and educational deprivation often create a vicious circle. Climbing out of this ‘poverty trap’ can not be achieved by addressing one sector alone. It is therefore essential to explore feasible measures in which these interrelated issues can be tackled together, focusing on interventions which have the greatest effect on poverty reduction. Basic education initiatives in rural areas which have used agricultural or environmental experience as a means of making teaching and learning more relevant and the potential impact of this kind of approach on food security and sustainable rural development were studied. This was done through a global literature review, looking at different policies, initiatives and analyses complemented with field work in Kenya, Zimbabwe and Mali. Potential...
The role of relevant basic education in achieving food security and sustainable rural development... more The role of relevant basic education in achieving food security and sustainable rural development DISCLAIMER This research project is one of 23 projects funded by EC-PREP, a programme of research sponsored by the UK Department for International Development. All EC-PREP research studies relate to one or more of the six focal areas of EC's development policy in the context of their link to poverty eradication. EC-PREP produces findings and policy recommendations which aim to contribute to improving the effectiveness of the EC's development assistance. For more information about EC-PREP and any of the other research studies produced under the programme, please visit the website www.ec-prep.org.
One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activitie... more One major challenge of most current eLearning and mLearning environments is that course activities are generally 'one-size-fits-all' and hence not able to respond to the unique needs, motivation and interests of all learners. Learning environments will have to become more and more learner-centered and personalized in order to overcome this challenge. meLearning approaches have shown some promising results in this area. meLearning refers to personalized or individualized learning environments in mLearning and eLearning where learners' profiles, preferences, learning styles and optimal learning paths are continuously being monitored and evaluated with the aim of making the learning experience more effective and efficient to the learner. This paper describes a desk review which explored the potential and opportunities of recommendation and personalization algorithms for improving meLearning environments. An ever-increasing number of e-commerce websites and personalized search engines are using advanced algorithms to individualize their search results or online stores for each user or customer. A wide variety of algorithms and technologies is now availableincluding traditional collaborative filtering, cluster models, item-to-item collaborative filtering, people-to-people correlation, and aggregated rating. Though not always well documented or shared, these algorithms are already providing very effective forms of targeted marketing by creating personalized search and shopping experiences for each customer. On the other hand, the algorithms have not been fully exploited yet for improving meLearning environments. Against this background, this paper provides some innovative ideas for new applications of recommender and personalization systems in meLearning. This is expected to lead to useful suggestions and practical recommendations for the further advancement, implementation and up-scaling of effective meLearning systems.
4th World Environmental Education Congress, Jul 1, 2007
Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are es... more Scenarios are powerful tools for stimulating creative thinking about the future. Scenarios are especially valuable for planning and decision-making in complex and uncertain circumstances. This paper presents how Scenarios and Visioning are useful tools for environmental education, in particularly for changing environments (social and biophysical). We first outline the Scenarios methodology. We then present lessons learnt from applying Scenarios to environmental education with children and youth in Peru. We ...
It is often said that e-learning for agriculture and natural resources management has its limitat... more It is often said that e-learning for agriculture and natural resources management has its limitations since many of the topics need to be taught and learned in a practical and contextualized way. Several Centres of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) are presently exploring approaches to address the increasing demand for learning in agriculture and natural resources management through e-learning. One of them, the World Agroforestry Centre implemented two blended learning events which demonstrated that it is possible to address the issues of contextualisation and practical work by combining online learning with shorter face-to-face problem-solving activities. This paper discusses some lessons learned and offers a number of recommendations for blended learning approaches that can be used in training for agriculture and natural resources management.