“Teaching Deep without Teaching Hard”
(©Ambrose Kibuuka Mukiibi 2009)

In his characteristic style, Ambrose Kibuuka’s recent article, “Teaching Deep without Teaching Hard” is a tough invitation for teachers/lecturers to radically abandon the failed traditional teaching approach and adopt learner-centered teaching methods. Thankfully, Ambrose does not stop at explaining why and how “teaching deep” is easier and more personally enriching for both the teacher and the student. Very importantly, he goes ahead to share clear insights and techniques for practically doing it. No excuses for paradigm paralysis!

The core essence of teaching deep is to promote authentic learning for both the teacher and the student (which is - self-directed, reflective, experiential, contextual, collaborative, and generative). As the primary outcome of teaching deep, graduates will be deeply self-aware, creative, practical, and able to make an entrepreneurial (career) connection between the subject studied and their environment.

It is disturbing that the traditional teaching methods (teaching hard) still persist in our educational institutions despite their demonstrated and verified failure to yield the desired outcomes. If teaching hard requires us to work so hard at reducing human beings to merely rote-learning creatures, why shouldn’t we find it more attractive to radically turn to teaching deep? Why spend more to teach people how to merely pass exams if we can teach them with less, how to live optimally productive and fulfilled lives?