The Technology Education Centre (TEC) is a strategic unit of the Harare Institute of Technolo-gy (HIT) which focuses on the pedagogy of sci-ence, engineering and technology (SET) study programmes. The centre recognises the strategic role Research and Development plays as a vehicle for techno-logical innovation. For the centre, a research based approach is a stimulant for Quality Assur-ance and the development of national standards of technology education. TEC values stakeholder participation in pro-gramme formulation and review. It benefits from the wisdom and knowledge of a Centre Advisory Board. The centre has earmarked training programmes in curricula and course design to support the tech-nology education initiative.

Technology Education Centre Programmes

Professional Training

The Centre offers a Certificate in Higher and Tertiary Education to final year students from all departments. This greatly helps engineers and technologists who will assume training functions as technoprenuers or professionals in commerce and industry.

Technical Communication Skills (TCS) and Research Methods (RM)

TEC offers TCS to all first years and RM to third years in the department of Food Processing Tech-nology. 2.1.3 The Postgraduate Diploma in Higher and Tertiary Education (PG Dip THE) is on the cards for the local and regional market

Professional Development
Short and tailor-made courses.
Workshops and seminars
Part time programmes e.g the PG Dip HTE
2.3 Community Outreach In collaboration with other departments and units, high impact community outreach pro-grammes are envisaged. 2.4 Activities 2.4.1 Appointment of a TEC Advisory Board 2.4.2 Setting up of the Tech Ed Resource Centre (TERC) 2.4.3 National Standards for Technology Educa-tion

Outlook for TEC

• Launching the PG Dip HTE by 2011
• Launching the B Tech Ed by 2012
• Launching the M Tech Ed by 2013
• Launching the D Tech Ed by 2015

Certificate in Higher and Tertiary Educa-tion
This programme is currently on offer to all final year students as a stand alone qualification. It formally prepares potential technopreneurs and SET professionals for training and other facilita-tion functions. In line with international trends in higher and ter-tiary education the programme is a systematic research based introduction to higher and tertiary education pedagogy – in particular Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Issues, Applied Education-al Technology and Research and Development Methodology.

Programme Objectives

The certificate programme capacitates final year students to:

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the role of ICT in education in enhancing and enriching stu-dents` learning
• Plan or design effective teaching pro-grammes in higher education informed by the on-going research in the area
• Demonst rate a working knowledge of curriculum design, implementation, development and evaluation.
• Assess and rationalize the resources availa-ble to support teaching and learning in a scientific and technological environment
• Prescribe large and small group methods and techniques to suit varying situations
• Uphold a student centred perspective on the nature of teaching and learning
• Demonstrate a commitment to experimenta-tion and innovation in the face of increasing diversity of student populations

Programme Structure

The certificate programme consist of four courses taken over two semesters, i.e. two modules per semester. Each course is worth one credit.

Semester 1

• TLC41 Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
• TLC412: Curriculum Issues in Higher Education

Semester 2

• • TLC421: Applied Educational Technology
  • TLC422:Research and Development Methodolo-gies