Abstract

Active learning reform has become widespread in many developing countries in efforts to improve the quality of education. The transition from transmission models of teaching to more student-centred approaches remains a challenging process. The need for more contextually relevant pedagogical innovations has been widely documented. The aim of this study is to investigate the process of pedagogical reform in the Maldives, a small developing country, using design-based research. This methodology seeks to examine how, when, and under what conditions interventions work in real-life contexts. The major research question is ‘How can teachers learn and enact active learning pedagogy in the Maldivian education system?’ The site for the study was an island school selected for offering optimum conditions for implementing a pedagogical intervention. A contextual analysis was conducted using an adaptation of The World Café, a participatory method, documenting stakeholder priorities and perspectives in relation to active learning reform. Building on findings from The World Café a pedagogical intervention was designed collaboratively between teacher and researcher, linking research and practice in an effort to develop a contextually relevant pedagogical model. The results from the contextual analysis and the process of developing the pedagogical intervention are the focus of this paper.