African Association for Research in Science and Mathematics Education
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| African Association for Research in Science and Mathematics Education | |
|---|---|
| Name | African Association for Research in Science and Mathematics Education |
| Abbreviation | AARSME |
| Formation | 1970s |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | Dakar, Lagos, Nairobi |
| Region served | Africa |
| Language | English, French, Arabic, Portuguese |
| Leader title | President |
African Association for Research in Science and Mathematics Education is a pan-African professional association linking researchers, educators, and policymakers from across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, and Egypt with networks in United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany, and Japan. The association fosters comparative studies and policy dialogue among institutions such as University of Cape Town, University of Nairobi, Makerere University, University of Ibadan, and Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar. It hosts conferences, issues publications, and partners with organizations including UNESCO, African Union, Ford Foundation, World Bank, and International Mathematical Union.
History
The association traces roots to regional initiatives in the 1970s that connected scholars from University of Lagos, University of Dar es Salaam, University of Zambia, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and Addis Ababa University alongside delegations from UNESCO Institute for Education, Commonwealth Secretariat, Association for Science Education, European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction, and International Council of Associations for Science Education. Early milestones involved symposia held in Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, Dakar, and Cairo where participants from Gabon, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, and Botswana" exchanged findings on classroom practice, curriculum reform, teacher education, and assessment with representatives from OECD, British Council, Centre for Science Education at King's College London, and Institute of Education, University of London. Over subsequent decades the association expanded governance models influenced by Council of Ministers of Education, Canada procedures, formalized statutes reflecting norms from African Union, and created standing committees mirroring structures at International Science Education Association and American Educational Research Association.
Mission and Objectives
The association's mission aligns with priorities set by African Union agendas and UNESCO programs to improve learner outcomes in science and mathematics across Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Mauritius by supporting research, capacity building, and evidence-based policy dialogue involving stakeholders from Ministry of Education (Kenya), Ministry of Education (Nigeria), Ministry of Education (South Africa), Seychelles Ministry of Education, and Mauritania Ministry of Education. Core objectives include promoting rigorous scholarship comparable to standards at University of Oxford, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of Melbourne; strengthening teacher preparation programs at institutions like University of Ghana and University of the Western Cape; advocating assessment reforms akin to initiatives by Programme for International Student Assessment and TIMSS; and disseminating findings to bodies such as African Development Bank, UNICEF, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Organizational Structure and Membership
Governance comprises an elected Executive Council, Secretariat, and regional chapters modeled on structures used by African Studies Association, International Mathematical Union, and World Federation of Associations of Teacher Education with offices in hubs including Dakar, Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Cairo. Membership spans individual researchers, institutional members, and student associates from University of Pretoria, Ain Shams University, Cairo University, University of Khartoum, and Zambia Open University; affiliate partners include Association of African Universities, Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture, and Network of Education Policy Institutions in Africa. Committees cover research ethics, curriculum, teacher education, gender equity, and assessment, echoing practices at Global Partnership for Education, Education International, and International Labour Organization forums.
Conferences, Workshops, and Publications
The association convenes biennial conferences rotating among capitals such as Accra, Kigali, Lome, Harare, and Dakar attracting delegates from University of Birmingham, University of Edinburgh, McGill University, University of Toronto, and University of Sydney. It organizes capacity-building workshops in partnership with British Council, DAAD, CODESRIA, Carnegie Corporation, and African Academy of Sciences focused on topics addressed by Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards Initiative, STEM Education Council, International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge Assessment. Publications include a peer-reviewed journal, conference proceedings, policy briefs, and edited volumes produced with presses like Oxford University Press, Routledge, Springer Nature, and Cambridge University Press and indexed in databases used by Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC.
Research Activities and Impact
Research programs investigate teaching practices, assessment, curriculum reform, inclusion, and teacher professional development with comparative studies across South Sudan, Rwanda, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Madagascar and methodological collaborations with groups from University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, Peking University, National University of Singapore, and University of São Paulo. Impact is evident in curricular revisions adopted by ministries in Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana, Uganda, and South Africa, contributions to international assessments such as TIMSS and PISA, and capacity gains through fellowships funded by Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, IDEA, and Wellcome Trust. Evaluation studies published in journals alongside work from American Educational Research Journal, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, International Journal of Science Education, and Studies in Science Education document outcomes in learner achievement, teacher practice, and policy uptake.
Partnerships and Collaborations
The association collaborates with multilateral and bilateral partners including UNESCO, African Union Commission, World Bank, UNICEF, European Union, and Commonwealth of Nations and academic partners such as University of Ibadan Faculty of Education, Makerere University College of Education and External Studies, University of Cape Town Faculty of Education, University of Nairobi Faculty of Education, and Stellenbosch University. It engages NGOs and research networks like CODESRIA, African Population and Health Research Center, Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System, Education Development Center, and Results for Development to implement pilot programs, scale interventions, and inform policy dialogues at summits like Transforming Education Summit and Africa Education Summit.