NCEP (Network of Conservation Educators & Practitioners)is pleased to announce its February 2012 Professor of the Month, Dr. Elias Bizuru, of the National University of Rwanda!

Elias is a senior lecturer at the National University of Rwanda (NUR), which is uniquely situated near the edge of one of the world’s great biodiversity “hot spots,” the Albertine Rift. He teaches biology, botany, and conservation at the undergraduate level, and masters-level biodiversity conservation in both Rwanda and Burundi. Elias first learned about NCEP modules in 2006 while attending a workshop at NUR, where NCEP staff introduced the project and active teaching concepts to NUR faculty. He has been using them in his classroom ever since!

Elias incorporates a variety of NCEP modules throughout each of his courses, from the fundamentals with his second year biology students (e.g., What is Biodiversity?, Why is Biodiversity Important?, Endangered Species Management) to more advanced topics with his Masters students (e.g., Assessment of Threats in Biodiversity Planning, Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Conservation and Development). It is especially useful to have modules available in both English (for teaching in Rwanda) and French (for teaching in Burundi).

Of all the NCEP modules that Elias uses in his classroom, he believes the modules his students enjoy most are the ones that are most applicable to the Albertine Rift region, especially Ecosystems and Fragmentation, Metapopulations, and Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation “…since our region is the most densely populated of Africa and a population that relies on agriculture.” For example, while studying ecosystems and fragmentation, his students learned about the effects of agriculture on wetland ecosystems, not only in terms of biodiversity loss, but also on soil fertility loss due to cultivation methods. He always makes sure to tie theory from the modules to local examples from the biodiversity yet densely populated Albertine Rift region.

Elias is also a big proponent of “active teaching” in the classroom. He finds that peer discussion in small groups before a classroom-wide discussion is an especially effective learning tool, and one that his students enjoy. Moving forward, Elias would like to see NCEP create modules adapted specifically for the Albertine Rift region, and he encourages NCEP to continue making these teaching resources widely accessible to the public. Thank you, Elias – we are proud to call you February’s Professor of the Month!

Source: http://ncep.amnh.org/news/?p=1148