“Yes, anybody can be an effective teacher/facilitator if they come through me."
That's the confidence of Edward Misava, a Specialist at the Aga Khan University's (AKU) Network for Quality, Teaching and Learning (QTL_net). For the past decade, Edward has been a guiding force, helping faculty transform into effective educators, a passion he attributes to his teacher parents and his own 10-year stint as a high school Mathematics and Physics teacher.
Edward's career at AKU is marked by his unwavering commitment to professional development, specializing in pedagogy and digital teaching and learning for instructors. His sessions, which include workshops, seminars, and one-on-one consultation clinics, are designed to address a fundamental challenge: faculty are experts in their fields but often lack formal training in how to teach.
Edward's impact is quantifiable and personal. “It's over 400 faculty across AKU campuses who have gone through my hands in terms of their teaching," he shares proudly. The testimonials are his greatest reward.
“You made it easy for us, we learned not through harsh ways but by nurturing us to be great facilitators," said one instructor from Kenya. “Receiving feedback has never been this exciting."
One instructor from Pakistan said, “Thank you for making my faculty experience so transformative."
His philosophy is centred on total transformation (3Hs) – engaging the cognitive (Head), psychomotor (Hands), and affective (Heart) aspects of the learner. This focus on the whole person is why he still loves teaching. "Even if I went to school now, I'd still want to be a teacher because of the transformative aspect of teaching."
Edward's innovative approach championed the use of the flipped learning model across AKU. He explains the concept: “Participants are given work to look at, so you don't bring content to class. In class sessions, you meet to interact with them based on the content they've looked at prior to the class session." This active learning method ensures learners are not simply waiting to be taught but are active participants in their learning.
Edward's 10-year milestone at AKU coincides with another major achievement: his impending PhD graduation in Education from the University of Zambia (UNICAF). His decision to pursue a doctorate was fuelled by a drive to influence change in education especially in higher education. “I wasn't happy with what was happening in higher education... I wondered, 'how can I contribute to best practice when it comes to that?'" His research is a direct challenge to outdated methods, asking, “how do I become a part of the solution?"
Edward is also keenly focused on the integration of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), into education. Far from fearing it, he sees it as a powerful tool. “AI is just challenging us to go beyond what we've been doing. How can we use it to better our practice and enhance learning?"
From a math and physics high school teacher to Faculty Development Specialist, Edward Misava's career is proof of the power of passion and purpose. As he steps into his next chapter as Dr Misava Edward and Associate Fellow of Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), he remains committed to his life's purpose: ensuring that every person who enters a classroom or training session – whether as a student, participant or an instructor – emerges transformed.
