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Rural Development Forestry Network network paper 24d Participatory Curriculum Development: a
Overseas Development Institute
winter 98/99 Workshop to Update the Forest Guards
Portland House
Stag Place Course in Nepal
London SW1E 5DP Philip N. Dearden

Tel: +44 (0) 171 393 1600

Fax: +44 (0) 171 393 1699 Base-line Training Needs Assessment for
Email: [email protected]
Community Forestry in South Africa
Website: www.oneworld.org/odi/
Michael Underwood

The Rural Development Forestry Network is funded by

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CONTENTS PAGE

Rural Development Forestry Network

Participatory Curriculum Development: a Workshop to Update the 1
Overseas Development Institute
Forest Guards Course in Nepal
Portland House
Philip N. Dearden
Stag Place
London SW1E 5DP
Base-line Training Needs Assessment for Community Forestry in South Africa 19
United Kingdom
Michael Underwood
Email: [email protected]

Comments received will be passed on to the authors and may be used in future Newsletters.
Photocopies of all or part of this publication may be made providing that the source is acknowledged.
The Network Coordinator would appreciate receiving details of any use of this material in
training, research or programme design, implementation or evaluation.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Philip Dearden has a background in environmental sciences and rural development. Following
several years working in Malawi and Papua New Guinea he specialised in natural resources
management training work. He is now the Head of the Centre for Rural Development and
Training (CRDT) at the University of Wolverhampton. He has undertaken a wide range of
training and institutional development consultancy work in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central
and South America and the Pacific. He can be contacted at CRDT, University of Wolverhampton,
Gorway Road, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 3BD, UK. Tel: + 44 1902 323219, Fax: + 44
1902 323212. Email: [email protected]

Michael Underwood has 15 years of community forestry experience in southern and South CREDITS
Africa. He has recently been appointed the first full-time lecturer in community forestry at the
University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, where his main area of interest lies in Editor of the paper by Philip Dearden: David Brown
establishing degree and post-graduate programmes in community forestry for local and international Editor of the paper by Michael Underwood: Kate Schreckenberg
students. He can be contacted at: PO Box 464, Hilton 3245, South Africa. Email: Layout and editorial assistance: Caroline Wood
[email protected] Printed by: Russell Press Ltd, Nottingham
on recycled paper
ISSN 0968-2627 RDFN logo by Redesign
 RDFN paper 24d - Winter 1998/99

Participatory Curriculum Development Workshop

PARTICIPATORY CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT: A WORKSHOP TO UPDATE
THE FOREST GUARDS COURSE IN NEPAL
Philip N. Dearden

“the forestry profession has before it a unique this participatory methodology has
window of opportunity to ... embrace a subsequently been transferred to the State of
philosophy of people-centred forestry, while Himachal Pradesh in India where it has been
retaining the traditional tree centred forestry. used for developing curricula for both Forest
As forestry educators it is our responsibility Guards and Deputy Rangers (Mahony, 1995
to instil in our students this new philosophical and 1996). This paper examines the use of the
approach in their work. People-centred forestry participatory curriculum development model
will allow foresters to apply ... knowledge of and reflects upon the participatory methodology
the physical and biological forest processes to with reference to Skilbeck’s model (Skilbeck,
the cultural and social environment in which 1984) and the experiential training methods
they work”1 required for successful participatory forestry.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND

With the changes going on in forestry in Nepal In the late 1980s community forestry became
in the late 1980s the disadvantages of the major strategy in the Government of
conventional approaches to curriculum Nepal’s forest policy. The Master Plan for the
development had become acute and pre-service Forestry Sector in Nepal (HMGN, 1988)
courses being taught to many Nepali forestry focused on Community and Private Forestry
staff were out of date. In order to overcome with special emphasis on the establishment of
these disadvantages a participatory workshop local community based forest management
methodology based upon the ‘collaborative’ units called ‘user groups’. By the early 1990s
approach of curriculum development was the emerging forest policy and legal reform
successfully developed for the Ministry of programme that was underway in Nepal
Forests and Soil Conservation (MFSC) for presented a massive challenge to all the staff of
Forest Guards in Nepal. The successful use of the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation.
This was particularly the case with respect to
1
Vinopal (Ed.) Educating Forest Technicians community forestry which had the status of
into the 21st Century. Proceedings of an government policy but formed a discontinuity
International Conference, Paul Smith College, with the tradition of the old-style forest
New York. management.

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Participatory Curriculum Development Workshop

The new community forestry policy provided shift from being reactive forest protectors keep- Figure 1 MFSC staff pre-service training courses and providers
long term rights of access and use to forest ing people from the forests to becoming
users, and allowed local forest users to own proactive and creative forestry workers Level of staff District Forest Range Forest Forest Guards
100 percent of the forest produce from local bringing forests to the people, seeking to weld Officers Officers
state forest lands. This gave them a motivation indigenous knowledge and traditional practice
and incentive to protect and manage forest land. to technical ‘modern’ knowledge and Pre-service 3 year BSc Forestry 2 year Forestry 3 month Forest
The policy required protection and management professional practice. The new role required a training provision Diploma Guards Course
of existing forests with the main thrust of significant change in both attitudes and
activity not being law enforcement but enabling knowledge, as well as the addition of social Training providers IOF Pokhara IOF Hetauda Donor Projects
people to act so their communities’ needs in and communication skills to the traditional NGOs
forest goods and services could be met locally technical forestry skills previously taught to Courses organised by
and in perpetuity, enabling the wider natural Forest Guards. It meant, in short, that training MFSC Training
environment to be conserved. needed to be revised to reflect the new realities Division
and responsibilities of user-group forestry in
This shift in policy from looking after trees to the field. the existing curricula could in the longer term At the other extreme is the ‘centre-periphery’
working with and through the users of tree do more harm than good. or ‘expert group’ approach where a committee
products implied considerable changes in the SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS – TRAINING of senior staff may be formed and given the
jobs which the MFSC staff were expected to NEEDS ASSESSMENT In late 1991 the Training Division of the MFSC responsibility of consulting all relevant
do. decided that there was an urgent need to update personnel before sitting down and developing
Among the sub-plans in the MFSC Master the existing Forest Guard curriculum; in the a curriculum. This is then invariably given to
To guide field activities in the spirit of the Plan was the Human Resource Development event it needed complete revision. The more junior or subordinate staff to try to
Master Plan, Nepal’s Community Forestry plan which called for a comprehensive training development of a new Forest Guard curriculum interpret and then teach.
Development Division in the MFSC designed needs assessment of the whole sector and the was used as an opportunity to introduce the
a series of ‘Community Forestry Guidelines’ subsequent development of new training important process of participatory curriculum Both these models of curriculum development
(MFE/DANIDA, 1991). Under these curricula to fit the identified needs. development into the Training Division of the have their own fundamental disadvantages. The
Guidelines the front-line staff – Forest Guards MFSC. major disadvantage of both methods was that
– were no longer solely responsible for the A country-wide survey, undertaken in 1991, the development of a new Forest Guard
protection, through enforcement, of forests. It of the in-service training needs of the MFSC APPROACHES TO CURRICULUM curriculum in Nepal using either would have
was now their obligation to help rural villagers (Dearden et al, 1991) established the need for DEVELOPMENT taken a long time. Consequently, there was a
form and manage user groups, to assist their retraining the entire staff of the MFSC for their real danger that any new curriculum might well
line managers – Forest Rangers – in the new role as advisers and extensionists and for Curriculum development can be conducted in have been out of date before it was introduced
handing-over of local forests to user groups, improved and updated pre-service training for a variety of ways. At one extreme is the and delivered.
and to provide technical assistance through the all levels of staff (see Figure 1). Many of the ‘institution based’ or ‘do-it-yourself’ approach
co-management of these forests. In order to do MFSC staff consulted in the study stated that where a single trainer or teacher in an institution A third approach to curriculum development
this effectively the Forest Guards needed to be the pre-service Forest Guard curriculum is given the task of revising and updating the is the ‘collaborative’ approach which, as its
prepared to learn from local farmers/users and urgently need updating. The pertinent point was content of the syllabus which, when taught, name implies, involves a partnership between
to share local forest management made that there is little point in training the becomes the curriculum. A draft syllabus may the central authorities and field-based staff.
responsibilities with them. Forest Guards in ‘traditional’ forestry when be formulated and then reviewed by staff in This approach capitalises on the advantages
the MFSC is trying to introduce community the school or college. Often it may be modified and reduces the limitations of each of the other
This re-definition of the Forest Guards’ role forestry throughout the country. Several many times by other teachers or trainers before two approaches. Given the pressing need for
presented an enormous challenge. They had to officers felt that training Forest Guards with being utilised. curriculum development for the three-month

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Participatory Curriculum Development Workshop

Figure 2 The Situational Analysis Curriculum Model Forest Guard course this approach was chosen. In order to achieve these aims the workshop
Key Stages Associated Issues for An informal workshop format using an adult- structure was based loosely on Skilbeck’s
Consideration & learning facilitation methodology was chosen Situational Analysis model (see Figure 2). This
Clarification to launch the process. model was chosen for its pragmatic application
External Factors
to the situation in Nepal .
Situational PLANNING THE CURRICULUM
(influencing demand)
Analysis
DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP As can be seen from Figure 2, Skilbeck’s
Sociological model has five key elements arranged in a logi-
Technological Having decided on the methodology to be used cal sequence of stages, with ‘feedback loops’
Economic the first critically important exercise was to between each stage to provide an ongoing and
Political
choose the workshop participants. Following responsive review of the curriculum. These
Professional
considerable debate, a group of 14 staff was key components or stages of the model are
Philosophical
chosen. These 14 comprised a judicious shown below (see Figure 3 overleaf).
Internal Factors mixture of experienced forestry trainers, who
(influencing supply)
had been involved in training Forest Guards, Each of the five stages gives rise to a number
and a range of other forestry field staff who of questions and issues to be resolved. In
Experience and Expertise
Reputation
worked at different levels in the MFSC and planning the curriculum development
Ethos had field experience of the many different agro- workshop the model was used pragmatically
Community Relationships ecological zones in Nepal. to identify a series of simple questions about
the new Forest Guards course, namely:
Long- Medium- and Short-Term In planning the workshop the facilitators set • What should be taught?
Goal Aims clearly-defined workshop objectives. The • Why should it be taught?
Formulation
Objectives general objective was: ‘To develop a new and • How should it be taught?
Learning Outcomes
Competences
appropriate Forest Guard curriculum’. In • How will the teaching, and more importantly
addition to this other specific objectives were the Forest Guard’s learning, be evaluated?
set. Each participant would:
Length
Programme Level
• Take part in a series of structured exercises THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Structure to identify the training needs of Forest WORKSHOP PROCESS
Building
Organisation Guards;
Content
Methods
• Gain practice in the writing of aims and Introduction
Sequence objectives as an aid to the planning of The workshop commenced with an informal
curricula; opening where a senior member of the MFSC
Interpretation and Prescription • Analyse existing Forest Guard syllabi and explained how much forestry had changed in
Guidance curricula (several different courses had been Nepal over the last few years and how there
Implementation
Resource Provision
Staff Development
taught by a variety of training providers in was now an urgent need to update the three-
the past few years); month Forest Guard curriculum. The senior
Assessment of Learning • Discuss and integrate new and existing ideas staff member also helped set the scene by urging
Appraisal of Delivery related to the training of Forest Guards; and the workshop participants to work hard and
Monitoring Estimate of Relevance • Work in small groups to develop specific think carefully about the new skills, knowledge
Quality Assurance
subjects to be included in a new Forest Guard and, most importantly, attitudes that both they
Source: Skilbeck (1984) curriculum. and the Forest Guards required.

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Figure 3 The five key stages of Skilbeck’s model Figure 4 STEPPP factors underlying the training of Forest Guards
1 Situational Analysis
External Factors Influences outside educational and/or training institutions which This analysis highlights the contribution of external factors in determining the level of
affect the demand for educational/training provision professional practice and in the move towards participatory community forestry.
Internal Factors Features within educational/training institutions which affect their
ability to supply such education/training Sociological Technological

2 Goal Formulation Anticipated learning outcomes Increased numbers of women working in Information technology e.g. geographic
community forestry information systems and satellite imagery
3 Programme Building Selecting subject matter Increased numbers of NGOs involved in New use of forestry technology
forestry training Forestry developing as a profession
4 Interpretation and Delivery of the course Increased access to higher education
Implementation Professionalisation of forestry
Increased need for staff trained in
5 Monitoring Monitoring of the course community forestry
Assessment and evaluation

Economic Political

Following an overview of both the objectives provided, and what is desired. In the Very limited MFSC budgets for training New forest policy
and the planned programme workshop discussions further questions arose which and restricted access to courses (time, MFSC reforms
participants then introduced themselves. In a mirror those asked by Lawton (1983) in his resources, costs) Development of new non-government
small group icebreaker session participants ‘Cultural Analysis’: Expectations that Forest Guards will organisations
expressed both their fears/worries and • What kind of ‘society’ currently exists in undertake a supporting role in community Professional/local groups
expectations of the next ten days. Nepal? forestry
• How is it developing? Donor agencies funding forestry projects
Increasing awareness of training needs • How do we want it to develop?
On the first and second days of the workshop • What values and principles are involved?
participants were encouraged to think about Professional Philosophical
their own training and how this had, or had These important questions were all briefly
not, fulfilled their training needs. Participants considered and their influences on the provision Need to firm-up educational basis of Prevailing philosophy of the forestry
were all encouraged to reflect on the type of of trained Forest Guards identified. This was forestry profession in Nepal leading towards the
training that they planned/delivered and done in summary form by using a Sociological, Need to develop educational experience adoption of community forestry
whether this met the real training needs of their Technological, Economic, Political, from student school education to New understanding of the psychology of
trainees. Professional and Philosophical (STEPPP) advanced stage of forestry practice the learning process
analysis (see Figure 4). Need of MFSC staff to work in Values and beliefs of the forestry
Participants were also encouraged to reflect partnership with village level profession – what is important and
upon the external factors in Skilbeck’s Space does not allow for a full report on each organisations worthwhile
situational analysis. These refer to broader of the factors identified in the STEPPP analysis. Need for MFSC staff to develop skills of
contextual issues, including what type of They include the increased professionalisation critical analysis and reflection
education and educational system is currently of foresters, the sociological trend towards

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Participatory Curriculum Development Workshop

Box 1 Tools that can be used for the assessment of forestry training needs in Nepal Box 2 Principles towards developing a new curriculum (developed by workshop participants)

Staff interviews Staff group discussions

1 Participants should discuss the various issues together and reach democratic decisions
Observations Trainee interviews together. These decisions should be respected by all members in the curriculum
development team.
Training Need Tests and Examinations
Assessment Tools 2 The new revised curriculum should be firmly based on His Majesty’s Government of
Nepal (HMGN) forestry policy.
Questionnaires Community group interviews
3 Reflecting point 2 above, the curriculum should be based upon the role of Forest Guards
Community group discussions and the detailed tasks and duties they have to perform.

4 All the available training needs assessment data and information should be combined
Source: adapted from Dearden, Parker & Paudyal (1992) with the curriculum development teams’ own considerable field experience to develop
an appropriate curriculum to fulfil point 3 above.

higher levels of qualification and a desire/ of the background issues to the successful 5 The curriculum should be written using clear and understandable training aims and
need for more qualifications which has identification of training needs. objectives.
influenced the level of practice. In addition,
sociological influences such as foresters The third and fourth days of the workshop 6 The curriculum should have an appropriate balance of theory and practice for training
taking on skills previously used within the focused on methods of assessing training Forest Guards who are essentially employed to carry out practical tasks in the field.
sphere of the community development workers needs. Working in small groups participants
has encouraged the need for a wider field of considered two key questions: 7 Every attempt should be made to be progressive and forward-thinking so that the
practice. • How can we work out the training needs of curriculum will provide for both the present and future needs of forestry in Nepal.
Forest Guards?
An important influence on the level of Forest • What methods can we utilise to collect the 8 In order to be appropriate for the training of Forest Guards working in the many varied
Guard practice was the philosophy of several information/data we require? agro-ecological zones in Nepal the curriculum should be flexible, and, if required,
major forestry projects in Nepal, which were contain some options.
actively encouraging foresters to reflect and A range of training needs assessment tools
constantly evaluate their practice. The was considered (see Box 1) and many of them
development of research-based practice within were practised through a series of role-play
these projects was also encouraging an exercises. Having practised some of the tools,
awareness of the increasing need for Forest participants were then ready for the next day’s of forestry staff at different levels in the MFSC. survey on training needs (Dearden et al, 1991)
Guards to have skills of critical analysis. field visit to examine training needs. Participants were also encouraged to make a which used a wide range of training needs
series of field observations, some of which assessment tools and involved forest
Once the STEPPP analysis was complete, the During the field visit each participant undertook identified training needs. professionals as well as many community
complexity of training and of the things that a series of staff interviews with Forest Guards, groups.
can go wrong on training courses/workshops Rangers or District Forest Officers in one of The findings of the participants were then
was introduced by way of a case study. Working three nearby Districts. A series of structured combined with the earlier and more
in small groups participants discussed many group discussions was also held with a range comprehensive findings from the national

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Participatory Curriculum Development Workshop

GOAL FORMULATION – DEVELOPING Building upon this definition workshop Box 3 The ‘classic’ and ‘romantic’ approaches to the curriculum
PRINCIPLES FOR WORKSHOP participants were encouraged to think about all
PRACTICE aspects of the trainee Forest Guards’ learning
Classic Romantic
experiences and not just the written syllabus
At the end of the situational analysis sessions, of the course.
Objectives: Processes:
participants were ready to consider what the
Acquiring Knowledge ‘Living’ attitudes and values
new Forest Guard curriculum should contain. Agreement on underlying principles
In order to allow constructive dialogue within In considering the underlying principles
Content: Experience:
the workshop, the participants first developed participants agreed that the more systematic
Subjects Real-life topics and projects
a series of pragmatic principles for their own the planning of the curriculum the more
approach to the development of a Forest Guard effective the course would be in helping the
Methods: Methods:
curriculum. These principles are illustrated in students/trainees to achieve the course aims.
Didactic instruction Involvement
Box 2 (on previous page). It was also agreed that there was a need to
Competition Cooperation
encourage the development of open-
Having developed the principles, participants mindedness as well as general communication
Evaluation: Evaluation:
then considered in some detail the characteristics skills. For example, in the teaching of
By tests (trainer set) and examinations Self-assessment (in terms of self-
of the Forest Guard trainees who would be community forestry it was decided that there
improvement)
trained using the new curriculum. A series of should be exploration of several forestry
recommendations concerning the choice of development models which would provide Source: Lawton (1973)
homogeneous groups of Forest Guards to opportunities to challenge and evaluate current
receive training together were developed. It was forestry practice and discriminate between
agreed that these should to be included in the competing theories and explanations. that the trainee Forest Guards have their own Following this the major topics of the
introduction to the new curriculum as a practical preferred learning styles (Honey and curriculum were agreed and placed in training
guide for training organisers. The relationship between theory and practice Mumford, 1985) was coupled with the use of units and behavioural objectives were set
in the new curriculum was also carefully Kolb’s learning cycle for planning the various against them. Working in groups, participants
PROGRAMME BUILDING – SELECTING considered. Forest Guards are field staff who learning activities in the curriculum (see Figure then developed specific objectives for each of
THE SUBJECT MATTER need ‘hands-on’ skills. In view of this it was 5 overleaf). the major training units.
decided that wherever possible subjects should
In the five days of curriculum development be taught in a pragmatic manner out in the field. It was also agreed that there needed to be a In the next phase of the development
activities participants were guided through the balance of what Lawton (1973) has termed participants reviewed a typed copy of the
curriculum development process. There was considerable discussion of the ‘classic’ and ‘romantic’ approaches to delivery general and specific objectives. Using these
teaching methods that should be employed. of the curriculum (see Box 3). objectives as a base, the specific topics for
The process started with the group considering After lengthy debate it was agreed that formal training were then specified, reviewed in a
what a curriculum is. Having examined a range lecturing was an inappropriate methodology Setting course objectives plenary session, and, in some cases, heavily
of definitions, the group chose Burrell’s (1988) for the delivery of the required learning Working in groups participants first produced edited or revised. At the end of the ten-day
definition: “the whole set of influences and experiences. It was argued that if the guards a series of overall course objectives for the workshop a draft copy of the agreed objectives
events both planned and unforeseen, which are to successfully undertake their new tasks new Forest Guard curriculum. These were built was typed and printed for distribution and
affect the students’ experience and which will and duties in relation to community and people- upon the training needs that had been identified. comment.
affect their ability to understand and achieve focused forestry then they needed to be invol- To ensure they could be easily assessed they
the aims of the course and of the wider arena ved in participatory and active learning sessions were written as behavioural objectives (see Box
for which they are being educated”. at all stages of the curriculum. The recognition 4 overleaf).

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Participatory Curriculum Development Workshop

REFLECTOR
reviewing the
experience
Box 4 Course objectives for the three-month MFSC Forest Guard course
By the end of the training programme the trainees will be able to:

1 Explain past and present HMGN forest policies

2 State the tasks and duties of Forest Guards in both community and national forestry

3 Explain the importance of national forestry

4 Explain the importance of community forestry

OBSERVATION

over, discussing
thinking, mulling
5 Explain the role of people in community forestry

6 Explain the process of identification and organisation of user groups

7 Explain the importance of forest operation plans

Figure 5 Kolb’s Learning Cycle with adaptation to add Honey and Mumford’s Learning Styles

new notions, theories, attitudes, intentions

8 Explain the importance of monitoring forest operation plans

ABSTRACT CONCEPTUALIZATION
CONCRETE EXPERIENCE
9 Apply the techniques of effective extension

a happening, task, stimulus

ways of seeing self and the world:

10 Perform basic survey techniques

concluding the experience

having an experience
11 Perform basic mensuration techniques

LEARNING
KOLBS'S
ACTIVIST
12 Construct, maintain and operate a forest nursery

CYCLE

THEORIST
13 Perform basic silvicultural techniques

14 Explain the techniques of plantation establishment and management

15 Identify the causes of forest degradation

trying out new behaviour

TESTING CONCEPTS
16 Identify forest offences

IN NEW SITUATIONS
17 Explain the ways and means of checking forest offences

18 Apply the procedures of reporting forest offences and other development activities

19 Apply fire control measures

20 Perform basic harvesting techniques

21 State the ways and means of minimising fuelwood consumption

Source: Kolb (1984)

22 Apply basic soil and water conservation techniques

23 Explain the importance of wildlife conservation

PRAGMATIST
24 Apply basic principles of first aid

planning the
next step
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Participatory Curriculum Development Workshop

Box 5 Workshop recommendations Skilbeck’s model reminds us that quality silviculture, soil and water conservation and
assurance systems, procedures and methods wildlife conservation.
1 The new Forest Guard curriculum should be introduced as soon as possible. need to be established to evaluate programme
success and the appropriateness of the various Within a three month period the second edition
2 When written up in detail the mode of delivery of the Forest Guard curriculum should be
elements. After the curriculum development of the Forest Guards curriculum was approved,
flexible so that if necessary it can be taught in blocks (e.g. 2 x 6 weeks or 3 x 4 weeks).
workshop the MFSC Training Division printed and distributed to all training providers.
3 In order to effectively introduce the Forest Guard curriculum, the Training Division developed clear and well-documented
should organise a Trainer’s Training workshop for Forest Guard trainers and staff of the standards and procedures for course REFLECTIONS
Regional Training Centres. monitoring and evaluation (Tiwari, pers. com.,
1996). The first new Forest Guard curriculum showed
4 The Training Division should develop a Forest Guards’ Training Manual. a good synthesis of realism and innovation.
5 Forest Guard training should be conducted each year in at least one agreed training Both the Forest Guard trainees and the teachers/ Instead of simply accumulating traditional units
institution/centre. The rural CTEVT schools would be ideal locations for this training. trainers are expected to undertake mid- and of study around a central theme the new
end of course evaluations. The findings of these curriculum focused on the real world of the
6 Training Division and the Regional Training Centres should be financially and logistically evaluations are then formally fed back to the Forest Guards. Prompted by the facilitators
supported to enable them to both effectively train and where required monitor and evaluate Training Division. the workshop participants were continually
the training of Forest Guards. encouraged to ask themselves “What does a
FURTHER CURRICULUM Forest Guard actually do?”. By getting out and
7 The Regional Training Centres should act as a link between project Forest Guard training
DEVELOPMENT interviewing a group of Forest Guards in the
and the Training Division.
field, participants were able to address their
8 The Training Division and the Regional Training Centres should actively encourage projects Within two years a total of 247 Forest Guards perceived needs. This helped everyone focus
to conduct Forest Guard training whenever possible. received training on eleven three-month courses on the actual tasks and duties of the Forest
that were conducted in the many varied agro- Guards and what they should be taught, an
9 Project managers and training organisers should liaise with their Regional Training Centres ecological zones of the country. important factor for successful community
and get approval for their Forest Guard training. forestry which was a relatively new concept to
10 After each Forest Guard training there should be follow-up activities to reinforce the Having carefully monitored the new curriculum many of the MFSC staff.
training, e.g. a short workshop. over this time the Training Division decided
that further modifications were needed, and in Another feature which helped to focus the
September 1993 a three-day curriculum review workshop participants’ thinking was the
INTERPRETATION AND The next step in the curriculum development workshop was held to update it. Using the agreement, in an early part of the workshop, to
IMPLEMENTATION – DEVELOPMENT process was to submit the complete new same participatory methodology the curriculum write the new revised curriculum in terms of
OF WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONS curriculum to the Head of the Training Division was further revised and additional guidelines clearly specified and carefully constructed
for approval. This was done within a month for the training organisers were developed. training aims and objectives. Each section of
On the final day of the workshop a series of and the new curriculum was distributed Importantly, these guidelines specified that the the curriculum informs the trainers exactly
ten workshop recommendations on throughout the Ministry for use. course could, if required, be taught on a what the trainees must be able to do at the end
interpretation and implementation were modular basis with the important topics of first of the training session or section of the course.
formulated by the workshop participants (see Monitoring aid, forest policy, forestry extension, This is a major advantage for trainers who have
Box 5). In order to facilitate follow-up activities The Training Division started using the new community forestry, forest survey and subject matter expertise and field experience
to the workshop participants were encouraged Forest Guard curriculum immediately it was mensuration, forest protection and forest but are often not experienced in planning
to write down what they had learnt and commit ready. Copies were distributed to all Training utilisation being covered first. These topics training sessions or organising practical classes.
themselves to personal action plans. Providers with guidance on its use. could be followed by further inputs on It is also a major advantage when assessing

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the students and in clarifying what the trainees to field staff who were often younger and/or ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS REFERENCES
should be able to do at the end of each course junior in rank.
section and on completion of the course as a The curriculum development work described Burrell, T. (1988) Curriculum Design and
whole . Finally, but perhaps most importantly, the in this paper was funded by FINNIDA as part Development –A Procedure Manual. Prentice
workshop methodology allowed a true sense of the Forestry Sector Institutional Hall.
A further feature of the new curriculum is the of ownership of the new curriculum to develop. Strengthening Programme Component No 2, Dearden, P. N., Parker J. H. P., Paudyal S. S.
identification of clear guidelines on the training All the staff involved in the first workshop felt In-service Training Development. HMGN/ & Sayami P. (1991) Report in the In-service
methods that should be utilised to deliver the that they had participated in a practical and time- FINNIDA, Kathmandu, Nepal. Training Needs of the Ministry of Forests
learning experiences required. This again helps efficient process that enabled the training and Soil Conservation, Nepal. Forestry
the trainers in the planning and delivery of methods and content of the Forest Guards The author is most grateful to Mike Nurse (LTS Sector Institutional Strengthening
training sessions. A wide range of training curriculum to catch up with forestry policy International) and several colleagues in the Programme Component No 2, In-service
methods is recommended. These include class changes that had been made in relation to CRDT, notably Des Mahony, Bob Kowalski Training Development. HMGN/FINNIDA,
practicals, case studies, field practicals, field community forestry in Nepal. and Bob George, for their critically Kathmandu, Nepal.
visits, group discussions and role-play constructive comments on this paper. Dearden, P. N., Parker J. H. P. & Paudyal S.
exercises. S. (1992) Training Needs Assessment
Manual. Forestry Sector Institutional
The use of Skilbeck’s model helped the process Strengthening Programme Component No
of curriculum development. The basic 2, In-service Training Development.
pragmatic questions that the model forced the HMGN/FINNIDA, Kathmandu, Nepal.
participants to ask helped focus on the key Honey, P. and Mumford, A. (1985) The
issues involved. The other major value of using Manual of Learning Styles. Peter Honey,
the Skilbeck model lay in the way it helped Berks, UK.
structure the workshop participants’ thinking HMGN (1988) Master Plan for the Forestry
around the delivery of the learning experiences Sector in Nepal – Main Report. Ministry of
for the Forest Guard trainees. When trying to Forests and Soil Conservation, Kathmandu,
teach such topics as communication skills, the Nepal.
method of delivery becomes as important as Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning,
the content. Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, New Jersey
Lawton, D. (1973) Social Change, Educational
CONCLUSIONS Theory and Curriculum Planning. Hodder
and Stoughton, London.
The workshop methodology developed Lawton, D. (1983) Curriculum Studies and
enabled a considerable amount of participation; Educational Planning. Hodder and
the workshop participants chose the workshop Stoughton, London.
priorities, the objectives of the new curriculum Mahony, D. (1995) Report on the Forest Guards
(based upon recognised and agreed training Curriculum Development Workshop.
needs), the content and teaching methods to be Himachal Pradesh Forestry Project,
used and the actions then required in order to Himachal Pradesh, India. University of
swiftly implement the new curriculum. The Wolverhampton report for Overseas
adult-education workshop methodology used Development Administration/Government of
also enabled senior staff to comfortably listen India.

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 RDFN paper 24d - Winter 1998/99

Institutional Changes in Community Forestry Training

Mahony, D. (1996) Report on the Deputy Forest
Rangers Curriculum Development
ACRONYMS
BASE-LINE TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Workshop. Himachal Pradesh Forestry CTEVT Council for Technical Education FOR COMMUNITY FORESTRY IN SOUTH
Project, Himachal Pradesh, India. University and Vocational Training
of Wolverhampton report for Overseas HMGN His Majesty’s Government of
AFRICA
Development Administration/Government of Nepal Michael Underwood
India. MFSC Ministry of Forests and Soil
MFE/DANIDA (1991) Guidelines for the Conservation SUMMARY varied needs of both service providers and
Implementation of Community Forestry community interest groups, a modular system
Training, Community Forestry Development The introduction of a new forest policy in of training is recommended. The need to
Division. Kathmandu, Nepal. South Africa has led to a shift away from the promote ‘people skills’ in particular is
Skilbeck R. (1984) in: Marsh (1992) Key traditional focus on commercial forestry and a highlighted to ensure that community forestry
Concepts of Understanding Curricula, narrow interpretation of conservation to an activities are implemented in a participatory and
Falmer Press. emphasis upon community forestry with the sustainable manner.
Tiwari Sagendra, (1996) Personal full participation of all stakeholders concerned
communication. with the utilisation of the nation’s tree-based INTRODUCTION
resources. This paper presents the results of a
basic needs assessment designed to review The South African elections of 1994 brought
existing types of community forestry training, about sweeping changes in every walk of life.
identify the range of activities needing to be Division was replaced by unity and disparity
included and to make recommendations for with equality. In order to meet the new,
how best to achieve a coherent training comprehensive dispensation, institutions
programme to support implementation of the throughout the country found it necessary to
new policy. realign their policies and structures in order to
respond to new responsibilities and, in many
The report, completed in 1997, found that cases, far broader horizons than previously
although formal education programmes were envisaged.
virtually absent, a large variety of training
initiatives were encountered which could As a part of this process, the Department of
provide the basis for an improved programme. Water Affairs & Forestry (DWAF) held
These were characterised by a non-formal consultations with all the parties involved in
structure and were sometimes only of marginal forestry, both at national and local level.
relevance, but they were invariably supported Contributions were sought from representatives
by a wealth of individual knowledge and always of the state and commercial sector, educational
curtailed by lack of funds. institutions, non-government organisations
(NGOs), community-based organisations
The range of activities that can be included (CBOs), pressure groups, private consultants
under the umbrella of ‘community forestry’ and other interested parties. These initiatives
was found to be very wide, reflecting the were supported by local and international
climatic, cultural and demographic funding and led to the formulation of a new
heterogeneity of the country. To cater for the forest policy.

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