ABOUT ME
MY PERSONAL AND SPIRITUAL LIFE:
Born August 11, 1979, I am a Born Again Christian who is ready to give all it takes to please God on earth and reign eternally with God and other saints in heaven. I am the youngest of six amazing siblings in the Igene (paternal) and Ehizoba (maternal) Family. I am a Nigerian by birth, Togolese by marriage and has a permanent residence permit in South Africa. I attended Holy Infant Jesus Nursery and Primary School, Sacred Heart, Abadina College, Federal College of Education (Special), University of Jos and Rhodes University.
I gave her life to Jesus Christ at the age of 11 and has never regretted this life-transforming decision. I am into the ministry of reconciliation, worship and intercession. I was spiritually made, moulded, and nurtured in the Glory Tabernacle Ministry (http://glorytabernacleibadan.org/) under the discipleship of the Pioneer Pastors Dr Uzodinma Obed & Pastor Dr Chinyere Obed. As an undergraduate student, I was also made, moulded, and nurtured in NIFES (http://www.nifes.org.ng/). My Christian maturity and worship ministry have been firmly shaped by the Glory Voices of the Glory Tabernacle Ministry and NIFES. I am forever grateful to God for these indelible encounters. I am therefore sold out to preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Bible and being an example of the believers in this end time.
Without being previously involved in any relationship, I got engaged to Brother and Dr Komlan Agbedahin in 2004 and got married in 2007. Having intentionally delayed having children immediately after marriage and for five years, our God-ordained marriage (in His mercy) is blessed with a son, Mawumo Osose Agbedahin (2012) and a daughter, Mawuyrami Elose Agbedahin (2016). My simple family exists because of our encounter, continual fellowship and allegiance with Christ!
MY ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH PATH DEVELOPMENT:
I am currently the Programme Manager: Career Path Development at Sol Plaatje University. Previously, I was an independent Social Researcher and Research Consultant. I am also a former Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of the Free State (UFS: January 2017-April 2019) and Rhodes University (RU) Environmental Learning Research Centre (ELRC: October-December 2016), all in South Africa.
My past and present research projects [2007: BEd (Hons) (Special Education and Rehabilitation Sciences) University of Jos, Nigeria; 2012: MEd (Environmental Education) Rhodes University, South Africa; 2016: PhD (Environment and Sustainability Education), Rhodes University, South Africa; and Postdoc, 2016: Rhodes University and 2017 to date: University of the Free State, South Africa] have been on:
(1) Education of the Hearing Impaired (the nexus between learners’ hearing impairment experience, socio-economic status of parents, and academic performance);
(2) Education for Sustainable Production and Consumption (reduction of food waste in university dining halls);
(3) Mainstreaming of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in African universities (social morphogenesis and laminated system analysis of the influence of position-practice system and professional training on ESD);
(4) Theorising and developing understandings of change-oriented professional learning, and changed practices over time;
(5) Programme impact assessment and alumni tracking (the International Training Programme on ESD for African and Asian university educators and the Ford Foundation International Fellowship Programme in South Africa);
(6) Access to and success in higher education (First-year students at the University of the Free State, South Africa).
(7) Migration studies and change processes (Book project of Bloemfontein, South Africa migrants).
From May 2017 to April 2019, I was a co-researcher on a project (with five other post-doctoral fellows) in the SARCHi Chair in HEHD Research Group, University of the Free State. The research project is titled ‘Access to Higher Education: Aspirations, choices, and opportunities’ in which Prof Melanie Walker is the principal investigator. Apart from my involvement in this project at HEHD Research Group, University of the Free State, I was also co-supervised two PhD students (one to successful completion) with Prof Merridy Wilson-Strydom and Prof Melanie Walker respectively. As part of my contract, I was also fully involved in writing, publishing, presentations and other academic activities.
From July 2017 to April 2018, I was an independent research consultant for the Institute of International Education (IIE) (leading a team of three post-doctoral researchers) in a Qualitative Alumni-Tracking Study of the Ford Foundation International Fellowship Programme (IFP) in South Africa. The project was aimed at investigating the impact of the IFP on the alumni at the individual, institutional, community, societal and national levels.
My current and futuristic research programme, therefore, encapsulates understanding and theorizing individual/collective learning, change processes and changed practices (transformation), particularly in the context of higher education. With a particular interest in investigating the influence of the interplay between multidimensional factors in change and transformation processes. These include structure, culture, and agency, the influence of position-practice systems on the transformation of institutions, funding windows, professional development training (qualification), strategic stakeholder engagement, policy, learning, praxis, action, knowledge, capabilities; that could be either enabling or constraining. With the use of various theoretical perspectives, methodological tools, and approaches to research including Interventionist Research (Cultural Historical Activity Theory and Expansive Learning); Position-Practice System; Seven Scalar Laminated Systems; Social Learning; Morphogenetic Social Theory of Change; Capability Approach (emerging); SPSS (emerging). I am also keen about the broader context of higher education and practical achievement of the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the associated 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa and the Agenda 2063 of the African Union.
MY EDUCATION AND CAREER PATH DEVELOPMENT
I completed my PhD at Rhodes University, South Africa in 2016. I investigated how position-practice systems and professional development shape effective Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) mainstreaming in Higher Education. I used the morphogenesis social theory of change and the laminated system to understand and explain these dynamics. The research was a case study of the Sida-sponsored International Training Programme (ITP) on ESD in Higher Education and UNEP's Mainstreaming Education and Sustainability in Africa (MESA) University Partnership.
During the course of my PhD, myself and Distinguished Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka were involved in the tracking and monitoring of learning and change processes of ITP Alumni within the period of five years. This included 139 ESD change projects implemented by 280 academics from 106 institutions, in 35 Asian and African countries. This work contributed directly to the field of ESD, specifically the understanding of change-oriented professional learning and change practices in higher education (and Sustainable Development Goal 4, 4.7).
I obtained a master’s degree in Environmental Education from Rhodes University in 2012. In this research, I employed the first and second generations of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and its associated Expansive Learning Cycle to facilitate learning and change processes in university dining halls. This Developmental Work Research/Interventionist Research Approach to food waste reduction within the University Food Services Sector contributed directly to Education for Sustainable Consumption and Production in Higher Education (Sustainable Development Goal 12, 12.5).
Before relocating to South Africa in 2010 and commencing my postgraduate studies at Rhodes University in 2011, I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Special Needs Education, with specialization in Education of the Hearing Impaired from the University of Jos, Nigeria. I taught and conducted undergraduate research on primary and secondary school students (and their parents) living with hearing impairment. I investigated the nexus between learners’ impairment experience, socio-economic status, and academic performance. In 2008-2009, I worked as a National Youth Corp member at the Ministry of Education, Oyo State, Nigeria. In 2006, I was an assistant computer training staff at the Faculty of Education computer laboratory, University of Jos, Nigeria. In 2003-2004, I was a Personal Assistant to the Director of the Centre For Youth, Family and the Law in Ibadan and Adaramewa and Co Legal Chamber in Lagos, Nigeria. I attended Holy Infant Jesus Nursery and Primary School, Sacred Heart, Abadina College, Federal College of Education Special!
