









































Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) 1   
DOI  10.14434/gjte.v1i1.26970

Open Access

Published by the Global Insitutute of Transformative Education (http://www.gite.education)
© Ndemanu & Coronel-Molina. 2019 Open Access This journal is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons 
Attribution NonCommercial NonDerivative 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), 
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction without revision in any non-commercial medium, provided you 
give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,

Introduction:  
First Volume of the Global Journal of Transformative Education

Michael T. Ndemanu & Serafín M. Coronel-Molina, Editors in Chief

The Global Journal of Transformative Education 
(GJTE) is a newly founded open-source, peer-
reviewed journal created to share research and 
practical applications related to transformative 
education in the entire spectrum of educational 
settings around the world. GJTE publishes 
scholarly research manuscripts, articles on 
teaching strategies, transformative teaching 
strategies, curriculum frameworks, and reviews of 
educational resources that support transformative 
teaching and learning in PK-20 institutions as well 
as in adult education programs.

The articles published in this inaugural issue of 
GJTE were presented at the World Conference on 
Transformative Education (WCTE) in Kakamega, 
Kenya in July 2018 under the theme, “Rethinking 
Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Research in Africa.” 
All the papers underwent a blind review process 
prior to be considered for publication. WCTE 
was organized against the backdrop of outmoded 
education systems in Africa; that the systems are 
far removed from its socioeconomic and political 
realities; that they are the legacies of European 
colonial rules, thus they are antiquated and are not 
designed to solve African contemporary problems. 
Thus, there was a need for scholars, P-12 teachers 
and policymakers to meet and discuss ways 
to move away from educating children just for 
basic literacy and numeracy skills to providing 
them world-class education for competitive 
interconnected global economies. Such a bold 
move required a quasi-volte-face shift in how 
educators rethink the content of the curriculum, 

school, teaching, learning, leadership, and research 
across Africa. 

For readers to have an insightful grasp of 
the articles’ contents in this inaugural issue, the 
editors of GJTE have chosen to provide succinct 
definitions and explanations of transformative ed-
ucation concept. Transformative education within 
the framework of this conference is defined as the 
act of re-conceptualizing the knowledge gained in 
school and through lived experiences and apply-
ing it in both academic and non-academic real-life 
multifaceted contexts. It entails instilling critical 
and autonomous thinking in learners in ways that 
help them to interpret new information inde-
pendently and collaboratively rather than being 
mere recipients of knowledge and worldviews of 
others. According to National Science Foundation, 
“transformative research involves ideas, discover-
ies, or tools that radically change our understand-
ing of an important existing scientific or engineer-
ing concept or educational practice or leads to 
the creation of a new paradigm or field of science, 
engineering, or education. Such research challeng-
es current understanding or provides pathways 
to new frontiers” (2007, p. v). To transform Africa 
into a place of great political stability, economic op-
portunities, harmonious social order, rich in inno-
vative technology and enviable inventions, policy 
makers and educators must be ready to shun a 
Victorian-Age education system which is already 
antiquated, and instead embrace creative, critical, 
problem-solving, and project-based instructional 
strategies which are catalysts to groundbreaking



Ndemanu & Coronel-Molina, Introduction  2

inventions, sound economic growth, and globally 
competitive workforce.

To this end, we introduce readers to a variety 
of articles whose contents are designed to disrupt 
and upend readers’ thinking about education 
and share its potential for radical transformation 
of minds if the curriculum and pedagogy are 
methodically and effectively designed. The first 
article of this issue addresses the fundamental 
curriculum question, “What knowledge is worth 
knowing?” The rest addresses an overarching 
question dealing with the most effective 
instructional methods like, “What instructional 
methods of delivering the content to the content 
to learners is most effective in achieving 
transformative outcomes in learners?

Teresia Mbogori and Winnie Mucherah in 
“Nutrition Transition in Africa: Consequences 
and Opportunities” discuss the ramifications of 
nutrition transition in Africa that is stemming from 
the Westernization of their African diets. In this 
article, they offer educational solutions through 
which the phenomenon of nutrition transition 
can be disrupted and a return to the consumption 
of whole grain diets and traditional vegetables 
embraced. In a nutshell, their article offers readers 
to rethink a food and nutrition curriculum in 
Africa.

In their second article, “Examining Child 
Development from an African Cultural Context,” 
Winnie Mucherah and Teresia Mbogori, delve in to 
the importance of considering child development 
and his/her culture in an effective learning 
environment. In their article, they explore issues 
like indigenous language development, childbirth 
practices, self-esteem, and self-concept and how 
they impact African child’s self-worth and identity 
development. All these factors are important 
in designing a curriculum and pedagogy that 
optimize learning outcomes.

In connection with optimizing learning 
outcomes, Tom McConnell, Joyce Parker, and 
Jan Eberhardt in “Problem-Based Learning 
for Responsive and Transformative Teacher 
Professional Development,” discuss “a research-

tested model of Professional Development (PD) 
that uses the analytic framework of Problem-Based 
Learning (PBL) to support professional learning. 
Evidence suggests that PBL is effective in changing 
content knowledge and pedagogical practice. 
To teach content, facilitators engage teachers in 
learning activities designed using common PBL 
structures.”

Still in line with pedagogy, Brian David 
Lozenski in “Constructing a dual-subjectivity: 
Understanding the intersection of Ethnic Studies 
and YPAR” examines “the outcomes of using 
participatory action research with youth (YPAR) 
as an entry point into Africana Studies. The author 
draws from empirical research and anecdotal 
narratives to document a program where youth of 
African descent in the US engage in Ethnic Studies 
through the lens of action research.”

In the article, “Anthropological methods in 
curriculum instruction for learners in informal 
education for Abagusii of South Western Kenya,” 
Gilbert Nyakundi Okebiro proposes indigenous 
instructional strategies for impacting knowledge to 
children in ways that lead to more transformative 
and effective education. 

Antonette Lorraine McCaster’s article, “Adult 
Education and Dialogue: Utilizing Project-Based 
Education as a Method to Provide Transformative 
Change in Both Students and Teachers” argues that 
both communication and motivation are primary 
drivers of transformational learning in adult 
education. She asserts that “combining project-
based education with adult dialogue education 
provides a transformative method of education 
that encourages student-driven, collaborative 
project-based learning as well as opportunities for 
teachers to reflect upon their epistemology and 
pedagogy.”

In “Inclusive Practice and Transformative 
Leadership Are Entwined: Lessons for Professional 
Development of School Leaders in Kenya,” Rose 
Opiyo discusses the concept of transformative 
leadership in inclusive education for Learners with 
Special Needs as a broad approach to education 
that seeks to interrogate the inclusive leadership

Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) Vol 1



 3 

Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) Vol 1

skills of school leaders as they seek to address 
human diversity issues in their schools.

Invitation to Prospective Authors
We invite authors keen on transformative 
education from all walks of life to consider GJTE 
as an avenue for dissemination of their ideas 
germane to curriculum and teaching. GJTE accepts 
submissions for its Open Call, with no deadlines for 
submissions, and no publishing fees for authors. 
The journal’s website includes Author Guidelines 
to help prospective authors with formatting 
specifications, and an online Submissions system 
to help with the submission, review and editing 
process. New authors are invited to register in 
the system. GJTE also invites readers to join our 
Editorial Board of Reviewers by selecting the 
“reviewer” role and indicating content expertise.

Acknowledgements
The Global Journal for Transformative 

Education (GJTE) is a singular publication 
venue. Despite the great amount of time and 
effort we have invested for its conceptualization, 
development, implementation, production, and 
publication of this inaugural volume, we could 
not have done all this by ourselves. Both the 
conference and this volume are the results of the 
hard work and dedication of many people. First 
of all, our profound gratitude goes to the Global 
Institute for Transformative Education (GITE) 
and its Founding Members for their sustained 
sponsorship to make this volume happen. We are 
deeply thankful to Tom J. McConnell who provided 
us invaluable assistance in his role as Managing 
Editor taking care of the daily operation of GJTE. 
We are also grateful to our colleagues who serve on 
the Board of Reviewers for their time and diligence 
in the review process. We also owe a debt of 
gratitude to Professor Eng. Frederick Otieno, Vice 
Chancellor of Masinde Muliro University of Science 
and Technology (MMUST) not only for his early 
buy-in to this concept of transformative education 
but also for funding and hosting the conference. 
We also thank Fred Bay of The Bay & Paul 

Foundation and Ball State University for 
sponsoring our three keynote speakers and for 
sponsoring some schools to attend and showcase 
their transformative activities at the conference. 

Our profound gratitude goes to all the 
participants in the World Conference on 
Transformative Education (WCTE), especially 
to the following: Dr. Kofi Marfo, Professor 
and Foundation Director, Institute for Human 
Development, Aga Khan University (South-Central 
Asia, East Africa, and United Kingdom); Nkem 
Khumbah, lecturer and member of the STEM-
Africa Initiative at theUniversity of Michigan; 
Justo Méndez Arámburu, co-founder and former 
President of Nuestra Escuela in Puerto Rico; and 
the Hon. Wilson Sossion, Secretary General Kenya 
National Union of Teachers.

We also owe a special debt of gratitude to 
Rev. Professor Achoka JSK, PhD, MKNAS Director 
of Research and Postgraduate Support, MMUST, 
Kenya and to Dr. Judah Ndiku, Executive Dean 
School of Education at MMUST for his leadership 
and commitment to the conference from day one 
of the conference initiative till the conclusion of 
the event. Without him and his closed collaborator, 
Prof. Achoka, the conference would not have 
recorded a major success. 

The successful outcome of the conference was 
due, in great part, to the careful organization and 
planning that took place beforehand. Therefore, 
we are also deeply grateful to the following 
WCTE conveners: Drs. Michael Takafor Ndemanu, 
Serafín M. Coronel-Molina, Daniel Baron, Winnie 
Mucherah, Kennedy Bota, Bryce Smedley, and 
Teresia Mbogori for playing key roles in the 
organization of the conference. Our special thanks 
to all the MMUST faculty, K-12 pupils and their 
teachers, drivers, custodians, MMUST students, 
caterers,  dance groups, Golf Hotel staff, etc who 
all served in different capacities as well as played 
considerable roles that went a long way to enhance 
the experiences of the conference participants.

Ndemanu & Coronel-Molina, Introduction



Page 4 

Last but not least, we are profoundly grateful 
to all the contributors to this inaugural volume 
for choosing GJTE to publish their work. Many 
thanks to the Indiana University Library System 
and its IUScholarsWorks system for hosting the 
GJTE’s website and to Sarah Hare for helping us 
with all the details related to the online platform 
where GJTE is located. Without the generous 
assistance and contribution of all these fine people 
and institutions, GJTE would never have become 
a reality, and this inaugural volume would never 
have seen the light of day.

Michael T. Ndemanu & Serafin M. Colonel-Molina

Editors in Chief
Global Journal of Transformative Education

Ndemanu & Coronel-Molina, Introduction

1 Michael T. Ndemanu  (mtndemanu@bsu.edu) is an 
Assistant Professor of Education in the Department of 
Educatioanl Studies  at Ball State University, Muncie, 
Indiana, USA.

2 Serafín M. Coronel-Molina (scoronelmolina@gmail.
com) is an Associate Professor in the Dept. of Literacy, 
Culture, and Language Education at Indiana University, 
Bloomington, Indiana, USA.

Authors

GJTE is published by the 
Global Insitutute of Transformative Education  

Articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons 
Attribution NonCommercial NonDerivative 4.0 International License 

(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits 
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction without revision in 

any non-commercial medium, provided you give appropriate credit 
to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative 

Commons license,

http://www.gite.education

