Director of Graduate & Adult Student Services and Compliance; Adjunct Faculty in Education
Research
• Education of marginalized groups in sub-Saharan Africa
• Education and social development
• Citizenship education
• Teacher development
• Cyberspaces as a platform for teacher mentoring
- Ph.D., University of Toronto, 2003
Comparative and International Development Education: Curriculum Teaching & Learning
- M.Ed., University of Western Ontario, 1999
Educational Policy Studies
- B.A., Andrews University, 1995
Religion and History
My engagement in education emerged from my work to promote integrated community development. This work kindled my interest in education of marginalized populations in the developing world.
I enjoy traveling and gardening.
Current Project:
Global Forces, Education and the Politics of Stratification in Sub-Saharan Africa (Forthcoming Book).
Books & Monographs:
Education Marginalization in Sub-Saharan Africa. Policies, Politics, and Marginality Washington DC: Lexington Books of Rowman and Littlefield, 2018.ISBN 978-1-4985-7404-4
Education, Social Progress and Marginalized Children: Historical Antecedents and Contemporary Challenges. Washington DC: Lexington Books of Rowman and Littlefield, 2017.ISBN 978-1-4985-4569-3
Book Chapters:
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2019). International Philanthropic Support for African Education: The Complex Interplay of Ideologies and Western Foreign Policy Agenda.In Nikolay Popov and Charl Wolhuter (Ed.), Global Education in Practice: Teaching, Researching, and Citizenship. BCES Conference Book Volume 17, 2019.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2017). Education and Communities at the “Margins”: The Contradictions of Western Education for Islamic Communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Nikolay Popov and Charl Wolhuter (Ed.), Current Business and Economic Driven Discourse and Education: Perspectives from Around the World. BCES Conference Book Volume 15, 2017.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2015). Negotiating the Trilogy of Blackness, “Accentness” and Africanness”: A “Native-Alien” Professor’s Tale. In K. Akurang-Parry and Charles Hutchison (Eds.)Voices of Immigrant Professors: Historical and Contemporary Challenges & Triumphs. New York: Routledge 2016.
Mfum-Mensah, O (2009). Teaching and learning in a developing world context: Understanding the curriculum development for marginalized communities in northern Ghana”. In Wiggan, G., & Hutchison C (eds.). Global Issues in Education: Pedagogy, Policy, School Practices, and the Minority Experience. Lanham, MD: Roman & Littlefield ISBN 978-1-60709-272-8
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2003) “Fostering educational participation in marginalized communities: the contribution of non-formal basic education programs: A case study of two pastoral communities in northern Ghana.”In Gregory T. Papanikos (Ed.) Education, Volume 1, pp. 43-53. Athens Institute for Education and Research Press, ISBN 960-87107-9-4
Book Reviews:
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2014). A review ofMass Education, Global Capital, and the World: The Theoretical Lenses of Istvan Meszaros and Immanuel Wallerstein, by Tom Griffithss & Robert Imre. New York: Palgrave. ISBN 978-1-137-01481-8. Teachers College Record, May 5, 2014http://www.tcrecord.orgID Number: 17522,
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2013). A review of Education in a Strange Land: Globalization, Urbanization and Urban schools- The Social and Educational Implications of the Geopolitical Economyby Greg Wiggan. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. (paper) ISBN 978-1-61122-647-8 Education Review
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2010). A review of Faith in Schools: Religion, Education, and American Evangelicals in East Africa by Amy Stambach. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2010. 228 pp. (paper) ISBN 978-0-8047-6851-1.Teachers College Record, Date Published: December 21, 2010 http://www.tcrecord.orgID Number: 16266.
Articles:
Mfum-Mensah, O. & Friedson-Ridenour, S. (2014).Whose Voices are being heard? Mechanisms for Community Participation in Education in Northern Ghana. Prospects Quarterly Review of Comparative EducationDOI 10.1007/s11125-014-9316-z
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2011). Education Collaboration to Promote School Participation in Northern Ghana: A Case Study of a Complementary Education Program. International Journal of Educational Development 31(5), 459-465
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2009). An exploratory study of the curriculum development process of a Complementary Education Program for Marginalized Communities in Northern Ghana. Curriculum Inquiry 39(2), 343-367
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2005). Moving in the right direction? Nomadic education in Ghana. Id21 Education Highlights. Literacy(Online). Available: www.id21.org.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2005). The impact of colonial and postcolonial Ghanaian language policies on vernacular use in schools in two Northern Ghanaian communities. Comparative Education 41(1), 71-85.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2004) Empowerment or impairment? Involving traditional communities in school management. International Review of Education 50(2), 141-155
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2003) Computers in Ghanaian secondary schools: Where does inequality come in? Current Issues in Comparative Education 6(1)40-49.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2003) Exploring the constraints affecting non-formal basic education programs: The Shepherd School Program in Northern Ghana. In-Focus Journal of Comparative Education [online], 1(2). Available at:www.escotet.org/infocus/2003/mfum.htm
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2003). Fostering educational participation in pastoral communities through non-formal education: The Ghanaian perspective. International Journal of Educational Development 23(6), 661-676.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2002). “Initial findings of the impact of Non-formal basic education programs: A case study of northern Ghana (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 471859).
Farrell, J. P., & O. Mfum-Mensah (2002). A preliminary analytical framework for comparative analysis of alternative primary education programs in developing nations (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 470437).
Recent Conference Presentations:
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2019). Paradoxes and Challenges of Teaching Diversity Courses in Predominantly White Academic Spaces. AERA Annual Conference, April 5-9, Toronto, Canada
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2017). Education and Communities at the “Margins”: The Contradictions of Western Education for Islamic Communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Paper to be presented at the XV Bulgaria Comparative Education Society, Borovets, Bulgaria, June 20-23, 2017.
Mfum-Mensah, O. & Nyariro Milka P. (2016). Policy-Praxis Conundrum of Implementing “Inclusion” in Teacher Education Programs in Kenya. Paper presented at the 60th Annual CIES Conference, Vancouver, BC Canada, March 6-10, 2016
Mfum-Mensah, O. 2016). Schooling and Education in an Era of Transition and Change. Paper presented at Evangelical University in Ndola, Zambia January 9, 2016
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2015). Voices of International Professors: cross-cultural issues and solutions for Better Transition Experiences [Panel with Charles Hutchinson]. Paper presented at the 59thAnnual CIES Conference, Washington, DC March 8-11, 2015
Mfum-Mensah, O. & Nyariro, Milka P. (2015). “The River Between”: Faculty Dispositions on Integrating Special Education in Teacher Education Programs in Kenya. Paper presented at the 59thAnnual CIES Conference, Washington, DC March 8-11, 2015
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2014). “The River Between and Within”: Integrating Special Education in Teacher Education Programs in Kenya. Paper presented at the African Education and Development Conference, Nairobi, Kenya, November 24-28, 2014
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2014). Unstated Features of Educating Children with Disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of “Education for All”. Paper presented at the 58thAnnual CIES Conference, Toronto, ON Canada March 11-15, 2014
2013). “Revisiting ‘Education for All’ and the Schooling Status for Children with Disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa”. Paper presented at the 57thAnnual CIES Conference, New Orleans, LA March 10-15, 2013
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2012) “Educating for citizenship: Schooling, curriculum, and children at the margins in Ghana”. Paper to be presented at 56thAnnual CIES conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 22-27.
Akukwe G. N. & Mfum-Mensah, O. (2012). “Responding to the social mobility aspirations of marginalized populations through education”. Paper presented at 56thAnnual CIES Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 22-27.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2011) “Out of many we are one”: Ideological underpinnings of curriculum reforms in Anglo-West Africa from1980 to present. Paper presented at 55thAnnual CIES conference, Montreal, Canada, April 30-May 5.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2010) Education collaboration for complementary education programs: A case study of Northern Ghana. Paper presented at 54thAnnual CIES conference, Chicago, IL, March 1-5.
Mfum-Mensah, O., & Sophia Friedson-Ridenour (2010) Community participation” in complementary education programs: A case study of Northern Ghana. Paper presented at 54thAnnual CIES conference, Chicago, IL March 1-5.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2008). “What Counts as Educational ‘Success’ in Complementary Education Programs?”Paper presented at Columbia University for the 52ndAnnual CIES conference, New York, NY, March 13-17.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2008). Contextual Nuances and Curriculum Development in the Developing World: A Case Study of a Complementary Education Program in Northern Ghana.Paper presented at Messiah College Fall Educational Forum, November 4.
Mfum-Mensah, O. & David Dzaka (2008). Education as part of Christian mission in Africa. Invited Presentation at the Episcopal Diocese of Harrisburg, Jan 13, 2008
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2007). “Teaching and Learning in a Developing World Context: Understanding the ‘School for Life’ Curriculum Model” Paper presented at 51stCIES conference, Baltimore, MD, February 25-March 1.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2007). Addressing the educational needs of marginalized children: What lessons can we draw from the ‘School for Life’ and ‘Shepherd School’ models in Northern Ghana?Paper presented at 51st Annual CIES conference, Baltimore, MD, February 25-March 1.(Panel presentation with Ash Hartwell & Joseph P. Farrell)
Barnes, J. & Mfum-Mensah, O. (2007) Globalization and Education in sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for Teaching, Learning and Knowledge Construction. Paper presented at the Humanities Symposium at Messiah College, Grantham, PA, February 21.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2006) Rethinking the Educational needs of Marginalized Children in sub-Saharan Africa and “Alternative Schooling Programs. Paper presented at the 50th Annual CIES conference, Honolulu, HI, March 13-19.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2004) “Cross-case analysis of multigrade teaching in alternative schooling programs of sub-Saharan Africa.” Paper presented at World Bank Multigrade Colloquium, Dakar, Senegal, May 24-28.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2004) “A comparative study of selected successful models of alterative school programs in sub-Saharan Africa.”Paper presented at 48th Annual CIES conference, Salt Lake City, UT, March 8-13 (Panel presentation with Ash Hartwell, Joseph P. Farrell & Brenda Haiplik).
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2003) “Engendering schooling in marginalized communities: The multidimensional impact of non-formal basic education programs.” Paper presented at the 47thAnnual CIES conference, New Orleans, LA, March 12-16.
Farrell, J. P., & Mfum-Mensah, O. (2003) “Alternative forms of primary education in developing nations: Applying a framework for comparative analysisThe Shepherd Schools of Northern Ghana.” Paper presented at the 47th Annual CIES conference, New Orleans, LA, March 12-16.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2002) “Initial findings of the impact of Non-formal basic education programs: A case study of northern Ghana.” Paper presented at the 46thAnnual CIES conference, Orlando FL, USA, March 3-5.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2002) “Fostering educational participation in marginalized communities: the contribution of non-formal basic education programs: a case study of two pastoral communities in northern Ghana.” Paper presented at the 4thAthens International Education Conference, Athens, Greece. May 24-26.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2002) “Voices of the most vulnerable: A study of children’s perceptions about the impact of non-formal basic education programs: A case study of northern Ghana.” Paper presented at the 46th Annual CIES conference, Orlando, FL, March 3-5.
Farrell, J. P., & Mfum-Mensah, O. (2002) “A preliminary analytical framework for comparative analysis of alternative primary education programs in developing nations. Paper presented at the 46th Annual CIES conference, Orlando, Florida, March 3-5.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2002) “The dilemmas of data collection in marginalized communities: Negotiating institutional and community barriers.” Paper presented at CIDEC student and faculty meetings, OISE/University of Toronto, December 9.
Mfum-Mensah, O. (2001) “The changing nature of bilateral aid and its implications on primary education in sub-Saharan African at the dawn of the 21stcentury: A case of Ghana.”Paper presented at the 45thAnnual Comparative and International Education Conference, Washington, DC, March 13-17.