Transformative Pedagogies – Recognising and Responding to the Elements of Developmental Contexts

Dr Mona Abo-Zena, Visiting Assistant Professor at Brown University, USA, focuses on how individuals’ diverse experiences affect developmental and educational processes, practices and outcomes from early childhood through emerging adulthood.

In her Keynote Presentation at The IAFOR North American Conference on Education 2014 titled, “Transformative Pedagogies - Recognising and Responding to the Elements of Developmental Contexts”, Dr Mona Abo-Zena explores how an individual’s experiences and cultural funds of knowledge may promote and hinder developmental and educational outcomes. Grounded in cross-cultural research and interdisciplinary theoretical perspectives, this talk focuses on how diverse individuals’ diverse experiences affect developmental and educational processes, practices and outcomes from early childhood through emerging adulthood. The talk will highlight transformative pedagogies and applied examples from a range of contexts to promote social justice.


Dr Mona M. Abo-Zena

Mona M. Abo-Zena is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at Brown University, USA. Mona’s work focuses on the role of religion and religious/spiritual development (broadly defined) as a way of knowing and being and how multiple aspects of culture and context affect developmental processes and outcomes. She has published in the areas of religion, identity development, research methodology, and education. She earned her B.A. in sociology from the University of Chicago; her Ed.M. in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University; and her PhD in Applied Child Development from Tufts University. Mona’s work is informed by over 15 years of teaching, administrative and board experience in public and Islamic schools.

Posted by IAFOR