Toyosi Stephen Adedara, a dedicated educator and researcher, is making a significant impact in education in Nigeria and the US. With a passion for community engagement and citizenship education, Mr Adedara is driving innovation in education programs and policies.
Mr Adedara taught in Nigeria for five years before joining Baylor University, where they teach and train preservice teachers. His research focuses on community engagement and citizenship education, presented at conferences in Ibadan, Florida, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Texas.
Adedara’s expertise in curriculum development and teaching methods has earned them recognition as a rising star in the field. His collaborative research with the University of Ibadan is establishing innovative programs that will impact curriculum policies in social studies and citizenship education.
He is also an important member of the Baylor iEngage Summer Civics camp which helps foster citizenship education and agency of middle school students in the Waco community. This summer camp program won the 2022 Sandra O’Connor award for advancement of civics education after Mr Adedara joined Baylor University and the team.
Part of Mr Adedara’s latest innovation is finding new ways to teach sensitive topics like redlining and other issues of diversity in social studies and civic education. Mr Adedara and his advisor Dr Karon LeCompte of Baylor University came up with an idea of using the Monopoly game to teach redlining in America.
This involves rigging the game to reflect the inequalities redlining has caused in the United States and give preserve teachers the experience of walking in the shoes of those who experienced these inequalities and inequities. They have presented this research idea in conferences and it has gained them many positive remarks in the field of teacher education.
With a long-term goal of working on UNESCO policies on educational and cultural programs across nations, Mr Adedara is dedicated to making a global impact. Currently pursuing a PhD in Curriculum and Teaching at Baylor University, Adedara aims for university tenure and college administration. His dedication and expertise are inspiring a new generation of educators and researchers, solidifying his position as a rising star in the field of education.