MMUST ANNUAL CONFERENCE, 2012

Theme: Action Research in Higher Education and Development in Africa

Date: 28th – 30th June, 2012

Venue: Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya

Host: Faculty of Education and Social Sciences (FESS)

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) Annual Conference for 2012 will be hosted by the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences (FESS) on the theme ‘Action Research in Higher Education and Development in Africa’. The Conference seeks deeper understanding of people, places and processes in action research and their impact on development in Africa.

Since independence in the 1960s, the traditional expert-driven technocratic top-down approaches in various development fields have led to or exacerbated social inequalities and prevented the achievement of the full potential of production processes or human capabilities in Africa. In the recent past, however, there has been thinking and efforts towards trying to develop methodologies, modify mindsets and share the design, conduct, application and use of research in the development of Africa. The goal is to produce a better account of the situation that could be used for practical problem-solving on the continent. Consequently, there have been calls for a more cooperative approach to action research based on mutual learning between professionals and the public.

Higher education plays an important role in generating new ideas, and in accumulating and transmitting knowledge necessary for development. Through research and teaching, it helps produce expertise, manage development, engineer social transformation, and preserve social values and cultural ethos. In seeking to find solutions to challenges facing the development question in Africa, action research becomes truly relevant to specific situations on the continent. However, different management traditions, tensions between insider and outsider knowledge, lack of reciprocity, failure in communication across cultures and exclusion of marginalised voices from theory, policy and practice of development are some of the challenges that face Africa in its development efforts and they call for interrogation.

The forthcoming conference, therefore, is interested in scholars and practitioners sharing their reflections on experiences in action research in/on Africa. The conference will explore both the agonies and the ecstasies of trying to engage in truly collaborative work before, during and after research on the continent. The conference will focus on innovative approaches in seeking the value of partnering proactively in action research so as to transform Africa by providing high quality life to her people. More specifically, case studies like Kenya Vision 2030 whose objective is to help transform society meet the Millennium Development Goals through an all-inclusive and participatory development process are particularly welcome.

Conference Sub-themes include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Action Research in Science and Technology, Innovation and Development
2. Action Research in Education
3. Collaboration and Partnership in Action Research in Higher Education in Africa
4. Impact of Action Research on Development
5. Global Competitiveness, Leadership and Development
6. Democracy, Research and Development
7. Power Relations in Action Research

Important Conference Information
Presentations at the conference are requested in three formats: panels, papers and posters.

Panels: Abstracts for workshops for up to 2 hours are welcome. A motivated introduction to the conference sub-/theme not exceeding 300 words plus 100-word abstracts for each planned contribution to the workshop should be submitted electronically to [email][email protected] and [email][email protected] no later than 1 February 2012. Name and affiliations applicants should be included.

Papers: Abstracts not exceeding 300 words and stating the name and affiliation of all authors clearly should be submitted electronically to [email][email protected] and [email][email protected] no later than 1 February 2012. Papers presentation and discussion will be allowed 25 minutes each.

Posters: Posters will be presented on boards and electronically throughout the conference.

One-page abstracts of maximum 300 words, indicating preferred subtheme and stating the name and affiliation of all authors clearly, should be submitted electronically to [email][email protected] and [email][email protected] no later than 1 February 2012.

Acceptance of presentations will be announced by 22 February 2012. Full papers will be accepted latest 30th April, 2012 at 5pm East African Time.

Conference Registration
East Africans - Early Bird KES 5000 (Five thousand Kenya shillings); after 31st
May, 2012 KES 6000 (Six thousand Kenya Shillings)
Non-East Africans – Early Bird US $ 150 (One hundred fifty US Dollars); after 31st
May, 2012 US Dollars 200 (Two hundred US Dollars)
Students – Early Bird KES 1500 (One thousand five hundred Kenya Shillings for East
Africans) and US $ 80 (Eighty US Dollars for Non-East Africans); after 31st May, 2012 KES 2000 (Two thousand Kenya Shillings for East Africans), and US $ 100 (One hundred US Dollars for non-East Africans)
Exhibitions: KES 10, 000 (Ten thousand Kenya Shillings)

Conference Products: Reviewed Papers will be published in a book as Conference Proceedings and in the FESS Journal of Education and Social Sciences.

Important Dates
1st February 2012: Submission of abstracts.
22nd February 2012: Notification by the Scientific Committee on accepted abstracts.
Conference Languages: English and Kiswahili.