There seems to be a linkage between critical pedagogy and inclusive pedagogy in terms of empowerment of individual (learners) to achieve an inclusive education, addressing the inequalities of power and discriminary practice of underrepresented groups so to bring about inclusion. Critical pedagogy reveals the diversity in the academic sector and helps to bring changes which results in balancing. These changes which is the process is known as the inclusion while the balancing is known as the equity.
Integrity
The idea that we should earn what we have and that we should not claim to obtain what we did not work for signifies integrity. Integrity is the quality of being entirely complete, it is the major pillar that our success or failure rest on. Integrity is what confidence is built on, it has a high influence of value and it facilitates our brand i.e. our uniqueness. For me, being able to do work or research myself gives me boldness and that is what integrity means. More so, being able to succeed because of merit or other factors should not change our stand about integrity. Examples of lack of integrity in academia is plagiarism. This is a serious offence in academia and there are great people who have being alleged to plagiarism. One of them is Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr. A civil right leader who won a noble prize and brought a change in the United States. He pursued a doctorate degree at Boston university, wrote a dissertation titled “A comparison of the conception of God in the thinking of Paul & Henry “and successfully defended his dissertation. However, it was later discovered that some portion of his writing were taken from other authors examples Ralph Lurker( a historian who was responsible for Martin Luther King paper’s project). Furthermore, his speech titled “I have a Dream” has also being claimed to have been stolen from another pastor. This allegation of plagiarism was discovered several decades after his death long he became a national hero. The allegation has become a footnote has this did not change people’s opinion of him. Meanwhile, if he was alive and still an academic, his reputation would have been snared with huge impact to his life work.
As for me, I ensure that whenever I use other people’s thought or writings I diligently cite them when necessary. This how I promote integrity in my work.
MY ORIGIN
I originated from Nigeria which is a federal republic in west Africa. Geographically, it is located in western Africa on gulf of Guinea and has a total areas of 923, 768 km/square and which makes it the world’s 32nd largest country and this is about twice of size of the US state of California. It has 36 states, one Federal Capital Territory which are sub-divided into 774 local government area and aggregated into six geopolitical zones which are North-Central, south-east, south-south and south-west. My family ancestry hails from the south-west in Nigeria specifically from the largest city known as Ibadan. Coming to Virginia Tech for my masters program and seeing students of diverse backgrounds like me makes me feel welcome into the community.
DIVERSITY
The Journey Begins
Thanks for joining me!
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
Helen Omotayo AJAO 