Clara Araba Mills is a Lecturer in Educational Planning and Curriculum Design at the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA), a Category II Centre of Excellence under the Auspices of UNESCO at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana. With a robust background in educational planning and curriculum development, Clara plays a pivotal role in lecturing, designing academic programmes, conducting research, and supervising postgraduate theses both within and beyond UCC. Her contributions extend to the Office of Programmes and Professional Development, as well as the Office of Grants and Consultancy at IEPA.
Clara's academic credentials are impressive. She holds a PhD in Qualitative Research in Education with a specialization in Curriculum Design, an MPhil in Educational Planning, and a bachelor’s degree in arts education, all from the University of Cape Coast. Additionally, she has earned an International Certificate of Advanced Studies in Education Sector Planning from IIEP-UNESCO.
Before her joining IEPA, Clara dedicated thirteen years to lecturing at Takoradi Technical University. During this period, she advanced her academic qualifications by completing two additional postgraduate programmes and contributed to IEPA’s research collaboration with the University of Bristol on the EdQual Project as a Research Assistant.
Since joining IEPA, Clara has honed practical skills in communication, research, creative writing, grants and consultancy portfolio development and management, and leadership. These competencies are crucial for IEPA's operations as a UNESCO Category II institute and have empowered Clara to significantly contribute to realizing the vision and mission of the institute. Clara's extensive background and expertise are instrumental in driving IEPA’s agenda forward, and she is committed to fostering the institution’s continued growth and success.
Dr. Clara Araba Mills
Lecturer - ( Senior Member ) Institute for Educational Planning and AdministrationMy teaching philosophy is rooted in social-constructivism, aiming to achieve quality and relevance in students' learning. Contemporary education underscores the importance of bridging the gap between knowledge and societal needs, making it essential to support students in constructing knowledge through interactions with their peers and environment. I employ a questioning approach to help students learn through inquiry methods, develop problem-identification skills, and navigate the process from conceptualizing issues to selecting the most appropriate solutions or interventions.
I believe that knowledge is not something that can be simply taught, but rather discovered. Therefore, I see my role as a facilitator who guides students in uncovering the knowledge they already possess. Engaging students interactively and witnessing their growth and discoveries throughout the course is immensely rewarding.
Fundamental to these outcomes are the new skills and knowledge students acquire, and their ability to apply these in various challenging academic and real-life situations. For instance, in the academic realm, postgraduate students often focus on thesis work, providing opportunities to write, conceptualize, and apply their learning within the research space
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Participant
Melinda Gates Foundation/ESSA/REAL/inasp Grant Proposal Writing Workshop for Africa-Based Foundational Learning Researchers Ange Hill Hotel, Accra.
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Co-Presenter
9th Association of West African Universities (AWAU) Conference, 2024 and 11th Annual General Meeting. School of Graduate Studies Auditorium, UCC, Cape Coast.
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Moderator
National Education Week (NEW), Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra .
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Presenter
International Conference on Educational Research for Development in Africa (ICERDA). School of Graduate Studies Auditorium, UCC, Cape Coast.
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Co-Presenter
67th Annual Comparative and International Education Conference (CIES) Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington, DC, USA.
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Participant
Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) Workshop on Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sam Jonah Library.
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Presenter
National Education Week (NEW). Accra International Conference Center, Accra.
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Co-Presenter
66th Annual Comparative and International Education Conference (CIES) Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis, USA.
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Co-Presenter
National Education Week (NEW), Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra.
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Participant
Luminos Fund Webinar Webinar.
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Towards Building Resilience in the Ghana School Feeding Programme
Foreign Commonwealth Development Office, London, UK/Centre for Global Development, London, UK
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Survey of Research and Development Culture of Public Universities in West Africa Data Collection Assignment
IDRC sub-contracted by ESSA
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Back to School Research Related to Post-COVID-19 School Closures
Centre for Global Development.
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Split-site Ph.D. Scholar
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission