Title/Qualifications: PhD
Department/Unit/Section: Music and Dance
Contact Address: P.O. BOX 43844-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Position: Lecturer and Coordinator KU Bands
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Area of Specialization: Music Education, Musicology, Identity Studies, Qualitative Research Methods
Research Interests: Music Education and Practice, Art Based Approach to Conflict Management and Transformation, Adolescence Studies, Music Identity, Visual and Lyric Research Approaches, Gender in Arts

Conference Presentations

2017:

  • The significance of hip hop music in participatory research studies that involve the youth. A       paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga and Aletta Delport at the       International Conference on Education, Stockholm, Sweden|4th-8th June 2017.
  • The significance of Arts (Music) in communicating science to the public in Africa. A paper presented at the inaugural meeting of the Women in Biosciences at the Royal Orchid Hotel, Nairobi Kenya| April 20, 2017
  • Participated in the Kenya Music Festival adjudicators and trainers workshop held at Tom Mboya Labour College, Kisumu from the 28th April to 2nd May 2017.
  • Organized an interactive workshop dubbed as “breaking the walls, bridging the gap: Hip hop meets academia” In collaboration with Winston Salem State University at Kenyatta University | March 14th 2017.

2016:

  • Humanizing pedagogy: Capacitating the teacher for inclusive education for persons with disabilities in institutions of Higher Education in Kenya. A paper presented during The 3rd International Annual Conference on Education and Lifelong Learning|6th -7th October 2016.
  • Exploring feminist perspectives of female adolescents through Hip hop Music. A paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga during the INFRA conference|October 2016
  • Music as social discourse: the contribution of hip-hop culture to peace building and cohesion in Kenya. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga, Damaris Nyaboke and Kamau Wango. Paper presented at the KNATCOM, UNESCO and Kenyatta University cultural symposium 3-5th August 2016

2015:

  • The significance of Hip Hop Music to Teaching, Learning and Research on youth (For) Youth in Kenya. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga, at the MCEI Intensive Programme at the University of Western Cape Potchefstroom; 2nd-11 March 2015.
  • UNESCO Round Table forum on “Culture and development in post 2015 development agenda. Dialogues from Kenya. Forum held at the UN Headquarters, Gigiri , Nairobi on 15th May 2015

2014.

  • Trends in Research and Documentation of Music in the 21st Century: The Kenyan Situation. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga and John Katuli during the 1st PASMAE East African Regional Conference, Kenyatta University, Nairobi 17 – 18October 2014.
  • Strengthening Teachers practice through Visual Methodologies. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga and Duncan Wambugu during the 31st ISME World Conference, 20th – 25th July 2014, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 

2013

  • Building the Antiracist University (BAU): Next Steps. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga, Velile Notshulwana at the Annual Black History Month Conference, The University of Leeds, October, 18th 2013,
  • Exploring Hip Hop Music through the Participatory Research Approach. A paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga and Alleta Delport at the Eighth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Prague, Czech Rep, 30 July-1 August 2013
  • Reflections on an era: Freedom songs and liberation movements in Africa. A case study of Kenya and South Africa Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga and Velile Notshulwana at the East Africa at 50 conference: University of Nairobi: September 10 - 12, 2013
  • Gender Education Liberation Agenda: An Art-Based Participatory Approach. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga and Maurice Amateshe at the Mount Kenya University Annual research and Innovation conference; August 28th -30th, 2013.
  • Building an anti-racist academy: Plotting a pathway for youth (the next generation of academic); presentation by Priscilla Gitonga, Velile Notshulwana, Tanaka Mugabe, Ngcwalisa Jama and Asisipho Petelo at the annual South African Sociological Association conference June 30 – July 3, 2013 University of South Africa, Sunnyside, Pretoria, South Africa

2012

  • Teacher identity: The value of participatory research approach: A work in progress. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga and Robin Notshulwana. at the Early Childhood Development: Numeracy in Early Learning, Rhodes University, 10th-14th September 2012.
  • Deconstructing school curriculum reform documents in South Africa: A work in progress. Paper presented by Dalene Swanson and Priscilla Gitonga at the Early Childhood Development: Numeracy in Early Learning, Rhodes University, 10th -14th September 2012.
  • The contribution of hip hop to the construction of personal identity of South African late female adolescents. Paper presented by Pricsilla Gitonga at the 1st PhD dissemination seminar. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 11th and 12 June 2012.
  • Decentralization in Education: overcoming challenges an achieving success; the Kenyan experience. A national policy seminar held at Kenyatta University on 26th-27th November 2012

2011

  • Research for Humanity: Reflections of a method. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga and Aletta Delport at the Kenton Education Association Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, 3rd -6th November 2011.
  • “Practitioner is not a dirty word” An inquiry into the Grade R teacher Identity in South Africa. (Work in Progress). Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga, Noluthando Toni, Robin Notshulwana and Nokhanyo Mayaba at University of Johannesburg Winter School, July 2011.

2009 and earlier

  • Music as Social Discourse. The contribution of popular music in the awareness and Prevention of HIV/Aids in Kenya. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga at the ASPM-conference, Halle an der Saale, Germany, 25th - 27th September 2009.
  • Popular music as social discourse in the awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS among the young people of Nairobi, Kenya. Paper presented by Priscilla Gitonga at the South African Society for Research in Music (SASRIM) conference, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 21st -23rd September 2008.
  • Attended the UNISTAFF network conference on quality assurance in higher education at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, 6th-10th November 2006.
  • Attended the National conference on Higher Education for human development in Kenya held at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, and 17th -20th April 2000.

Research

  • Priscilla Gitonga 2012 Unpublished PhD thesis: The contribution of hip hop to the construction of personal identities of South African female late adolescents
  • Priscilla Gitonga 2012 Identity Macro concept. The Cape Consortium for the European Union Primary Education Sector policy support programme (EUPESPSP). (Unpublished).
  • Priscilla Gitonga 2009 Unpublished master’s thesis: Music as a social discourse: The contribution of popular music to the awareness and prevention of HIV/Aids in Nairobi, Kenya

Publications

2016:

  • Gitonga, P. N., Wango, K., & Nyamwamu, D. (2016). Music and social discourse, the contribution of hip-hop culture to peace building and cohesion in Kenya. NATCOM/UNESCO/KU National Culture Symposium. Nairobi: Print Maxim .

2015:

  • Gitonga, Priscilla Nyawira, and Aletta Delport. "Exploring the use of hip hop music in participatory reswearch studies that involve the youth ." Journal of Youth Studies , 2015.
  • Gitonga, Priscilla Nyawira, and Aletta Delport. "Art Education during adolescence: Exploring the contribution of Hip hop to identity construction." In The wisdom of the many- Key issues in Arts Education. International Yearbook for Research in Arts Education, edited by Shifra Schonmann. WAXMAN, 2015.

2012:

  • Gitonga, Priscilla. "The contribution of hip hop to the construction of identity of South Africa female late adolescents." Phd Thesis. Port Elizabeth: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012.

2009

  • Gitonga, Priscilla. "Music as social discourse: The contribtion of popular music to the awareness and prevention of HIV/Aids in Nairobi, Kenya." Masters Thesis. Port Elizabeth: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009.

Chairperson

Dr. Duncan Miano Wambugu

Dr. Duncan Miano Wambugu
Chairperson,
Music and Dance

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