Ginikachi Prisca Ifenatuora Recognised Among Top Winners of Dratech Inclusive Learning Innovation Award 2024

By Nkem Onyediaka

An education professional and instructional design specialist honoured for advancing inclusive, accessible, and research-driven learning solutions

Ginikachi Prisca Ifenatuora has emerged as one of the three winners of the Dratech Inclusive Learning Innovation Award 2024, following the conclusion of the Dratech International Conference 2024. Her recognition places her among the top three finalists selected from a competitive pool of ten nominees, each evaluated against rigorous criteria focused on innovation, inclusion, leadership, and measurable educational impact.

The Dratech Inclusive Learning Innovation Award is designed to spotlight professionals whose work goes beyond conventional teaching or technology adoption to address systemic learning challenges, particularly for diverse and underserved learner populations. In the 2024 award cycle, the judging process emphasised documented outcomes, depth of practice, and relevance to contemporary learning environments. Ginikachi Prisca Ifenatuora’s professional record aligned closely with these benchmarks, leading to her selection as one of the final award recipients.

Her career reflects a deliberate and sustained progression from classroom-based teaching into instructional design, research, and learning innovation. With strong foundations in language education, learner support, and curriculum development, she built early experience working directly with learners across varied academic abilities and cultural contexts. This classroom grounding has remained central to her work, shaping her approach to learning design as practical, inclusive, and responsive rather than abstract or technology-driven for its own sake.

As her professional focus expanded, she transitioned into instructional design and educational research, applying structured design principles to improve how learning content is developed, delivered, and evaluated. Her work in this area includes the design and review of training programmes, digital learning materials, and blended learning environments. Across these roles, she has consistently prioritised clarity, accessibility, and learner engagement, ensuring that instructional materials are usable by learners with different linguistic backgrounds, learning needs, and levels of digital access.

A key element of her recognition under the Dratech Inclusive Learning Innovation Award is her contribution to inclusive digital learning design. During the 2024 award year, she was involved in projects that focused on developing accessible and learner-centred digital training content. These projects integrated accessibility standards, culturally responsive design, and structured instructional flow to improve learning outcomes for diverse audiences. Rather than treating inclusion as an add-on, her work embedded accessibility into the core of learning design, aligning with the award’s emphasis on inclusive innovation.

Beyond applied design work, Ginikachi Prisca Ifenatuora has built a substantial academic profile through research and scholarly publication. She has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles examining inclusive education, digital storytelling, experiential learning, gamification, and accessible learning design. Her research consistently addresses how learning environments can be adapted to better serve learners in resource-constrained or culturally diverse contexts, with particular attention to equity and practical implementation.

These research contributions are notable for their applied focus. Rather than remaining theoretical, her studies often propose frameworks, models, or strategies that can be implemented by educators, instructional designers, and institutions. This alignment between research and practice strengthens the relevance of her work and reflects the type of innovation recognised by the Dratech award framework.

Her influence also extends into academic service and professional leadership. She has served in editorial and peer review roles for academic journals, contributing to quality assurance in educational research and supporting the development of emerging scholars. Through these roles, she has helped shape scholarly discourse in areas such as instructional design, inclusive education, digital learning, and public-oriented education research. This service work reflects a broader commitment to strengthening educational ecosystems rather than focusing solely on individual advancement.

In addition, she has participated in student and professional leadership activities that involve programme planning, advocacy, and community building. These roles have allowed her to contribute to decision-making processes, resource allocation discussions, and initiatives aimed at improving academic and professional experiences for diverse groups. Such engagement aligns with the leadership dimension of the Dratech Inclusive Learning Innovation Award, which values influence that supports collective improvement and institutional growth.

The broader impact of her work is most evident in its focus on underserved and diverse learner populations. Whether through classroom teaching, instructional design, or research, her efforts consistently address gaps in access, understanding, and participation. By designing learning experiences that are accessible, culturally aware, and grounded in real learner needs, she has contributed to improving educational outcomes beyond a single classroom or organisation.

Her selection as one of the top three award recipients reflects clear alignment with the judging criteria of the Dratech Inclusive Learning Innovation Award. She demonstrated innovation through applied learning design rather than experimental novelty. She showed leadership through mentorship, collaboration, and service. She delivered measurable impact through improved clarity, usability, and inclusiveness of learning materials. Collectively, these elements met the standards set for the 2024 award cycle.

The recognition of Ginikachi Prisca Ifenatuora also highlights the growing importance of inclusive learning innovation within the global education landscape. As education systems continue to adapt to digital transformation, demographic diversity, and changing workforce demands, professionals who combine pedagogical discipline with inclusive design principles are increasingly vital. Her work offers a practical example of how education innovation can remain grounded in learner realities while embracing analytical and design-based approaches.

Within the context of Nigeria and the wider international education community, her achievement signals the value of research-informed practice and cross-disciplinary expertise. It reinforces the role of instructional designers and education researchers as key contributors to innovation, particularly in environments where access, equity, and quality remain pressing concerns.

As the Dratech International Conference and Awards continue to evolve as a platform for recognising impactful innovation, the 2024 award outcomes underscore a shift toward depth, evidence, and inclusivity. The selection of winners from a pool of ten nominees reflects a competitive process grounded in merit and relevance, rather than visibility alone.

Looking ahead, the recognition of professionals such as Ginikachi Prisca Ifenatuora contributes to a growing ecosystem that values thoughtful learning design, applied research, and inclusive educational practice. It also sets a benchmark for future nominees and participants within the Dratech community.

Educators, researchers, instructional designers, and innovation professionals are encouraged to engage with this evolving platform as the Dratech International Conference and Awards move toward the 2025 edition. Participation in future cycles offers an opportunity to contribute to ongoing conversations around education innovation, inclusion, and sustainable learning impact within Nigeria and beyond.