Research and publications from the Faculty of Education were recognized nationally at the Canadian Society for the Study of Education Conference (CSSE) on May 23rd, 2016.
The annual CSSE conference gathers professors and students from across Canada to share in innovative, practice, praxis and research. This year the conference was held at the University of Calgary, in Calgary AB.
Christopher Martin
“President’s Spotlight” sessions are considered to have a broad appeal and are highlighted throughout the conference. This year, Dr’s. Karen Ragoonaden, Sabre Cherkowki , Christopher Martin and graduate students, Jennifer Kelly and Kelly Hansen’s conference presentations were identified as spotlighted sessions.
In “Questioning the Classroom: Perspectives on Canadian Education,” a textbook co-written by Chris Martin, Dianne Gereluk, Trevor Norris and Bruce Maxwell, prospective teacher candidates are introduced to questions of fundamental importance for education in Canada.
“We wanted students to understand how issues such as parental rights, professional autonomy, civic identity, equality of opportunity and cultural rights can and do play out in the Canadian classroom,” says Martin.
Keith Walker and Sabre Cherkowski
Sabre Cherkowski , Jennifer Kelly, Kelly Hanson and Keith Walker discussed their research about “flourishing” in schools across BC and Saskatchewan. Flourishing is described as thriving and finding joy in ones work. Cherkowski and her associates are developing a toolkit of resources for educators to noticing, nurture, and sustain positive practices and mindsets in schools.
“We are intrigued,” says Cherkowski, “as we explore positive practices that generate school cultures such that they are alive with a sense of purpose, passion and play.”
Karen Ragoonaden, Andrew Kitchenham, Tina Fraser and Michelle Pidgeon presented on their study, “Exploring Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreements.” The project was undertaken to build upon previous studies of the Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreements (AEEA) within BC school systems and to gain insight into the questions: How have AEEAs helped improve Aboriginal education and what improvements to the AEEAs are needed to move forward?
Karen Ragoonaden
“This collaborative research examining the impact of AEEA on Aboriginal learners, their families, communities, and the schools that serve them, and highlights the importance of establishing respectful partnerships, transparent communication by identifying the uniqueness and the challenges of AEEA implementations,” says Ragoonaden.
Faculty members also be in attendance include Susan Crichton, Leyton Schnellert, Margaret Macintyre Latta, Catherine Broom, Robert Campbell, Scott Douglas, and graduate student, Kim Ondrik.