The UBC Faculty of Education Global Speaker Series on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Inclusion is an annual event that addresses some of society’s most pressing priorities by sharing and learning from stories from around the world.

Tiq Milan (he/him) is a writer, storyteller, and cultural strategist whose work illuminates the intersections of gender, justice and personal transformation. For over fifteen years, he has helped audiences across North America understand the power of authentic narrative as a tool for empathy, inclusion and social change. A former Senior Media Strategist and National Spokesperson at GLAAD, Tiq has led national campaigns advancing transgender visibility and trained executives, advocates, and youth leaders in powerful, equity-centred storytelling.

Learn more and register at educ.ubc.ca

Date and Time

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

5:00 pm PST: Doors open
5:30 pm PST: Program begins
7:00 pm PST: Event concludes

Location

Marine Drive Ballroom
2205 Lower Mall
UBC Vancouver Campus

This event will also be live streamed.

Learn more and register at educ.ubc.ca

Stacy Daley

Stacy Daley’s, MEd ‘12, days are filled with connection. Whether she’s answering questions over email, meeting with prospective applicants one-on-one, or creating space for students to connect with one another, her work is centered around ensuring students feel seen and supported as they navigate one of the most demanding career paths.

Stacy is the Black Initiatives Coordinator for the Southern Medical Program in the Faculty of Medicine, UBC Okanagan. Her role supports both prospective applicants and current medical students.

On the recruitment side, she connects with prospective applicants through one-on-one conversations, phone calls, email exchanges, career fairs/event, and information sessions—helping them understand the application process and what life as a medical student might look like.

On the student affairs side, she focuses on building community and ensuring students feel supported once they arrive. She organizes welcome dinners, social gatherings and creative activities designed to help students connect with each other and feel a sense of belonging.

“I’m with them from their initial interest in the program right through to graduation,” she says. “I’ll be there at their hooding ceremony. That’s what gives me the greatest satisfaction—being with them from the beginning to the end.”

***

Stacy first arrived in the Okanagan in 2008 to help her sister settle in as a student before returning home to Jamaica. It was her sister who eventually encouraged her to apply to UBC Okanagan.

“I wasn’t really interested in studying at that time,” Stacy recalls. “But she kept saying, ‘Why don’t you just apply?’ So, I did.”

She was accepted and returned to Kelowna in 2009, enrolling in the Master of Education program in the Okanagan School of Education. At the time, UBC Okanagan was still growing into what it is today, and Stacy was coming from a place of deep professional experience. In Jamaica, she had spent nearly 14 years teaching business courses at the post-secondary level.

She reflects on how engaged she was in campus life as a graduate student. She had been a graduate teaching assistant doing research work for several faculty members across the School of Education, including Dr. Lynn Bosetti, Dr. Nancy Evans, Dr. Karen Ragoonaden, Dr. Sabre Cherkowski, and others.

“If there was an event, I was there,” she says with a laugh. “I even remember singing a Bob Marley song at one of the staff Christmas parties.”

That sense of involvement carried through her studies and into her career. After graduating, she held roles as an administrator, lecturer, professional development instructor, vocational instructor, and employment consultant. Working across classrooms, front desks and administrative offices shaped her belief in the importance of consistency and care in student support, an approach she now brings to her work in the Southern Medical Program.

“Medical school is stressful,” she says. “Students need someone who is consistently there. Someone cheering them on.”

Looking back on her graduate experience at UBC Okanagan, Stacy sees clear connections between what she learned then and how she works now. One of the most formative influences was her research coursework with Dr. Carol Scarff, who helped her recognize research as a personal strength.

“I remember when I was doing my research, she told me, ‘This is what you’re good at,’” Stacy recalls. “I realized that research is one of my passions.”

That passion carried forward when Stacy was recently tasked with developing research-informed MMI interview questions for incoming medical applicants. The process felt familiar.

“It was like doing a literature review,” she says. “Those skills really stayed with me.”

Alongside that academic foundation, the relationships she built in the Okanagan School of Education have also continued as she remains in touch with a number of her former professors and mentors.

“For me, the relationships I was able to build with my professors and other staff members was a highlight,” she says. “Professors such as Dr. Carol Scarff, Dr. Robert Campbell, Dr. John Mitchell, and the late Dr. Philip Balcaen. Staff members such as Lindsay Cox and others made me feel extremely welcomed as an international student.”

That focus on connection doesn’t stop at the classroom or workplace, it shapes how Stacy shows up in the broader community.

“This is extremely important to me—that I give back to the community,” she says. “I have benefitted from the generosity of many people in the Okanagan, and volunteering is my way of saying thanks.”

Over the years, she has volunteered with the Central Okanagan Food Bank, served as a volunteer tutor at Okanagan College, and currently volunteers in the library, singles’ ministry, and food bank at the Kelowna Church of the Nazarene where she is a member of the church. She also remains active in UBCO community beyond her formal role, as she supports graduates at convocation ceremonies and contributes to initiatives such as Black History Month Planning committee, the Black Caucus, and the African-Caribbean Student Union.

“Being involved is how change happens,” she says. “You can’t expect things to improve if you’re not part of the conversation.”

That belief also informs the advice she offers to incoming students — encouraging them to get involved on campus and remembering that university life is about more than grades.

“Academics matter, but so does having a social life,” she says. “Go and see a movie on the weekend, maybe meet with some friends and have a pizza, or take a walk in the park and enjoy nature. Try and do other things that enrich your life.

For Stacy, returning to UBC Okanagan, years after she first arrived as a student, has been deeply meaningful.

“I feel like I’ve come full circle,” she says.

Math has always been Nelli Kim Sia Acejo’s, BEd ’23 & MEd ’25, anchor. After completing her undergraduate and graduate studies in mathematics and becoming a licensed teacher in the Philippines, immigrated to Canada. Her family settled in northern B.C., where she worked as a math instructor at a local college campus. She enjoyed her work, but something felt like it was missing.

“I realized I still wanted to get my teacher certification in the province of B.C.,” she says. “I wanted to be back in the K–12 classroom.”

She began exploring her options and was drawn to UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Education program—a decision that meant uprooting her family from northern B.C. and starting over in the Okanagan during the uncertainty of the 2020 pandemic. While waiting for the next intake, she completed prerequisite coursework and enrolled part-time in UBCO’s Master of Education program in January 2021, determined to keep moving forward.

When she began the Bachelor of Education program, she often listened quietly and observed, absorbing the program’s emphasis on becoming a “scholar-practitioner”—an approach that left a lasting impression.

“In the Bachelor of Education, it was always about reflection,” she says. “Now, when something doesn’t go the way I want in my classroom, I step back and ask, ‘What happened? What could I do differently next time?’ When a similar situation comes again, I handle it better. It helped me build a growth mindset.”

After completing the program in December 2022, she worked as a substitute teacher until she was offered a contract from February to June, teaching secondary math. Soon after, an opportunity emerged in San Jose, California, and her family moved again.

Today, she teaches high school math to a diverse group of learners, many of whom are English language learners or students who have experienced disruptions in their schooling. Most of her classes are Grade 9—a transitional year she approaches with care and intention.

She focuses on carefully paced lessons and real-time checks for understanding, often using individual whiteboards so she can quickly see where students are struggling and respond in the moment.

“On a whiteboard, I can see right away who understands and who doesn’t,” she says. She traces that approach back to her training at UBCO and its emphasis on being responsive and reading the room.

On days that feel especially long, she returns to small notes from students that quietly remind her why the work matters.

“One student wrote, ‘Miss, you’re the only person who stood by me. I had F’s before, but now I see an A-minus,’” she shares. “I put those notes on my wall. When life is crazy, those are what make me go back every day.”

Beyond her own classroom, she continues to explore innovative and culturally grounded approaches to mathematics education. Drawing on games she played growing up in the Philippines, she has authored and co-authored articles for the BC Teachers’ Federation magazine, including Beyond Checkers: How a Filipino Game Revolutionized Learning Through Math, Science, and Inclusion, which explores the classroom potential of damath, a math-based checkers-style game, and Math UNOversal: The ultimate math card game as a tool for fostering mathematical thinking. She has also served as a judge for the Canada-Wide Science Fair, an experience she describes as “eye-opening and energizing.”

Perhaps her most far-reaching work, however, grew out of her own struggles to navigate certification as an internationally trained teacher. Seeing how often other Filipino educators were told that becoming a certified teacher in Canada would be “too hard” or “impossible,” she decided to create a support network.

“There are lots of hurdles,” she says. “If you’re not local, you don’t know what documents are called, where to get them, or how provincial requirements translate from one system to another.”

She founded a Facebook group for Filipino teachers in or heading to Canada who wanted to teach in K–12 schools. She began researching certification requirements across all provinces, creating posts that broke down what each region required and where to find official information. She also offered guidance for those still overseas on how to obtain documents before arrival.

“People started sending me private messages: ‘You don’t know me, but I got my teaching certificate because of your post,’” she says. “It was very heartwarming.”

The group has grown to about 11,000 members, and she also moderates a U.S.-based support group with nearly 87,000 educators. Recently, she formalized the Canadian group as a registered society in B.C. and shared documentation with Philippine consulates across the country.

“Canada has teacher shortages,” she says. “If we can help internationally trained teachers become certified, we’re helping individuals and helping the country at the same time.”

All of this happens alongside her full-time teaching load, family responsibilities, and pursuing her second doctoral degree — with classes that sometimes run until 3:30 a.m. her time.

“I don’t always know where I get the strength to do all of this,” she admits, laughing. “But I keep asking myself, ‘How can I make myself useful to the community?’ That question keeps me going.”

Through it all, she remains deeply grateful for her time at UBC Okanagan.

“My professors might not remember me, but I remember them,” she says. “The Bachelor of Education was a life-changing event for me. It gave me the teacher credential I needed and helped me see more of what I could do—for my students, for other teachers and for the wider community.”

She hopes her story will encourage others who feel stuck to take that first brave step.

“If you want to do something and you spend years just thinking about it, you’ll still be in the same place,” she says. “You could have been done already. Do it—and if there are problems, find ways around them.”

If you’ve ever thought about a well-designed textbook and considered what made it a good textbook, you’re asking the kind of questions that helped prompt Dr. Scott Douglas’s career. As a graduate student, he found himself drawn to big questions about learning.

“I really started thinking about what curriculum is and how that relates to what I’m doing in the classroom,” says Douglas. “That’s where I began asking some big questions, like how do we sequence lessons, what are the learning outcomes, and what is the goal of all of this?”

Those early questions now shape his work as a professor in the Okanagan School of Education, where some of his work and research focuses on designing learning materials for students and teachers. His research has also helped to shape the Q: Skills for Success Reading & Writing series, co-authored with Dr. Nigel Caplan, now in its fourth edition.

Douglas’s involvement in developing the textbook began through volunteer work with Alberta Teachers of English as a Second Language (ATESL), where helping set up conference exhibition halls led to conversations with educational publishers — and ultimately to an invitation from Oxford University Press to develop and submit some sample materials for a new academic English series. After reviewing the sample materials, Oxford’s editorial team looked at who might work well together. Douglas was then introduced to Caplan, beginning a collaboration that has now spanned nearly two decades.

When Douglas developed his first chapters, he had to shift his thinking from planning lessons to designing materials that could be used by teachers in many different contexts.

“When I first started doing the sample chapters, the managing editor said it looked like I was writing a lesson plan,” he says. “But the materials aren’t the lessons. The materials are a launching pad for teachers to make their own lessons.”

Over time, Douglas’s approach to materials development has evolved into a deeply collaborative process. He and Caplan start by mapping out the big picture like deciding which skills and vocabulary students will encounter, how those skills will unfold across units, and what the book is ultimately preparing learners to do. They then divide the chapters and write in parallel, regularly sharing drafts to keep the text balanced and coherent.

“For every one hour of classroom materials I create, it’s about 100 hours of work,” Douglas explains. “And that doesn’t include all of the time for the full team involved in developing the series, like the developmental editors who provide feedback on every instruction line, copy editors checking punctuation, art editors sourcing or commissioning images, layout specialists shaping pages, and peer reviewers offering scholarly feedback.”

Another part of Douglas’s work with Q: Skills involves connecting with educators around the world. From time to time, Oxford University Press invites him to deliver author talks and workshops online and in places like Japan, Korea, and Thailand. His presentations draw on everything from inquiry-based curriculum design and critical thinking to digital literacies, vocabulary instruction, and global competencies. However, every educational context typically calls for something slightly different.

“In Japan, they wanted a deep dive into global skills. In Korea, the request was for explorations of reading strategies. In Thailand, they asked for and examination of curriculum development and the role of Bloom’s taxonomy,” he explains. “Flexibility is key. You have to listen to what teachers on the ground actually need.”

For individuals interested in the field of learning materials design, Douglas recommends getting involved in professional communities early, particularly through teaching organizations such as the Association of British Columbia Teachers of English as an Additional Language (BC TEAL).

“Join your local professional organization,” he says. “Go to conferences. Go to any professional development you can. That’s where you meet publishers, see the newest materials, understand what people in the field need, and start to imagine how you can contribute.” He also added, “the other thing that really supported my foray into educational materials writing as completing my master’s degree in Education where I gained a better understanding of the how learning works.”

That same sense of connection and engagement continues to shape how Douglas approaches his work today.

“Here we are in the Okanagan, but our work connects us with educators around the world,” he says. “I love bringing those ideas back to our graduate students. If they’re curious about curriculum, about vocabulary, about writing, or about how materials are designed—I want them to see how far those interests can take them.”

Congratulations to Katie Foreman, one of our two Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship recipients!

As noted by her nominator, Katie’s dedication to teaching is evident in every aspect of her work. She combines creativity, adaptability, and a deep sense of empathy to foster classrooms where students feel supported and inspired to learn. During her field experience, Katie developed personalized reading strategies that built students’ confidence, while also engaging fully in school life, including volunteering her evenings to support internationally visiting teachers and students during their time in Kelowna.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all. To be recognized out of 120 candidates—it was such an honour,” she says. “For me, teaching is really about making connections and supporting students beyond academics. I genuinely love building connections with kids and helping them feel appreciated.”

***
Teaching had been on Katie Foreman’s horizon long before university. With several teachers in her family, she grew up surrounded by inspiring role models.

“I always knew I wanted to work with kids,” she explains. “I taught dance growing up, had amazing mentors in high school, and those opportunities really sparked my love for education.”

Before entering the Bachelor of Education (BEd) program, she gained valuable experience at Brentwood College School, an independent boarding school in Mill Bay. Supporting Grade 11 and 12 students through the uncertainty of post-secondary planning became a meaningful part of her role. For many, those years carried a lot of pressure. She focused on helping students slow down, explore possibilities, and feel reassured that they didn’t need to have everything figured out at once. That support naturally extended into the rest of her work.

“Because I lived on campus, those conversations happened throughout daily life,” she says. “In a boarding school, you’re not just teaching. You’re coaching sports and arts, helping with student life and boarding routines, and cheering students on through all the overwhelming parts of being a teenager. I really enjoyed building these amazing connections with staff and students.”

Looking back on her time in the BEd program, she describes her practicum candidacy and now internship as a highlight.

“You spend the fall learning so much, and by the end you’re just eager to put theory into practice,” she says. “Getting into the classroom was so rewarding. It was the first chance to see everything we had talked about start to come together.”

She also values the friendships and connections she has built with classmates, mentors, and faculty. “My mom always said it takes a village, and I’ve been lucky to have an incredible village supporting me—my family, my mentors, my professors, my peers.”

For future BEd students, Katie’s advice is simple: be ready for a whirlwind.

“It goes by so fast. Take opportunities as they come, ask questions, put yourself out there, but also take care of yourself. Set boundaries and know your limits, because you can’t show up for your students if you’re not showing up for yourself. There will be highs and lows, but the growth you see in yourself and in your colleagues makes it all worth it.”

About the Madeline Betty Korfman Scholarship

This scholarship has been endowed through a bequest by Madeline Betty Korfman to honour her love for teaching. Madeline Korfman taught school in southwestern Saskatchewan before relocating to the Okanagan in the mid-1900s. This scholarship is awarded to two teacher candidates who significantly demonstrate a “love for teaching” based on the recommendation of Okanagan School of Education faculty.

After more than 15 years in education, Kyle Hamilton still describes the profession with a sense of energy and passion. His desire to teach was shaped, in part, by a formative moment in high school — one that helped him understand what belonging can feel like for a young person.  It started with joining an improv theatre group and meeting a teacher whose approach left a lasting mark.

“The teacher that facilitated that experience for us was amazing and I connected with her, and really made incredibly strong friendships with the other students that were part of that,” he says. “It was a real formative moment as I felt a sense of belonging within school. I had the thought that if I could play a role in replicating something similar for kids, that would be a really worthwhile way to spend my life.”

That spark continued to influence his work as he entered the profession. With each passing year, he became more interested in understanding the principles behind his teaching and in shaping a clearer sense of who he wanted to be as an educator.

“I found it really beneficial after having taught several years and starting to feel like I understood my own practice and my own orientation in the classroom. Starting grad studies then really provided me with an opportunity to more rigorously define the kind of teacher that I was aspiring to be.”

While completing his master’s degree, he was invited to participate in committees reimagining the Bachelor of Education program. Contributing to those conversations introduced him to the field advisor role.

“Being in the academic environment, but having a foot in both worlds felt really exciting,” he says. “My thought was, how can I do more of this?”

Pursuing a PhD, he realized, was the pathway that would allow him to stay in both spaces, teaching and academia, for the long term. In a full circle moment, Kyle found himself reflecting on that sense of belonging he experienced years earlier. He began to think about the conditions that make such communities possible.

“I thought about how community is built amongst a diverse group of young people, and it led me to consider complex social arrangements, diverse cultures and ultimately the connection between democracy and education.”

With this perspective, his began to narrow down his dissertation to focusing on understanding what it means for teachers to enact democratic habits and practices in their everyday work.

“I asked a group of teachers to take a risk and try to teach in democratic ways in their classroom,” he explains. “I wanted to find out what the benefits of that approach were and what were the significant challenges that they encountered in doing so as well.”

Much of the existing literature on democracy in education is American-centric and highly theoretical, offering few concrete examples of what this looks like in practice. His research set out to fill that gap by examining how democratic principles unfold in real classrooms, and what teachers actually experience when they attempt to embody them. For him, the work requires going in “with eyes wide open,” acknowledging the complexity of classrooms rather than holding onto romanticized visions of how such ideals will play out perfectly in day-to-day teaching.

In his dissertation, he identified several practices that can help teachers thoughtfully engage with democratic approaches. He encourages educators to embrace the complexity of classrooms. He also sees value in reimagining classrooms as communities of co-learning, where teachers and students navigate the work of living well together.

“When we create intentional spaces for students to exercise their freedom, where they make choices, take responsibility, and reflect on their experiences, we open the door for real agency and creativity to develop. That’s where meaningful personal and social growth begins,” he says.

He hopes his research might help teachers feel more supported as they navigate the realities of their work.

“I hope that it supports teachers in confidently wading into classroom complexities, and learning to see the richness of the classroom terrain,” he says. “It’s not easy, it’s tricky at times, but there’s real value in embracing that stance in the classroom.”

His findings have already shaped his own teaching practice.

“I think I feel a responsibility being so close to what I’ve learned through this research process to actively embody what it is that I’m advocating for others to do,” he says. He strives to create learning experiences where students meaningfully contribute, bring their cultures and experiences forward, and participate in shaping the learning environment.

Beyond the research findings, the doctoral process also reinforced something important about his own stance as an educator.

“A key takeaway for me is that as an educator, it’s my responsibility to always be a student of learning,” he says. “Every teacher is a learner, every learner is the teacher—simultaneously. The more you know, the less you know.”

In recognition of his doctoral work, he received the Stephen Daniel Pope Award. Receiving this award, he says, feels deeply meaningful.

“It’s honestly humbling. I have a lot of gratitude, and also feelings of imposter syndrome. I know there are many great educators out there who are deserving of this. It’s really humbling to be recognized by your peers for your accomplishments.”

About Stephen Daniel Pope Graduate Award

In memory of Dr. Stephen Daniel Pope, this award is presented to an Okanagan School of Education graduate student who shows great promise in the field of education. Dr. Stephen Daniel Pope is remembered for his passion for education and his significant contributions to the public education system of British Columbia in the 1800s.

Louisa McGlinchey

When Louisa McGlinchey graduated from UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Education program in December 2021, she imagined she’d be heading straight into a classroom of her own. Instead, an unexpected opportunity emerged—one that allowed her to experience nearly every corner of the school.

As an Indigenous Support Teacher, her role followed a steady rhythm of small-group work, classroom support, and constant movement throughout the school.

“Morning was always a great time,” she recalls. “I’d take small groups—probably start with about 20 minutes with two students reading, and then I might grab another group of two. That could be reading as well.”

Some mornings included additional speech-support time.

“A couple of my students were seeing the Speech Language Pathologist, and if they needed extra support, I would take them,” she explains.

From there, she would move into different classrooms to help with whatever students needed that day.

“I’d be supporting reading or writing, and then over snack time I would take a small girls’ group. We’d be working on building connections, building friendships, friendship skills—some social and emotional support.”

The afternoon brought even more variety, often taking her back into classrooms to support learning goals and activities. Most days ended with her working one-on-one with a student on occupational therapy goals, following the recommendations set out by the Occupational Therapist. Throughout it all, she built relationships that grounded and strengthened her work.

“Even though I didn’t have my own classroom, the relationships I developed made up for that,” she says. “I really felt part of the community.”

With students, those relationships were essential to any progress.

“I think the relationship piece was so important,” she explains. “Because I wasn’t their classroom teacher, I had to come in and build those connections first.

That was essential to any work I was actually going to get done with them.”

Seeing students grow became the highlight of her year.

“It felt good knowing that being an extra support in the building, especially for Indigenous students, was making a real difference. And I know the staff felt that too.”

The biggest challenge, she admits, was time.

“There was never enough time to support students in all the ways I wanted to,” she says. “With so many kids, you can’t see everyone every day. Part of the learning was accepting that I could only do so much.”

Though she’s moving on to new opportunities, the experience has stayed with her.

“It was one of the most flexible, rewarding positions I’ve had,” she says. “I got to see students in every grade, support lots of different learning styles in lots of different areas, and adapt to what was needed in the moment throughout the school. Supporting in the classroom as well, I got to see so many different teaching styles. I learned so much about what I like and who I want to be as a teacher.”

Our offices will be closed starting on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. The office will re-open in the new year on Monday, January 5, 2026.

From December 22, 2025 to January 4, 2026, various services on campus, including the library, food services and the fitness centre, will operate with adjusted hours and some offices will be closed.

View Holiday Hours

We hope you have a restful winter break!

Application Dates and Deadlines

Bachelor of Education

If you are applying for the September 2026 admission, the UBC Okanagan application, supplemental application and references are due January 31, 2026. If you are applying to both UBC Vancouver and Okanagan, you must submit your supplemental application and references to each program. Visit the program page for more information.

Master of Arts in Education or Master of Education

If you are applying for the September 2026 admission, the application deadline is January 31, 2026. For required documents and additional information, visit the program page. To view upcoming courses, visit the Graduate Student Resources page.

Please note: The Okanagan School of Education now offers one Masters program intake per year, beginning each September. As a result, May and January intakes are no longer available, and students cannot defer their application or admission to a future term.

Growing up in the Okanagan, Isaac Massey always knew the power of education, though he wasn’t certain he’d end up in front of a classroom himself. What he did know was that he came from a long line of people who cared deeply about teaching.

“I come from a family of teachers,” he shared. “My grandmother was a school teacher in India, my dad was a math and science teacher in the district, and my mom was a chemistry professor at the college. I’m proud to continue the family trade because I know the difference they’ve made in their respective positions, and that it matters when people who take this career seriously have the influence to affect so many others.”

Today, he’s a humanities teacher at a high-school, where he’s spent the past six years teaching English and Social Studies and coaching cross-country and track and field. But despite his family’s legacy, teaching wasn’t always his plan.

“I remember being in my last year of high school, and we had to outline our plans for life after graduation,” he said. “I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. I knew I was interested in studying English, but it wasn’t until that last semester of Grade 12 when I had a really formative teacher – Melanie Wowchuck – and I just knew I wanted to be somebody like her. That class always stayed with me.”

After working as an educator for several years, his curiosity and love of learning drew him back to higher education. Encouragement from close friends, many of whom he met in undergrad and completed the BEd with, pushed him to consider graduate studies.

“I applied for the Masters with my friends – Carlee, Tara, and Jake – and when you’re surrounded by like-minded people who are pursuing the same goal, the experience is very rewarding,” he said. “If I could be a student forever, I would. I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of the excitement and challenge of post-secondary education.”

When he began the MEd program, he didn’t have a specific research direction in mind. That changed in his very first course with Dr. Christopher Martin.

“We were exploring controversial ideas in education, and I had to come up with my own for a paper,” he explained. “I was gripped by the topic, and realized I was just scratching the surface of something, so I slowly developed it into my capstone. It wasn’t something I had thought about beforehand, but after taking that class, it’s what I thought about constantly.”

What emerged was an ambitious project: a book, titled Teaching Good. The book takes a deeper look at the role of moral education in contemporary classrooms, an especially timely topic as British Columbia prepares to introduce mandatory Holocaust education in 2025.

“Curriculum often claims it cares about student wellbeing and civic duty, but seldom commits to what could actually be described as “moral education,” he said. “I see this as a missed opportunity to develop core competencies such as personal and social responsibility.”

Though not formally published, the book is publicly available on the UBC Okanagan School of Education capstone repository. More importantly, the work has already begun shaping the way he approaches his teaching.

“In English Studies 12 and English First Peoples 12, I’ve had the chance to teach students about the difference between empirical and normative writing, and how the latter, I think, necessarily invokes moral justification,” he said. “We have sharing circles and debates on current events and social issues, and students learn that in order to navigate these discussions rationally, they need to appeal to ethical theories and moral sensibilities.”

He sees this work as a natural extension of the BC curriculum.

“Social Studies already uses the language of ‘making ethical judgments,’ but I think that learning outcome sometimes gets sidelined. Teachers might wonder, How am I supposed to grade an ethical judgement? What does a lesson on ethics look like? But if we’re teaching something like World War II, I think there’s no excuse to be modest about the moral facts.

He expands on this in his book, translating his theoretical framework into classroom practice by showing how teachers can correct common moral misunderstandings and proposes options for implementing moral education more intentionally. For him, the goal is not only stronger ethical reasoning, but also a greater awareness of how our choices affect others.

“In the book, I promote organizations such as The Life You Can Save. It’s a website that has vetted some of the most effective charities around the world to ensure that your money is having the greatest possible impact. If the book helps spread that message, then I’m grateful.”

In recognition of his graduate work, he was recently awarded the Outstanding Master-Level Graduate Student Award. The award felt meaningful both personally and philosophically.

“I’m very humbled,” he said. “It’s not really about me. It matters to see an area of research like this recognized. And I can’t take all the credit — people like Dr. Martin and other faculty members helped me more than they’d admit.”

Reflecting on his graduate journey, Isaac encourages future graduate students to strengthen their writing skills early on, noting that clear, concise communication is valuable in both academic and professional settings. He wishes he had encountered resources like George Orwell’s Politics and the English Language sooner, as its emphasis simplicity, precision, and active voice aligned with lessons he now sees as helpful across all aspects of writing. As for what comes next, he’s still deciding.

“I’d love to look into publishing,” he said. “For now, I’m still thinking and writing about these ideas. I’m not quite done with them.”

Elnaz Zamanzade

When Elnaz Zamanzade, MEd, began her second Master’s degree at UBC Okanagan, she wasn’t looking for a new direction so much as a deeper way to understand the work she already enjoyed. Over the past several years, she has worked across multiple English language and student support roles—from English for Academic Purposes (EAP) to workplace-focused language instruction, to serving as an Accessibility Assistant and contributing to campus initiatives. She even helped design a student workbook for English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners in the EAP program.

“I truly enjoy supporting learners and creating spaces where they feel confident, included, and empowered in their learning journey,” she says.

Her path to a second graduate degree grew naturally from her work. With a Master’s in English Literature already completed and several years of EAL teaching behind her, she found herself wanting to deepen her understanding of teaching and language learning.

“I was already working closely with learners, and I wanted to strengthen my understanding of how adults learn, adapt, and build confidence in new environments,” she says. “This program has given me the chance to connect my practical teaching experience with theory, research, and reflective practice.”

That desire to bridge experience with research also shaped her capstone project, Different Learners, Different Needs: Comparing EAL for Academic and Workplace Purposes. Drawing on her work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the English Foundation Program and a Graduate Research Assistant in the English for Work-Life Success project, she examines how learners in each context develop skills, navigate challenges, and build a sense of belonging. She says the idea emerged based on her observations.

“The topic grew from experiencing two very different EAL environments at the same time. I noticed patterns in learners’ needs and behaviours, even though their goals were quite different,” she explains. “The contrast between academic and workplace-oriented classes made me curious about how context influences learning.”

Her curiosity didn’t end with simply noticing the differences; it pushed her toward a deeper examination of what shapes a learner’s experience.

“I hope my research encourages educators and program designers to move beyond one-size-fits-all models and recognize how different groups of learners experience language learning in their own ways,” she says. “By bringing attention to the social, emotional, and identity-related dimensions of learning, I hope to support more holistic and responsive EAL programming in both academic and workplace settings. Ultimately, I hope this work brings us one step closer to more personalized and meaningful English-learning experiences.”

Her coursework and research have already made their way into her professional life.

“I use what I’ve learned every day—whether it’s designing learner-centered lessons, responding to students in real time, or using reflection to guide my teaching decisions. My classroom experience really helped me become more adaptable.”

If she could offer advice to someone beginning their own capstone, it would be shaped by her own experience of discovery along the way.

“I wish I knew how much the reflective process would shape my learning, and that it’s completely okay not to know everything at the beginning,” she reflects. “I came into the program thinking I needed a fully formed idea right away, but I learned that clarity comes from doing the work, engaging with theory, and reflecting on real experiences. The process itself is what shapes the project.”

In recognition of her graduate work, she was awarded the Stephen Daniel Pope Graduate Award. For Elnaz, the recognition felt especially meaningful.

“Receiving this award truly means a lot to me,” she shares. “It’s incredibly encouraging to know that my efforts are not only appreciated by the students I support, but also recognized by my supervisor and other faculty members. This acknowledgment gives me a meaningful boost of confidence and motivates me to continue growing, contributing, and creating positive learning experiences for students.”

About Stephen Daniel Pope Graduate Award

In memory of Dr. Stephen Daniel Pope, this award is presented to an Okanagan School of Education graduate student who shows great promise in the field of education. Dr. Stephen Daniel Pope is remembered for his passion for education and his significant contributions to the public education system of British Columbia in the 1800s.